Olympic Fun and Vocabulary!

The Summer Olympics are right around the corner!  Children and adults will be excited about and interested in this historic event.  I was thinking about using the Olympic theme for my monthly game for the Pre K and K sharing blog, and made a 3-card matching game with pictures of some of the events for the summer games. This is a good time to help children increase vocabulary by helping them learn the names of the Olympic events. Here is my free 15 page PDF:

Small children may not be able to actually read these words, so I included either a picture or the initial sound on each card. My father always told the story that when he was young, his family had two records of classical music.  When his parents would have guests, they would play one or the other.  Guests did not realize there were only two choices, so they would play one and when my father would say, "Clare de Lune," by Claude Debussy, people were impressed.  When children first read larger words, they are often associating a picture or event with the word.  People may be impressed, although the child may not be really reading.  It encourages children towards literacy, anyway! Children approximate in smaller and smaller increments of learning until something is learned. So, let the children play the game at their own levels.  With something as exciting as the Olympics, it may be they "read" words like equestrian during the game.

I was also thinking about how we might discuss goal setting with children and use the theme of the Olympics to improve behaviors. So, I made an "Olympic helping chart" and some printable bronze, silver, and gold medals teachers and parents could use to reward good behavior.  The chart is generic and could be adapted for many different kind of goals. Discuss with the children that all 10, 950 athletes work hard, achieve goals, and keep working.  They don't all win, although it may seem that way from watching TV.  Impress upon the children all the athletes are winners just for being at the Olympics. 

I also included 3 larger medals to print to make "medals" for backyard races and fun!  

Thank you for reading, Carolyn

This is my special license for sharing freebies on the Pre K and K site with my Scrappin' Doodles art: