17 Game-Winning Olympics Crafts for Kids

Sally Jones
Aug 02, 2016

As the 2016 Olympics kick off with the Summer Games next week, we’ve got the fever. The *best* athletes across the globe are converging in Brazil to compete in the games, and a sneak peek at the US Women’s Olympic Gymnastic Team shows that our team is READY! If you need help getting your game face on, check out the Brit + Co Guide to the Olympics and our Olympics Viewing Party Guide. Now, for all the kids in the house (big and small), here are 17 crafts and activities to get into that Olympic spirit.

1. DIY Olympic Flag Garland: Here is a project that’s not only fun to make, but it also sparks great worldly conversations about the countries that are competing. This one gets bonus points, as the finished garland doubles as Olympics decor. (via Small for Big)

2. Homemade Olympic Rings Craft Idea: These cute rings are made from metal washers you’ll find at any hardware store. Paint them with fingernail polish and they’ll be dry in under one hour, so kids can wear them right away. (via Club Chica Circle)

3. DIY Olympic Ring Ice Cubes: If you’ve got a donut baking pan, you can easily whip up some Olympic rings ice cubes. These would be great to float in a punch bowl at your Olympics viewing party. (via The Flair Exchange)

4. DIY Olympic Eyeglasses: This super easy project is quick and inexpensive, but OH SO COOL. Just cut some Olympic rings out of foam paper and glue them to a pair of dollar store glasses. The kids will go crazy for them. (via Hatter & Hare Events)

5. Olive Branch Laurel Wreath: Help your future Olympians make an olive branch wreath out of cardboard toilet paper tubes. They’ll enjoy painting, cutting and punching the leaves, while you give them the backstory on the origins of the Olympics. (via Tried & True)

6. Make a Gold Medal: These gold medals deserve a gold medal ’cause they’re so realistic. Kids will have hours of fun pressing designs into the clay medallions using ordinary objects around the house, such as baby food lids, toothpicks, wooden cuticle sticks and a marker cap to make their designs unique. When the clay is dry, spray paint them gold, silver or bronze, and use them for yard games. (via Paging Supermom)

7. Glowing TeaLight Olympic Torch: These torches actually light up, thanks to battery-operated tea lights. They’re so easy to make and kids will play with them for hours after dark. (via Oh My Creative)

8. Olympic Rings: Paper chains are so much fun for kids to make. Just precut strips in Olympic colors and let them take it away. They can make decorations for your Olympics viewing party or decorate their rooms to get into the spirit. (via Craftstorming)

9. DIY Olympic Gold Medals: Kids can create personalized gold medals with their own names embossed. When they’re finished, attach them to red, white and blue ribbons so they can show their team spirit. (via Vicky Barone)

10. DIY Ribbon Wands: These ribbon wands take only a few minutes to make, but kids will play with them for hours. Bonus: They’ll be so worn out after spinning, twirling, dancing and letting the wind blow them that you can almost guarantee an early bedtime. (via Washi Tape Crafts)

11. Olympic Ring Art: Nothing says Olympics like the iconic rings. This chalk-pastel artwork is really easy to create, and it looks so great hanging on their bedroom wall. (Housing a Forest)

12. Olympic Rings Visor: To make these hats, just buy some plain old visors from any craft store and apply paint using toilet paper rolls. Kids will enjoy making them as much as they do wearing them. (via Brassy Apple)

13. Olympic Shoes (Free Download and Tutorial): Kids will jump for joy when they see these winged victory shoes, making their Olympics festivities that much more exciting. Click through for a downloadable pattern and tutorial. (via Kiki Comin)

14. Team USA Gold Medal With Olympic Rings: Here’s a gold medal craft that even the smallest kids can help make. Don’t be surprised if they eat more of the supplies than they glue on — but that’s half the fun. (via Honey + Lime)

15. Plastic Spoon Laurel Wreaths: These wreaths are so beautiful that it’s hard to believe they’re made of plastic spoons. The end result is a hardy headband that can withstand all the imaginative play a kid can dream up. (via A Subtle Revelry)

16. Olympics Bracelet: This is actually two bracelets in one. Make a single band loom bracelet using clear looms, then add the five color “Olympic Ring” looms. A great friendship bracelet, this wearable craft is one that even teens will get into making for themselves and their friends. (via Loom Love)

17. Edible Olympic Medals: Kids of all ages LOVE edible crafts. These “gold medals” are made of sandwich cookies and dried fruit roll ribbons. Bonus: They make a great snack for the kids at your viewing party. (via Create, Craft, Love)

Do you love these Olympics crafts for kids? Follow us on Pinterest.

