Summer Olympics

I got a bit of inspiration from the 2012 Summer Olympics and came up with this activity. The kids LOVED it! (I also have a Winter Olympics). 

Supplies needed:

• icons to represent 8-10 of the events featured in the Summer Olympics. I used these:
• 100 Meter Dash
• Javelin Throw
• Table Tennis
• Marathon
• Archery
• Rowing
• Gymnastics
• Hurdles
• High Jump
• Diving
• list of 8-10 songs (one for each event)
• tape/pins to hang the icons on your board
• optional: picture of a crescendo sign and decrescendo sign to help the kids visualize how they're supposed to sing

Set up:

1. Pin/tape your icons onto the board--easy as that! 
• have the crescendo/decrescendo signs ready if using

Game play:

1. Announce that the Primary Summer Olympics are now in session!
• describe each event they will be participating in (the actual event, not what they're going to be doing in Primary)
2. Have a child come up and pick an icon. Name the event ("Ooh, the hurdles!"), and then describe how the Primary will "compete" in this event. Here's what I did for each of my events:
• 100 Meter Dash = sing allegro/as fast as possible
• Javelin Throw = sing legato (nice & smooth, like the arc of a javelin through the air)
• Table Tennis = sing staccato (like the ball bouncing back & forth)
• Marathon = sing ALL VERSES of this song (make sure your song has more than one!)
• Archery = Do As I'm Doing (p. 276), archery actions
• Rowing = alternate which side of the room sings (like alternating which side rows). You can either direct this yourself or let the child do it.
• Gymnastics = Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes (p. 275). Make them end with arms in the air like they've just completed a gymnastics routine!
• Hurdles = at the end of each phrase of the song, jump (like you're hurdling)!
• High Jump = sing the entire song with a crescendo. Start off very quietly and end as loud as possible (like the high jumper starting in low and jumping as high as he can)
• Diving = sing the entire song with a decrescendo. Start off as loud as you can and slowly fade out (like the diver starting up on the high dive and diving toward the water)
3. Sing the song for that event, then move on to the next event! Hopefully your Primary will love this as much as mine does.