WATCHING THE OLYMPICS WITH YOUR CHILDREN

CAN BE EDUCATIONAL AND FUN

RESTON, VA, August 17, 2000 -- Attention Parents: Watching the upcoming Games of the XXVII Olympiad, September 15-30, with your children is a wonderful opportunity to squeeze in some teachable moments when the future Olympians and active youngsters are least expecting! Here are a few tips from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).

"The history of the Olympic Games, the five continents and five rings, participating countries and their flags, art and music of the games, as well as the sport events, all provide excellent opportunities for teachable moments," said NASPE Executive Director Judith C. Young, Ph.D.

• Get out a globe or a map and show your child where he or she lives and where Sydney, Australia is. Relate where favorite athletes live (home countries, geographic locations, seasons, time changes) compared to Sydney which will be going into its spring season in September.
• What time is it at home? What time is it in Sydney? Discuss effects of time changes on training, sleep/rest, an athlete’s internal clock, best times to compete and train.
• Stress the internationalism of the event. The linking of the rings--red, blue, black, green and yellow--represents the union of the five major continents in friendship and sport. One or more of those colors is present in the flag of every nation.
• Prior to the Games, the Olympic torch is lit by the sun’s rays near Zeus’ temple in Ancient Olympia. Design a path for the torch to Sydney.
• Be sure to highlight activities and events that your children may not be familiar with or have opportunities to see or participate in themselves such as crew, kayaking, team handball, diving, discus and javelin, etc.
• Olympians run 100 meters in about eight seconds. Elementary school age children usually run it in 20; high school athletes run the 100 meters in 12-13 seconds (girls), and 11 seconds (boys). Mark off the distance and use a stopwatch to show them what it feels like.
• Make it an family project or a dinner discussion topic that the family will discuss a different Olympic event each day — getting a broad picture of the event, the goals, and familiarizing the family with the names of American and international competitors.
• Share the motto: "Swifter, higher, stronger." This great motivational slogan encourages all who participate to excel in their quest to reach the upper limits of human performance in accord with the Olympic spirits. Discuss the awards ceremony, the different levels of the awards stand, and the playing of the National Anthem of the victor’s country.
• How far can your child throw an object? Measure it.
• What is the difference between "putting" the shot and "throwing" the hammer?
• Ask your children about what they learned about the athletes from the human interest profiles provided in media coverage. What motivated the athlete to succeed?
• Have your son or daughter try to do some of the balance beam skills/activities on the floor. Discuss criteria judges use in gymnastics and diving events. Do you agree with the officials’ ratings? Why or why not? What do you think they look for when judging these athletes? Be sure children know that the judges are representatives of all countries.
• Were you inspired by the Olympics? Do you want to become more physically active as a family? What qualities are needed to be an Olympian?
• How do the Olympians feel who don’t bring home a medal? Have they failed?
• The creed of the Olympics is: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." Clarify the meaning of the term "fought" well.
• Is your child learning new skills in his or her physical education class?
• Try to attend local events featuring local athletes to highlight the activity and enable your child to see the sport/activity personally.
• Discuss good sportsmanship and fair play.
• Find out what sport/activity the family has never heard of and research it at the public library and on the Internet.
• Encourage your child, with parental support, to look for opportunities to engage in new sports/activities for the value of the experience and possibly to expose your child to new competitive and recreational opportunities.

For more ideas for enhancing your viewing of the Olympics, purchase a copy of Capture the Olympic Spirit, a 32-page paperback resource book about the Ancient and Modern Olympic Games geared to elementary school age children. The cost, which includes shipping and handling is $11. Send a check made out to NASPE Olympic Materials to: Olympic Materials, NASPE, 1900 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191

Information about the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) can be found on the Internet at www.aahperd.org, the web site of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). NASPE is the largest of AAHPERD’s six national associations. A nonprofit membership organization of over 25,000 professionals in the fitness and physical activity fields, NASPE is the only national association dedicated to strengthening basic knowledge about sport and physical education among professionals and the general public. Putting that knowledge into action in schools and communities across the nation is critical to improved academic performance, social reform and the health of individuals.

(Information provided courtesy of www.pelinks4u.org)

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