Sochi, Russia is the place to be for the 2014 Winter Olympics XXII games. If you can’t be there, why not bring the games to you? Host a viewing party with this easy, inexpensive family-friendly game plan.
* Decorations: Put kids to work making crafts. This is a great way to occupy restless little ones. Set up a crafts table in case children get bored watching the games, too. Here are printable Olympic crafts from DL-TK.
–Print winter sports coloring pages. Have kids color and use as place mats, drink coasters and table covers.
–Decorate paper tablecloth (in favorite team color) with snowflakes, skates, skis, snowboards, medals, Olympic rings and well-wishes for favorite athletes.
–Make a “Welcome Sochi 2014!” banner and have guests sign as a keepsake.
–Let children cut snowflakes to hang on windows and from ceiling. Sprinkle with glitter. Place under food dishes on buffet table. Here are printable snowflake templates from Marcel’s Kid Crafts.
–Decorate windows with window markers.
*Food: Do it like a Super Bowl buffet or tailgate party (indoor for cold climes). Here are easy, inexpensive foods to serve.
–Buffet staples: Veggie tray, BBQ cocktail wienies and meatballs (for sauce, mix grape jelly and ketchup).
–Hard boiled eggs: Peel and dye in Olympic colors. Slice and make deviled eggs adding mayonnaise, mustard and paprika to egg yolks.
–Olympic fruit layers: Crush Oreos or chocolate graham crackers and place in bottom of clear glass bowl. Layer yellow pineapple, red strawberries (hulled), blueberries and kiwi slices or green grapes. Layer whipped topping between fruits if desired.
–Zesty nacho fondue: In crock-pot, melt Velveeta cheese and cream cheese. Add mild Ro-Tel tomatoes and a little dilute French onion soup to taste. Set out dippers: pretzel rods, sourdough bread cubes, crudites (baby carrots, zucchini and cucumber spears, celery), tortilla chips.
–Rollups: Spread flour tortillas with cream cheese; layer ham, round cheese slice, romaine lettuce leaf. Roll, slice and skewer with toothpick.
–Cookies: Outline small sugar or sandwich cookies with spray frosting in Olympic ring colors. Arrange colored M&Ms like Olympic rings on cookies.
–Edible medals: Attach ribbons in favorite team colors to gold or silver coin candies. Or wrap cookies in foil.
— Olympic Jello Jigglers or Jello Beans: Mix envelope of plain gelatin with colored gelatin and add the normal amount of water for colored. This will make gelatin more solid so it can be cut to shape. You also double up on colored gelatin or reduce water. Use blue and red raspberry, lime and lemon. Mold in Jello Bean mold if you have one or cut in circles with small-mouth glass. Place in Jigglers in bowl with marshmallows and black jelly beans.
–Snow hill trifle: Layer pound cake slices with lemon pudding, lime chiffon, blueberry and cherry pie filling and topping in clear bowl. Sculpt topping to look like snow on top. Add clear or silver sprinkles. Arrange plastic trees, skiers, skaters (from hobby, cake decorating store).
–Sled or luge cookies: Attach small pretzels rods to oval Nutter Butter cookies with cream cheese or vanilla frosting. Rest on rods. Write “Sochi” or “XXII Olympics” on top of cookie.
–Ski poles: Attach Brach’s chocolate star to end of large pretzel rod or pocki (Japanese candy) with dab of decorator frosting.
–Skate cupcakes: Use decorator icing or trim fruit leather in shape of ice skate boot. Draw blade with with silver frosting.
–Beverages: Freeze colored soda or juice cubes. Serve with colored juice and soda.
Serve on paper plates and disposable cups in Olympic colors for easy clean up.
