Get in the Olympic spirit
Create your very own Winter games
Your kids are home for the holidays... and they're hyper. Here's your chance to burn off all that excess energy. Follow our Family Olympics guide below. For each game, award five points to the first-place winner. (Second place gets four points; third place gets three; and so on.)
Competition: Snowman building
Course: Any nearby park, or your backyard, if there's enough room.
Rules: Everyone builds their own snowman in an hour timeframe. No snow on the ground? Collect some straw, old clothing and twine to make scarecrows.
Results: An impartial judge, such as a neighbour or grandparent, gives everyone a mark out of 10 for creativity. Highest score wins.
Competition: Bake off
Course: Your kitchen.
Rules: Everyone gets the same ingredients and puts together a "cold" dish in a certain amount of time.
Results: An unfortunate judge gets to taste the entries, and awards first, second and third place.
Competition: Family Trivia
Course: Your living room.
Rules: Everyone contributes a list of questions, such as, "What was little Johnny's first Halloween costume?" and "What was mom's high school called?" The family member who answers a question first gets the point.
Results: The competitor with the most correct answers wins this round.
On the podium: The competitor with the most points at the end of the games should be treated like "gold" for a day. Reward them with breakfast in bed (see related recipes) and a break from chores.
Downloads:
Bingo cards
Family tree
Recipe gift cards
I spy in the sky map