The 2024 Summer Olympics is finally upon us! This elite competition gives viewers young and old the opportunity to root for the home nation team and discover new athletes while also learning a little geography and world culture in the context of the broader event.
Looking for a few ways to make the Paris Olympics come to life in your own home? Check out these five tips for an epic Olympic family party.
Opening Ceremony
If there’s anything more exciting than the games themselves, it’s taking in the opening and closing ceremonies. The 16 days of competition make the Olympics a multifaceted opportunity for gathering and celebration. Consider hosting an initial party on July 26 to view the opening ceremony together.
Fun Fact: The Paris Olympics will be filled with some unprecedented firsts, starting with the opening ceremony. For the first time in the history of the Summer Olympics, the Paris opening ceremony will take place outside of a stadium. A parade of athletes will commence on the Seine River, with boats for each national delegation. The river parade will follow a 6-kilometer route running east to west, giving athletes aboard the unique opportunity to catch glimpses of game venues while en route to their final destination, the Trocadero, the venue where the final ceremony takes place. More than 10,500 athletes will be participating in the 2024 events, making this opening ceremony one of the largest of all time.
Decorations
Decorating for the Summer Olympics is a cinch! Fourth of July decorations can easily get rebooted as Team USA party decor. If you’re looking to bolster your supply of red, white and blue, look for sales on patriotic party goods post-Independence Day. Oriental Trading has inexpensive Olympic-themed party supplies already available, featuring game kits, party supplies that include flags of all nations plates, napkins and banners, as well as USA and Paris decorations. For those who want to start from scratch, look no further than your local dollar store for primary color party supplies in the iconic Olympic ring colors of blue, yellow, black, green and red. And thinking of Olympic rings … hula hoops or pool noodles spray painted blue, yellow, black, green and red can make a fantastic Olympic ring backdrop behind your tablescape.
Food
There are a myriad of ways to create an Olympic spread:
Nutritious Noshing:
- Consider making a rowing-themed spread with grapes, peanut butter and celery sticks.
- A balance beam constructed of cheese sticks and pretzels is another playful option.
- Create an Olympic Ring spread out of fruit using blueberries, green grapes, blackberries, pineapple and strawberries. Or consider going the savory route with blue corn chips, olives, cheese, snap peas and cherry tomatoes.
Winning Desserts:
- Olympic torches that are really ice cream cones filled with caramel corn (or, my personal favorite, Cretors Cheese & Caramel Mix) give winning vibes to the treat table.
- Craft edible gold medals out of Golden Oreos and red fruit leather. First place never tasted so good!
- To add some Parisian flare to your summer, check out local favorite Chezelle Creperie for an assortment of decadent sweet and savory crepes. This institution is housed in the historic Summit theater building and comes complete with its own Eiffel Tower!
Games
For full family activities, consider Minute to Win It-style games. Pinterest has ample ideas. For youngsters, consider making modified games based on original Olympic sports. Here are a few examples:
Beach Volleyball:
For a simplified version, use a beach ball instead. Many local parks offer sand volleyball pits. Otherwise, you can string a rope between two trees and volley it up! Singles or doubles, take your pick. Keep score like the pros!
Fencing:
Swap out a saber with a pool noodle. Participants don either a paint smock or an old t-shirt. Dab one end of the pool noodle in washable paint and let kids accrue points dotting their opponents.
Ping-Pong:
Swap out a traditional ping-pong ball with a balloon. Create a paddle using a craft stick and a paper plate. A kitchen table sans chairs makes a makeshift ping-pong table.
Books
Before, during and after the Olympic season, kids can enjoy a deep dive into the history of the games and take inspiration from true stories.
- The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown (young readers version)
- G Is for Gold Medal by Brad Herzog
- How Do You Become an Olympian? by Madeleine Kelly
- National Geographic Kids Gymnastics
- What Are the Summer Olympics? by Gail Herman
Olathe freelance writer Lauren Greenlee will proudly be cheering on Team USA with her husband and four boys.