This “Bougie” Caviar Set From Costco Is The Perfect NYE Hosting Hack

Why am I just now learning that Costco sells caviar?! After a quick catch on social media, I’m totally hooked on finding the TsarNicoulai Caviar Tasting Flight Gift Set in stores.

This find comes at just the right time, too. Christmas and New Year’s are upon us, and the Costco caviar gift set is the perfect hosting hack for leaving a lasting impression on your guests – especially the ones with a bit more bougie palette.

Costco

The Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Tasting Flight Gift Set is directly inspired by Tsar Nicoulai’s award-winning caviar café in San Francisco – IYKYK. The set features 4 “unique” grades of “top-quality” caviar, with each respective grade sourced from a single sturgeon. The very luxe set is completed with a spread of smoked sturgeon, blini, and crème fraiche.

Costco

The Costco caviar (can’t believe I’m writing that!) can serve 4 to 8 people, so it’s practically perfect for a holiday dinner party or cocktail hour. It arrives with 4 caviar spoons made from Mother of Pearl – can someone say “bougie?!”

Rachel Claire / PEXELS

Costco shoppers have granted the caviar set 4.4 out of 5 stars. Here’s some promising reviews to really help you seal the deal:

  • “We bought it as a trial and pretty happy with the purchase. Even with the full price getting smoked sturgeon which we like a like it's a wickedly good deal. If you want to elevate your dining experience this might be one of the ways to do it.”
  • “This was amazing for my 79th birthday experience. My father taught us that to appreciate caviar you have to serve it "right". My Russian Vodka days are over so we utilized some of our favorite Hard Seltzer and of course some finely chopped hard boiled egg and onion which this time was a scallion. The secret is to to place the whole doctored up blini with the caviar into your mouth in one bite so that all the flavors merge at once. Highly recommend this fabulous treat!”
  • “This set is outstanding value! We used this set for a Vodka and Caviar tasting party we were having. All the caviars were excellent and the addition of sturgeon was a nice touch. Highly recommend.”

Polina Tankilevitch / PEXELS

The Tsar Nicoulai Caviar Tasting Flight Gift Set is currently $50 off through December 31, 2024. This savings opportunity is only available online, so don’t wait to snag it for your holiday plans before it sells out! Originally $250, you’ll only pay $200 for the best fancy holiday snack around.

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Monica Barbaro Says Meeting Timothée Chalamet On 'A Complete Unknown' Was A "Beautiful, Magical Day"

A Complete Unknown finally rolls into theaters on Christmas Day (you know..like a rolling stone?) but the cast is already generating serious buzz. Timothée Chalamet snagged a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Bob Dylan, while Monica Barbaro just won the Astra Film Awards' Breakthrough Performer Award. But when I sat down with the actress, I couldn't help but go all the way back to the first day of filming the December movie.

Here's what A Complete Unknown's Monica Barbaro had to say about meeting Timothée Chalamet and learning guitar for the role of Joan Baez.

Monica Barbaro loved working with Timothée Chalamet on 'A Complete Unknown.'

Monica revealed in a Rolling Stone interview that she met Timothée Chalamet a week before filming — and that he was already more-or-less in character. "The first time we met was a music rehearsal," she tells Brit + Co exclusively. "So we just really launched right into it, which was nice because I admired his work so much from afar and any level of intimidation that I may have had, I could just sort of funnel into music prep, which was great."

"It was a beautiful experience of getting to hear our voices harmonize as these characters and hear the accompaniment of our guitars," she continues. "And we were able to kind of like anchor ourselves in the music and have sort of a meeting of minds that was maybe a little more similar to Joan and Bob because they met in the music scene as already very proficient musicians. So that was a beautiful magical day. And then we like launched right into filming."

Monica Barbaro (who you'll recognize from Top Gun2) stars as musician Joan Baez, and even though Monica had to learn how to play guitar for the role, you'd never guess just by watching the film. She carries herself with such confidence and ease that I'd have believed she'd been playing her whole life. And the fact her voice sounds like a Disney princess is just the cherry on top.

"I'm not a singer, I didn't play guitar," she says. "So there was sort of this introductory level thing going on where I just had to figure out how to form my hands and in some way, I thought about how she might have done that at like 14, I think, when she first picked up guitar. But that was just like an overhaul of everything — I mean, all my time just poured into that training."

