Mini-Olympics Birthday Party Ideas?

Question

Next weekend we're having my daughter's 5th birthday party at a local park. We are going to have a mini-Olympics-style party with races and games. The large open grass spaces we'll be spray-painting (with washable paint) the various "fields of play".

So far, we're planning relay races like baton passing and spoon w/egg, pillow case races (individually and with 3-legged), musical chairs (with dinner-style place mats instead of chairs) and a distance race around the outside edge of the park.

#1. I wonder if you have any additional suggestions for games/races?

#2. There is an existing playground and basketball court. How can I incorporate those into the games?

#3. Do you have any ideas of how to lay this all out?

#4. We're on a tight budget, and so have made "medals" from USA ribbon and red, white and blue circles of cut out of foamy sheets. How can I expand on this concept without going broke?

I challenge all of the Yahoo Answers Community to expand upon my plans and answer these questions...Will YOU get chosen as the "Best Answer"?

Answer 1

you could have long jump to see who can jump the furthest.  maybe discus in the form of a Frisbee!  javelin with a soft shaped replica.  shot put with a soft ball.  have a great day.

Answer 2

find those chocolate candy coins to hand out as medals?  Find country flags and print them from your computer and glue to popsicle sticks/bamboo skewers ( cut off sharp ends) to give to the kids to choose which country they want to represent.  You can make a podium stand out of plastic crates (depending on how heavy the kids are, be wary).  Using a sparkler to emulate the torch is another idea, to pass along the kids to the birthday child.  If the playground has monkey bars you could have them do those and time it to see who can go the fastest.  It is important to have a first aid kit handy too, as well as hand wipes/sanitizing liquid.  Each child should be able to get a medal, make the games so that not every single person can compete, that way in other events children who have medals can let other kids recieve one as well, so their is no competition.

Answer 3

It is really a great idea to use the Olympics theme.

Answer 4

First of all, does your 5-year-old daughter like an olympic themed party? Maybe she likes Hannah-montana themed party better?? Remember, this is a party for your daughter, not for you.

If she does want an olympic-themed party, then here are my answers:

#1: Um... I think you should have a game for adults too (the children's parents). That'd be fun. or maybe like parent-child partner games

#2: I don't think you can have a basketball game cause the height of the basket is too high for 6-yr olds. But you can certainly use the area for other games.

#3 Remember the olympic colors: red yellow black green red. Buy red yellow black green red balloons, use the colors for your cakes, etc... and don't forget the five rings.

#4: You can use metallic paper of gold, silver, and bronze (sort of brownish-red) colors.