The Rio Olympics according to a 5 year old
N’s been interested in the Rio Olympics since it started. When we’ve been at home, the Olympics is what has been on tv, mostly because I’m obsessed with the event. I’ve always loved big multi-sport events since childhood. I think it’s a great opportunity for children to learn more about different sports you’d never hear about otherwise. And hopefully inspire them to want to try and sport themselves.
Compared with the Euros when the OH watched football non-stop, his choice would be to not have the Olympics on at all. Even last time when they were in London, he wasn’t interested. Luckily, this time because N is interested, we’ve managed to have control of the tv so the Olympics has stayed on the tv.
What I’ve enjoyed about watching a variety of sports with N is the education that it’s brought him. From learning about different countries, looking at the flags, the individual sports and rules, geography of Brazil and the different sporting venues and locations, there’s so much for him to learn.
And there’s certainly been a lot of questions. In fact, every sport we’ve watched, there has been a running commentary…I wonder where he’s got that from?!
Here’s the Rio Olympics according to N:
Swimming
“I do different swimming to them” lies on the floor and shows me doggy paddle.
“Whoa, are they doing a relay like we do? And they’re diving in off that block?”
“Yes, don’t you remember learning to dive by sitting on the side and dropping over the edge with your arms up?”
“No, we’ve not done that” They have.
Diving
“Why’s the water green? That’s a bouncy board. Why do the men only wear shorts and not costumes like the girls?”
Tennis
“Come on Andy Murray” even when it’s not Andy Murray playing.
About the doubles “Is that 2+2 is 4 on court? Why?” We watching doubles during Wimbledon so I’ve no idea why he couldn’t remember.
“Which is our girl?”
Show jumping
“Wow they’re high jumps. And there’s water?”
Me “Yes, most of the jumps will be taller than you. And that’s our man – Nick Whittaker, he’s 61 years old and doing his 5th Olympics”
“That’s high” a horse refuses the fence “That horse didn’t want to jump, maybe he wants to have some food”
Dressage
“What is this? That horse is doing a silly walk”
Me “Dressage is like dancing but for horses, they have to do different steps and movements like pirouettes to music”
“Oh. Is that our person? She’s good” (Charlotte Dujardin), and carried on watching Paw Patrol on the tablet.
Golf
After watching Justin Rose the day before. About a man wearing red “Is that our guy?”
Me “no, ours is in a white top with navy picture on it”
Guy in a red top is shown “is that our guy?”
“They hit the ball a long way. What’s that sandpit doing there?”
Gymnastics
“Is this gymnastics? Like we do at school?” They only seem to do forward and backward rolls, and exercises.
Watching the women’s vault “Why’s that a girl not a grown up? Why’s she in the same race as that other lady?” (Chinese girl of about 16 years vs 41 year old Chusovitina). I explain that the women in gymnastics are usually 16-20 years old. “But that’s girls, where are the boys and the women?”
Water polo
“What is that?” My thoughts entirely after we watched about 2 minutes of it.
Fencing
“That must be scary against someone in a mask. Why do they wear a mask?”
Hockey
“Is that grass on the ground? I can hit a ball like them. It’s a boring game”. Shame, he’s pretty good at hitting a ball with a hockey stick or golf club.
Trap shooting
About gold medallist Ed Ling “He’s a farmer. Why isn’t he on the farm harvesting?”
“Why that pink smoke coming out of the clays? We don’t have that on our clays”
Athletics
10,000 metres “He fell over and still won. He’s fast. Maybe he drinks lots of milk to make him strong”
Long jump “We do that. I was really good at jumping. It doesn’t look very long on television”
Canoeing
“Why is it all frothy? If they fall in do they reach the bottom?”
Are you enjoying the Olympics as a family? What sport are you enjoying the most?
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I love this, so cute. Watching the Olympics reminds me of the last one when I was in labour with Alice during the closing ceremony and bouncing on my ball! Alice watched a bit of the gymnastics with me and enjoyed it, I hope she is more interested in 4 years time. Thank you for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove Laura x
Lol at the ball bouncing. N was 6 months old and I went to watch the volleyball with one of my friends. I loved the experience. The gymnastics is my favourite to watch I think.
This is so cute! I love this so much, I can’t wait for my little one to start talking. I just find the things they say so amusing. I love how he said ‘Come on Andy Murray’. Also the horse doing the silly walk comment. Thanks for sharing this, I enjoyed reading it. #SharingTheBlogLove
It’s great once they start talking, but blimey it never stops once they get going! So much fun. Thanks for commenting
Ah, this is so cute! I’ve been really enjoying the Olympics but I can’t say Max is so keen – I just get calls to change it to CBeebies! I’ve loved the cycling and the swimming, but I have to admit I share N’s thoughts on hockey – not sure it’s a great televised sport. I’m looking forward to when Max is a bit older and he’ll be a bit more interested! Thanks so much for joining us again at #SharingtheBlogLove
Thanks Katy. Yes, this is really the first year that N’s been interested in watching sports really. But even then he dips in and out. There’s just a lot of questions, and guessing which country that each competitor comes from.