For decor, think rings and "torches."

Olympics-Themed Decorations

1. Olympics Rings Posters

Use white poster board or a long sheet of paper (from your kid’s easel) for some official looking signage. Draw the Olympic rings, using two different-sized plates as your guide for the inner part and the outer part of the rings. Hang up your Olympic flag in a central location or drape your Olympic table runner on the food table.

2. Olympics Rings Flags Banner

Make a banner from this Winter Olympics DIY set of instructions by Thrifter in Disguise, or get a banner of international flags from the party store.

3. Flag-Themed Party Supplies

Party stores and Amazon have fabulous international flag themed paper goods, but you could also go with plates, napkins, cups, and plasticwear in solid Olympic ring colors—red, cobalt, yellow, green, and black.

Wrapping paper tubes and balloons combine for a safe and simple game of floor hockey.

Olympics-Themed Games for Kids

4. Play Balloon Hockey

Get out some energy with balloon hockey! It's easy to play and surprisingly engaging for kids of all ages. We transformed some long cardboard tubes (from wrapping paper) and cardboard squares into “hockey sticks.” Simply cut two rectangles out of cardboard and tape them to one end of the cardboard tubes. We used packing tape, but duct tape would probably create a more sturdy stick. You can use an empty box as a goal, or just mark off an area on the floor. Add a black balloon to make a perfect indoor puck that won’t knock any teeth out.

5. Make an Olympics-Themed Obstacle Course

Create an obstacle course and have parents and kids race through, holding a “torch” made of an ice cream cone filled with Cheetos. If they spill any, they have to start at the beginning again. Or, to add a crafty element, make your own paper torches out of empty toilet paper tubes and yellow, orange, and red tissue paper.

The Pyrex dish doesn't even need a Zamboni to be smooth enough for skating.

6. Create Mini-Venues

A couple of days before the party, help your kids make miniature Olympic competition venues. We made a ski slope, a skeleton run, and an ice rink. For tutorials, take a look at the mini ski slope and mini ice rink from Toddler Approved. When it’s party time, pull out the little plastic people your kids have stashed all over the house and use them as tiny athletes who are competing. Glide them on the mini ice rink or tape on some popsicle-stick skis and race them down the mini ski slope (my son also put his Playmobil people in milk bottle caps for a tubing race). 

7. Try Tabletop/Floor Curling

Who isn't intrigued by curling? Try a mini-version of the sport with a DIY version of  Tabletop Curling from Momgineer; all you need is making tape and poker chips or pennies!

These Olympic-ring-color bracelets are fun to make and can be worn again and again as the Games go on.

8. Make Olympics Friendship Bracelets

Set out an assortment of pony beads in Olympic-themed colors, some stretchy beading string, and safe scissors. Kids can make black, red, green, blue, and yellow beaded bracelets to wear through the Olympic season.

9. Craft Olympic Torches

These come together pretty quickly using flame-colored tissue paper and a toilet paper roll. We keep ours rather plain, but you could dazzle them up a little bit with glitter and gold.

10. Make (and Give) Gold Medals

After the kids play whatever games you've set out, reward them with gold medals. To make them (in advance), use gold chocolate coins or jar tops and ribbon. Attach the ribbon to the gold coin with hot glue. Viola!

This Olympic-ring-inspired fruit tray couldn't be easier to assemble.

Olympics-Themed Snacks

11. Edible Olympic Torches

When kids are involved, you can't go wrong with Olympic torches made from ice cream cones filled with Cheetos or popcorn.

12. Olympics Pizza

Why not honor the food of our host country, Italy?  This Olympic ring pizza from Living Well Spending Less is adorable, on-theme, and always a kid-pleaser. 

13. International Potluck

If you have friends who want to contribute to the feast, an international potluck is a no-brainer for an Olympics party. Ask your guests to bring a dish to represent their country of origin or any country they feel connected to in some way. You can get some little international flag toothpicks at a party store to mark each dish.

14. Olympic Ring Fruit Tray

We are celebrating physical feats, so some health-conscious food is appropriate: An Olympic ring fruit tray is a hit with the kids! This adorable example from Emily Enchanted is a great inspiration.

15. Cocoa Bar!

Top off the evening’s culinary delights with the apex of winter treats, a hot cocoa bar. Keep the cocoa (pick your favorite flavor from our list of the top kid-pleasing cocoa recipes) warming in a crock pot, surrounded by decadent mix-ins and toppings like white chocolate chips, crushed peppermint, mini marshmallows, chocolate dipped spoons, and whipped cream. To keep it Olympics-themed, you can have biscotti cookies or Baci chocolates to dip in the hot chocolate!

Originally written by Tara D in 2014, updated by Ally Noel; photos by Mommy Poppins