‘hood Magazine is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. 

With the Summer Olympics just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to bring the excitement of the games into your home with a fun and easy DIY project: making your own Olympic medals! This craft is perfect for kids and adults alike, and it’s a great way to celebrate the spirit of the Olympics while getting crafty. 

These DIY medals can be used for backyard family Olympics, as decorations, or just for fun while watching the games.

If you need some ideas for celebrating the Olympics with your family, check out our other post. 

DIY Olympic Medals

Materials Needed:

  • Cardboard
  • Scissors
  • Paint 
  • Paintbrushes
  • Hole punch
  • Ribbon (red, white, or blue)
  • Markers (black or any color you prefer)
  • Optional: glitter, stickers, or other decorations

Pro Tip: You can for sure get some Gold, Silver, and Bronze paint! But, if you don’t have any at home you can create something similar by mixing paint together. Use yellow for gold, mix a touch of black into white paint to create a silver, and mix yellow and brown together to great bronze. 

Pro Tip: If painting with kids, a good brush for them to paint with goes a long way! We love these chubby paintbrushes for little ones. 

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Cardboard:

  • Start by gathering some sturdy cardboard. Recycle old boxes or packaging to make this an eco-friendly project.
  • Using a cup or a lid as a template, trace circles onto the cardboard. Each circle will be a medal, so make as many as you need.
  • Carefully cut out the circles with scissors. Make sure to smooth out any rough edges.

2. Paint the Medals:

  • Paint the cardboard circles with your chosen colors: gold, silver, and bronze. These colors will represent first, second, and third place respectively.
  • Apply a couple of coats to ensure a solid and vibrant color. Allow the paint to dry completely between coats.
    • You can also use the silver paint on darker cardboard as a “primer” of sorts for all of the medals so that their colors pop a bit better. 

3. Decorate the Medals:

  • Once the paint is dry, use markers to write the numbers 1, 2, and 3 on the corresponding medals. You can also add any other decorations you like, such as glitter, stickers, or drawings.
  • Let your creativity shine! This is a great opportunity for kids to personalize their medals.
  • While making these, my kiddos made their own versions too. They may not look as traditional, but are still perfect! 

4. Add the Ribbon:

  • Use a hole punch to make a hole near the top edge of each medal.
  • Cut lengths of ribbon long enough to fit comfortably around the neck. Thread the ribbon through the hole and tie a knot to secure it.

Ideas for Using Your DIY Olympic Medals:

Backyard Family Olympics:

Host your own family Olympics in the backyard. Plan a series of fun events like sack races, obstacle courses, and relay races. Award the medals to the winners and celebrate everyone’s efforts.

Decoration

Hang your medals around the house to get into the Olympic spirit. They make great decorations for a viewing party or just to add a festive touch to your home.

Watching the Olympics

Use the medals to enhance your Olympic viewing experience. Have fun family competitions during commercial breaks or create trivia games about the Olympics and award medals to the winners.

Just for Fun

Sometimes, the best reason to craft is simply for the joy of it. Enjoy making these medals as a fun summer activity with your kids.

One Fun Medal Made it’s way on Dino
Kids got Creative!
Make Non-Traditional Medals Too!

Benefits of This Craft:

Creativity and Imagination: This project encourages kids to use their imagination and creativity while making their own unique medals.

Fine Motor Skills: Cutting, painting, and threading the ribbon all help develop fine motor skills in young children.

Family Bonding: Crafting together is a wonderful way to bond as a family, share laughs, and create memories.

Educational Value: This craft can be a starting point for discussions about the Olympics, different countries, and the values of sportsmanship and perseverance.

As we cheer for our favorite athletes this summer, let’s enjoy all of the fun that the Olympics can help our family create. Happy crafting and go for the gold!