She was doing her own research, but also worked with vocal coach Eric Vetro, who's also worked with Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, and Shawn Mendes. "He encouraged me to consider what the lyrics of songs meant to her," Monica says. "Because the best musicians are storytellers and that's one of the best things about he renditions of these folk songs is you feel the story of the song."

And because of that, focusing on the lyrics "was also a part of the character development. So there were sort of siloed things like voice, guitar research, and then her speaking voice," she says. "And then all of those things started to just kind of like meld, you know. You have to play and sing at the same time and tell a story and do it from the perspective of Joan. And so so they just sort of over time kind of like bridged."

But no matter how much prep Monica, Timothée, and Elle Fanning (who stars as Sylvie Russo) did for the film, they still had to film in the middle of New York City, which came with its own set of 2024-specific challenges. "It was interesting to be filming and have people sneaking videos and posting them on the internet," she says, admitting that she "really just tried to turn all of that off to the best of my ability."

The film highlights the tension between celebrity and fame, considering we meet Bob Dylan right before he becomes, well, Bob Dylan. "It's a privilege to have to have so much attention and excitement on a project and I appreciate the intent, but you kind of just sort of turn it off a little bit and disengage," Monica says, "especially when you're talking about just a very different kind of fame in the sixties."

Read up on 23 Hilarious Tweets About The Timothée Chalamet Lookalike Contest That Timothée Crashed for a good laugh.

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13 Yummy Christmas Cookies From Around The World

Heaping plates of Christmas cookies are synonymous with the holidays. It seems that nearly every country around the globe has their own variation on the holiday classic. In fact, some of these regions have been making their version of Christmas cookies for literal hundreds of years.

If you’re looking for a way to reconnect with your heritage, or maybe just want a little baking inspiration, check out our picks for the yummiest Christmas cookies from around the world.

The Noshery

Mantecaditos con Guayaba

These may look like ordinary thumbprint cookies, but these almond shortbreads from Puerto Rico are filled with a special guava marmalade. (via The Noshery)

Broma Bakery

Meringues

French meringues are a classic crumbly egg white cookie with a chewy interior. These get an extra European twist with the addition of Nutella. (via Broma Bakery)

Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

Alfajores

Deeply flavored dulce de leche, a caramel made from whole milk commonly found in Spain and many Latin American countries, is the key ingredient in these super pretty sandwiched Christmas cookies. (via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.)

Fancy Peasant

Melomakarona

These Christmas cookies that hail from Greece get their sweetness from a generous soaking of fresh honey! (via Fancy Peasant)

Very Eatalian

Baci di Dama

The name of this Italian treat translates to “lady’s kisses” — how adorable is that? These bite-sized cuties are made with ground hazelnuts and filled with a dollop of dark chocolate. (via Very Eatalian)

Cooking Classy

Linzer Cookies

These Austrian Christmas cookies are typically made with raspberry jam, but feel free to get crazy with a filling of your choice. Plus, the gorgeous windowpane look will make them a prize takeaway at your next cookie exchange. (via Cooking Classy)

Olivia’s Cuisine

Basler Brunsli

If you’re hanging out in Switzerland around Christmas time, you’ll definitely see these chocolate treats around. They’re often described as Swiss brownies due to their deliciously chewy texture. Perfect with a cup of eggnog or coffee! (via Olivia’s Cuisine)

Cilantro Parsley

Buñuelos

These tender miniature fritters from Mexico are a mix between a donut and cookie. Whatever you want to call them, they’re delicious. (via Cilantro Parsley)

Chef Lindsey Farr

Apricot Kolachys

The Hungarians definitely know what’s up when tart apricot jam gets wrapped in a blanket of flaky pastry. They’re a bright spot on a cold Christmas day. (via Chef Lindsey Farr)

Life, Love and Sugar

Cutout Sugar Cookies

In the United States, a plate of these festively decorated sugar cookies is just what Santa ordered. (via Life, Love and Sugar)

Saveur

Polvorones

You’ll find these simple pecan shortbread cookies all over Mexico around this time of year. The coating of powdered sugar and canela, a type of Mexican cinnamon, really bring the flavor to the next level. (via Saveur)

A Healthy Life for Me

Pignoli

These Italian Christmas cookies are made of a chewy almond base and topped with pine nuts. (via A Healthy Life for Me)

Fancy Peasant

Kourabiedes

These Greek Christmas cookies feature a buttery biscuit topped with mass amounts of powdered sugar. (via Fancy Peasant)

Does your family have a traditional cookie recipe for the holidays? Tag us @BritandBo in your Instagram photos and let us know!

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.

Lead image via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

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