Olympic Play

I love the creativity that the Olympics brings out in children.  When we were little, my sisters and I would race out to our pool and try all kinds of creative dives and then critique and inspire each other to try new tricks!  Or we would set up a track and field match in the backyard with the neighborhood kids. Or I would try balance beam tricks on top of our backyard fence before my mom could catch me... {I have a few scars from that little adventure.}

So it is with great delight that I watch my boys do the same thing. I mentioned their imaginative play with the winter Olympics.

This week, they've been all about volleyball.  Note their {lovely} winter sweater vests paired with pj bottoms that stand in for volleyball uniforms.  I can't decide whether to laugh or cringe.  Regardless, I do marvel at their creativity.

And while he hasn't sat still long enough to catch any of the big swimmers names, I think Treyton is pretty sure he will be the next Michael Phelps as he jumped off every surface possible in our home to dive into his carpet pool and take off with the butterfly stroke or those ice scream scoops {aka freestyle} that he learned in swim lessons this summer.

So while we are breaking our typical little-to-no screen time rule in a major way this week, I couldn't be happier as I watch their creativity and drive to excel soar!

And seriously, all of this crazy movement has got to be working wonders on that bilateral integration and *vestibular stimulation that is so critical in wiring the brain to learn, right? 

*In addition to helping maintain balance, the vestibular system is the entryway to the brain for the senses and is activated/strengthened thru movement.

I wonder what they'll come up with tomorrow?  Maybe a way to simulate synchronized diving. {Sorry, I won't be posting pictures of them in their undies doing that.}

We will be back, however, with our Balloon and BeanBag Olympics soon!

 Do your kids imitate Olympic events?  Did you as a child? I thought this was a pretty normal childhood activity, but a friend of mine never did this as a kid.  We can't decide who is the weird one...