How to turn your home into Rio 2016
Let the games begin! These Rio Olympics crafts are adorable, festive, and easy to make with the kids.
May the summer games begin!
Tea light torch
Your kids will love the magical glow of their very own summer games "torch" made out of simple household items.
First, paint a recycled toilet paper tube in a metallic color and let dry. While that's drying, cut up yellow, orange, and gold tissue paper into hand-sized squares.
Next, cut out a circle of another toilet paper roll and use it cover the top of the toilet paper roll. Turn on your tea light and glue it to this side, then glue the tissue paper in layers around the top until it looks like the flames of a torch.
Winner's wreath
The athletes of ancient Greece were crowned in olive wreaths, so crown your kids in their own versions of this long-standing tradition!
First, cut out a 2-3-inch wide ribbon and measure it around your child's head so that it's a snug fit. Then, go on a "hunt" for leaves to use for the wreath. It doesn't matter what kind of leaves you use, as long as they are somewhat flat so that they can sit against the ribbon nicely.
Next (without the kids), use a glue gun to attach the leaves around the headband and let dry for an hour. Lastly, tie the ribbon around your child's head, make a knot, and cut off the ends. All done!
Summer games sidewalk chalk photos
Ever tried a sidewalk chalk photo session? When it comes to the summer games, the possibilities are endless! Have your kids pose as if they're diving into a pool, serving a volleyball or trying out the balance beam!
All they have to do is draw a background (with your help) and lay flat against the ground so that it looks like they are actually in the summer games! Then, take the pic from a bird's eye view and they'll look like the real deal!
Create your own at-home summer games
The possibilities for hosting your own at-home summer games are limitless. Turn hula hoops into the Summer Games rings and host a hula hoop-a-thon. If you have a pool or access to one, try a classic cannonball competition.
For a fun game that takes seconds to make, recycle a 2-liter soda bottle, fill it with water, and then use pool diving rings to create your own ring toss. Whoever gets the most rings onto the bottle during that round is crowned the winner!
Chocolate medals & torch cupcakes
All you need are chocolate coins, a thick blue ribbon, scissors, and a hot glue-gun to make your very own "medals" to enjoy during the summer games.
To make torch cupcakes, stand ice cream cones up on a muffin tin and fill them almost to the rim with cupcake batter. Bake according to box directions. When they cool off, frost them with orange icing. If you can, use a frosting "star" tip to make the icing look like flames. Delicious!
Which of these will you try first to get your home Rio-ready?
