25 Outstanding Olympic Crafts for Kids to Make

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Celebrate the spirit of the Games with 25 easy Olympic crafts for kids, including colorful rings, torches, medals, flags, crowns and wearable projects. These ideas are suitable for families, classrooms, homeschool units and summer or winter sports themes.

Having been lucky enough to live in China and experience the excitement surrounding the 2008 Games firsthand, I have always loved the way this event brings countries together. Children get to discover new sports, cheer for determined athletes and learn about friendship, respect, excellence and cultures around the world.

Quick answer: The easiest Olympic crafts for kids are cardboard-tube ring prints, a paper torch, handprint medals and a paper laurel wreath. Preschoolers can paint, stamp and glue prepared pieces, while elementary-age children can cut, measure, weave, build and research the countries represented at the Games.

How to Choose an Olympic Craft

Age or setting	Good project choices	Skills practised
Preschool, ages 3–5	Ring stamping, color sorting, handprint medals and tissue-paper collage	Color recognition, hand strength, gluing and fine-motor control
Early elementary, ages 6–8	Paper torches, crowns, wreaths, flags and painted rocks	Cutting, sequencing, pattern recognition and geography
Upper elementary, ages 9–12	Origami bracelets, clay necklaces, washer rings and research extensions	Following directions, planning, design and independent work
Classroom or homeschool group	Flag garlands, countdown chains, medals and collaborative displays	Teamwork, sportsmanship, writing, math and social studies

Most projects use paper, washable paint, glue, child-safe scissors and recycled supplies. Adults should prepare difficult cuts and supervise small pieces, hot glue, polymer clay, batteries and any activity involving food.

Olympic Ring Crafts and Early Learning Activities

1. Recycled Cardboard Tube Olympic Rings

Turn empty cardboard tubes into a colorful ring display with this project from The OT Toolbox. Children paint five tube sections, arrange them in the familiar interlocking pattern and glue them onto paper. Painting the curved surfaces offers useful sensory input and strengthens hand control.

Teaching idea: Ask children to identify and sequence blue, yellow, black, green and red before assembling the design. Preschoolers can use pre-cut tube rings, while older children can measure equal sections with a ruler.

2. LEGO Ring Color Sorting

Put spare building bricks to work with this easy color-sorting activity from Toddler Approved. Set out five colored paper circles and invite children to build a ring on each one using matching bricks. Other small toys, bottle caps or pompoms can be substituted if LEGO bricks are unavailable.

This is a useful low-mess choice for a preschool math center. Children can sort, count and compare the number of pieces in each color group, then rebuild the rings in different sizes.

3. “O” Is for Olympics Letter Craft

Connect an Olympic theme with early literacy using this letter O activity from I Can Teach My Child. Children cover a large letter O with colored cereal rings or paper circles, giving them practice with one-to-one placement, pinching and gluing.

For a classroom version, use punched paper circles instead of food. Say the sound for O, brainstorm other O words and let children trace the letter with a finger before beginning the collage.

4. DIY Olympic Ring Eyeglasses

These playful ring eyeglasses from Life in Wonderland make a cheerful accessory for a family viewing party or classroom parade. An adult can prepare the ring shapes from craft foam or sturdy cardstock, and children can arrange the colors and decorate the frames.

Keep all decorations away from the child’s line of sight and use the glasses only for supervised pretend play. A paper headband with the same ring design is a comfortable alternative for younger children.

5. Simple Olympic Crown and Medal

Make an easy wearable crown with colored paper rings, then add a cardboard medal on a ribbon. This ArtsyCraftsyMom project works well for a class opening ceremony because children can personalize their crowns with a name, country, sport or positive word.

Finish with a friendly medal ceremony that celebrates effort rather than only winning. Awards such as Helpful Teammate, Creative Thinker and Best Encourager make the activity inclusive and reinforce good sportsmanship.

6. Coffee Filter Olympic Ring Suncatcher

Coffee filters and washable markers create translucent rings that look lovely in a sunny window. Follow the project from No Time for Flash Cards, or let children experiment with small amounts of water to observe how marker colors spread through the paper fibers.

Place a tray or absorbent towel under the filters and let them dry completely before displaying. This simple process-art activity can introduce color mixing and absorption without requiring children to reproduce an exact finished result.

Olympic Medals, Torches and Countdown Crafts

7. Handprint Medal Keepsake

Go for gold with a handprint medal inspired by Parenting Chaos. Press a child’s hand into homemade clay or another suitable keepsake material, allow it to dry and add metallic paint and ribbon. Because drying takes time, plan this as a two-session activity.

Add the child’s name and date on the back. Teachers can invite students to write one skill they have practised patiently, helping connect the medal with persistence and personal growth.

8. Paper Cup Olympic Ring Painting

Use the rim of a small paper cup as a circular stamp in this low-prep idea from East Coast Creative. Dip separate cups into the five paint colors and print overlapping rings onto white paper. Assigning one cup to each color helps keep the paint bright and clear.

