2012 Olympic Fun Pack: Cool Facts and Activities for Kids

On your mark. Get set. Learn! Get ready for a marathon of Olympic-themed summer learning as the world awaits the start of the games in London on Friday.  

I’m pretty nerdy about the Olympics, and I’m guessing some of you are, too. Here are some fun facts about the 2012 Olympics to share with your kids (courtesy of our friends at Infoplease.com):

Kids might also be interested to know these other cool 2012 Olympic facts I found on the Web:

  • For the first time in history, Team USA has more women (269) than men (261)
  • U.S. Olympians range in height from 7 feet, 1 inch, to 4 feet, 11 inches
  • Team USA includes at least two sets of twins and six pairs of siblings (remember, Olympians: no hitting -- unless you're a boxer!), plus 67 athletes with children (13 moms and 54 dads -- way to go, 'rents!)

Now, onto some cool activities! Print out these fun Olympic-themed worksheets for kids:  

Test your family’s knowledge of Olympics history and trivia:

And get your family more physically active by having your own imaginary Olympics on your home turf (hey, the average age of a U.S. Olympian is 27, so why not give your kids a head start at their Olympic dreams?!):

I'll leave you with this final fun fact about the Olympics, which kids are sure to find fascinating: The athletes in the ancient Olympic Games usually competed in the nude. Imagine! (And you thought those beach volleyball bikinis were tiny. Ha!) Apparently nudity not only suited the warm Greek climate -- it also helped participants show off their athletic human figures, which were central to the celebration of the ancient games. (I think we're good with the Speedos and Spandex, thanks!)  

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