Olympic crafts to get you in the spirit

Back in the 1964 Winter Olympics, my uncle won the only gold medal for the US team. Even though it took place before I was born, it's still something the family is so proud of. We're a family that gets pretty excited about the Olympics... because we know that it's a dream that can really come true.

You can get your family geared up for the Olympics with some of these simple crafts:

• Use some red, yellow, and orange tissue paper to create an Olympic torch. If you have kids, this is a great time to teach them about the history of the torch relay.
• Have a family gathering during the Olympics. Set up some fun games such as relays, swimming, soccer, basketball and so forth. Then hand out home-made gold, silver, and bronze-painted medals to the winners.

• Use crepe paper to make multi-colored streamers -- you can make them with the colors of the Olympic rings or choose colors to support your country.
• Create international flag pins with safety pins and small beads.
• Make a folded fan to celebrate this year's host country.

Some simple crafts can help make watching the Olympics even more fun. And, if you have kids, these crafts are great ways to pique their interest and they provide a great opportunity for education about the spirit and history of the Olympic Games.