Young children can explore circles and repeated patterns, while older students can measure the diameter and compare the circumference of different cups before printing.

9. Easy Paper Olympic Torch

This paper torch from Rainy Day Mum is simple enough for toddlers and preschoolers with adult preparation. Roll gold or brown paper into a cone, then add crumpled strips of red, orange and yellow tissue paper for a lively pretend flame.

Use the finished torches for a slow walking parade rather than running indoors. Invite each child to pass the torch carefully to a classmate and name one kind or encouraging action.

10. Olympic Paper Chain Countdown

Build anticipation with a paper chain countdown from Housing a Forest. Write one sport, country, movement break or child-friendly fact on each strip, form the strips into interlocking loops and remove one every day.

This activity makes the passage of time visible for young learners. It also supports counting backwards, reading aloud and short daily discussions. Adjust the number of links to suit your unit rather than tying the chain to a particular Games.

11. Paper Laurel Wreath Crown

Explore the ancient Greek tradition of victory wreaths with this paper crown from Easy Preschool Craft. Prepare a headband strip, then let children cut or glue green paper leaves around it. Older students can fold paper before cutting several leaves at once.

Pair the activity with an age-appropriate discussion about ancient Olympia and modern awards. Measure each headband before fastening it so the finished crown sits comfortably rather than too tightly.

12. Sparkly Recycled Lid Medals

Turn clean jar lids or sturdy cardboard circles into gold, silver and bronze medals. This current sparkly-medal tutorial from KC Parent uses paint, glue, glitter and ribbon. For a less messy classroom version, substitute metallic paper, foil or washable metallic paint.

An adult should attach the ribbon securely and check metal lids for sharp edges. Children can add a number, star or encouraging word to the front of each medal.

13. Olympic Torch Handprint Craft

Trace and layer red, orange and yellow handprints to create a bright paper flame with this DLTK Kids project. Add the handprints to a paper torch handle and display several together as a collaborative classroom mural.

Preschoolers can decorate handprints prepared by an adult. Older children can trace, cut and arrange their own, then write a sentence about a sport they would like to try.

Olympic Rings, Flags, Wreaths and World Crafts

14. Paper Plate Olympic Rings

Turn the outer rims of five paper plates into a large ring display with this idea from Meaningful Mama. Children paint each rim, let it dry and arrange the rings in the correct overlapping formation. Adults should cut out the plate centers for younger makers.

The official symbol represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from around the world. The individual colors are not assigned to specific continents.

15. Tissue Paper Olympic Rings Collage

Mess for Less uses small tissue-paper squares to fill five large ring outlines. Picking up, scrunching and placing the pieces makes this a useful fine-motor activity that can be completed over more than one session.

Prepare sorted trays of tissue paper for a group. Children can work individually or contribute to one large mural, making this an effective collaborative display for a hallway, library or physical-education area.

16. Craft Stick Olympic Torch

Build a sturdy pretend torch from wooden craft sticks and tissue paper by following Fireflies and Mudpies. Lining up and gluing the sticks develops visual planning, while layering warm-colored tissue creates a textured flame.

Use school glue for children and allow plenty of drying time. If a glue gun is needed for a stronger finish, it should be handled only by an adult.

17. World Flag Garland

Celebrate the international character of the Games with a handmade world flag garland inspired by Art Bar. Let each child choose a participating country, find it on a map and study its flag before reproducing the main colors and shapes on paper.

Join the finished flags with string for a class display. Encourage children to label each country and capital so the craft becomes a useful geography reference rather than decoration alone.

18. Plastic Spoon Laurel Wreath

A Subtle Revelry transforms painted plastic spoons into a sculptural laurel wreath. This project is best for older children because the spoons must be arranged securely and may require strong glue. For a simpler and more sustainable version, cut spoon-shaped leaves from recycled cardboard.

Introduce the current Olympic motto, “Faster, Higher, Stronger—Together,” and ask children what “together” looks like during sport, school and family life.

19. Painted World Flag Rocks

Non-Toy Gifts combines rock painting with a world-flags lesson. Wash and dry smooth stones, sketch the main flag shapes in pencil and add acrylic or poster paint. Children can choose countries connected to their family, favorite athletes or current studies.

Use the finished rocks for matching games: match each flag to a country name, continent, capital or location on a map. Do not collect rocks from protected natural areas.

20. Glowing LED Olympic Torch

This updated project from Oh My! Creative adds a flameless LED tea light to a cardboard-tube torch. Tissue paper diffuses the light and creates a safe glowing effect for a pretend opening ceremony.

Use only a battery-powered flameless light—never a candle or real flame. Adults should secure the light while keeping its switch and battery compartment accessible and supervise young children closely.

Wearable Olympic Crafts for Older Kids

21. Olympic Origami Bracelets

All for the Boys turns strips of colored paper into woven origami bracelets. This project requires careful folding and pattern repetition, making it a satisfying option for upper-elementary students and older children.

Pre-cut equal strips to save class time, or let students measure and cut their own for an added math connection. Make the finished bracelet loose enough to slide comfortably over the hand.

22. DIY Gold Medal

Create a wearable gold medal with the tutorial from Paging Supermom. Cardboard, metallic paint or paper and a ribbon are enough for a convincing result. Children can emboss a design with glue, add a number or invent an emblem for their classroom team.

Instead of awarding medals only for speed or points, recognize perseverance, fairness, improvement and encouragement. This keeps a mini-games celebration positive for children with different abilities.

23. Clay Olympic Rings Necklace

Kids Craft Room uses five colors of polymer clay to form interlocking rings for a necklace or bracelet. Rolling even clay coils and joining them carefully develops hand strength, precision and three-dimensional design skills.

This project is best for older children. An adult must follow the clay manufacturer’s baking instructions, handle the oven and check that the finished piece has cooled completely before adding elastic.

24. Oil Pastel Olympic Ring Art

Housing a Forest creates bold ring art with chalk or oil pastels and circular templates. Children trace repeated circles, layer the five colors and blend selected areas for a vibrant, energetic result.

Use this as an art lesson about repetition, overlap, positive space and negative space. Protect the table and finished artwork because chalk and oil pastels can transfer onto nearby surfaces.

25. DIY Washer Olympic Ring

Club Chica Circle turns a metal washer into a miniature ring-themed accessory using paint or colored craft material. It is a compact project for older makers who enjoy jewelry and detailed work.

Washers and jewelry findings are small and unsuitable for toddlers or children who may put objects in their mouths. An adult should inspect the washer for rough edges and supervise all assembly.

Child-Friendly Olympic Facts

• The recorded ancient Games began at Olympia in Greece in 776 BCE and originally featured one foot race.
• The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athens in 1896.
• The five interlocking rings represent the union of the five continents and athletes meeting from around the world. Individual ring colors do not stand for particular continents.
• The Summer and Winter Games each take place every four years, with their schedules staggered so an Olympic event normally occurs every two years.
• The official Olympic values are excellence, respect and friendship.
• The current Olympic motto is “Faster, Higher, Stronger—Together.”

When sharing facts with a class, rely on age-appropriate information from the official Olympic website and avoid event totals, host-specific technology and medal statistics that quickly become outdated.

How to Use These Olympic Crafts in a Classroom or Homeschool

1. Choose one learning goal. Connect the craft with color recognition, measuring, geography, writing, movement or social-emotional learning.
2. Prepare by age. Pre-cut detailed pieces for preschoolers and let older students trace, measure and assemble independently.
3. Add a country study. Let each child locate one country, study its flag and learn a respectful fact about its people, language, art or geography.
4. Include movement. Follow craft time with safe mini-events such as beanbag balance, target tosses, animal walks or a walking torch relay.
5. Celebrate participation. Recognize teamwork, creativity, courage, improvement and kindness as well as athletic performance.

For a larger geography unit, explore our Around the World Crafts for Kids. You can also connect the laurel wreath and torch projects with our Greece Crafts for Kids.

Frequently Asked Questions About Olympic Crafts for Kids

What is the easiest Olympic craft for preschoolers?

Cardboard-tube ring printing and a crumpled-tissue paper torch are the easiest options. Both use large movements and simple materials. An adult can prepare the paper or cardboard pieces before the activity.

Can these projects be used for both Summer and Winter Games?

Yes. Rings, torches, medals, flags and laurel wreaths work with either event. Add sport-specific drawing prompts, books and movement games to match the season.

How long do Olympic crafts take?

Simple stamping, collage and paper torch projects usually take 15–30 minutes. Clay medals, painted projects and detailed wearable crafts may require 45 minutes or a second session for drying.

What can children learn through an Olympic craft theme?

Children can practise fine-motor skills, color and shape recognition, measuring, sequencing, geography and writing. The theme also supports conversations about effort, fairness, friendship, respect and teamwork.

How can I make a classroom Olympic celebration inclusive?

Offer seated and standing activities, allow children to choose from different challenges and celebrate qualities such as kindness, persistence and creativity. Avoid making speed or physical ability the only measure of success.

Is a real flame safe for an Olympic torch craft?

No. Use tissue paper, cellophane or a battery-powered flameless LED light. Never use candles, matches or another real flame in a child’s torch.

More Sports and Around-the-World Crafts

Football Crafts for Kids

Continue the sports theme with soccer crafts, paper games, wearable projects, painted rocks and printable activities for children.

Greece Crafts for Kids

Explore ancient Greek history, laurel wreaths, temples, pottery, flags, mythology and modern Greek culture through hands-on projects.

Paper Plate Crafts for Kids

Find more than 100 inexpensive paper plate ideas organized by age, theme, season and learning goal for home or classroom use.

Celebrate Creativity, Teamwork and Effort

The Olympic Games are about much more than medals. They offer children a chance to discover unfamiliar sports, appreciate people from many countries and see what patience and practice can achieve. Choose one of these Olympic crafts for kids, add a simple movement activity or country study and create a celebration where every child can take part.