4th Annual Couples Olympics - The Average Daters

Our 4th Annual Couples Olympics was a smashing success! Every year I say it was our best year and I’ll say it again: THIS YEAR WAS THE BEST YEAR! When we got married we were trying to decide which party we wanted to host every year. We had friends who hosted a Halloween Party or a Christmas Party etc. every year and we wanted our thing. We initially said we’d host a totally random party every year so year one we hosted Cinco De Mayo! We then had the idea for a couples olympics and we’ve never looked back!

I’ll tell you this… year one was tough. It was a lot of coordinating, figuring out how we wanted things to work, and we spent quite a bit of money. Each year has gotten easier and easier. This year I didn’t even sit down to prep much until the day before, although I don’t recommend that haha! If you head to our Amazon storefront, you’ll find an Olympics folder with a variety of things we’ve purchased for our Olympics over the years.

Invites

So here’s what you need to know… send out your couples olympics invites a month and a half in advance and then have couples commit at least a month in advance. People have busy schedules so it’s important for everyone to have a heads up. We usually have between 9-10 couples compete which has worked really well so far.

Swag Bags

Our couples olympics is all about FUN! We assign every team a color. They come to the couples olympics dressed in their color. We then provide them with a swag bag of items to wear. These items have changed over the years. We also used to deliver them ahead of time to teams but I’ve simplified and now the teams just get their swag bag when they arrive.

Every swag bag has a few of the same items in their color: bandanas, wrist bands, head bands, face paint and sunglasses. We then give every one “specialty items” to wear such as butterfly wings, wigs, capes, necklaces, etc. Teams are required to wear their swag bag items throughout the Olympic games.The first couple years we bought swag bag items from the dollar store. Year 3 we started purchasing items from Zurchers so that they will last longer. We reuse items each year and it’s worth it for us to spend a little more money for things that will last longer.

Prizes

The winner of our couples olympics gets a trophy from Amazon to keep for a year. This trophy was purchased for our first couples olympics and has been passed to the winners from year to year. At some point in the future we might actually pay to get a large trophy made to look more “legit” but for now the Amazon one works. Some years we’ve had gold, silver, and bronze medals to give the winners for each individual event as well. I loved the idea but my husband thinks it is a little overboard so we didn’t do it this year.

Refreshments

We ask everyone attending to bring a treat to share to the couples olympics. Some people bring fruit/veggies, others bring desserts. Our first year we provided the food for everyone. We’ve simplified over the years and it’s so much easier to have everyone bring something to share rather than doing everything on our own.

The Events

The couples olympics year one and two only had individual events. Year three and four had a mixture of both individual and couples events. This year we had 4 individual events. One person from each team competes in 2 of the events and the other person from the team competes in the other 2 events. Both members of each team compete in the couples events together.

Individual Events

Power Lifting

While standing on one foot on the bench of a table, players must hold an 8lb weight in each hand straight out from their body. The top of the weight must remain above the players shoulder at all times. If a player puts their other foot down, bends either elbow at any point, or the top of the weight drops below shoulder height they will be out of the challenge.
- 3 teams will compete against each other at a time. The top team from each heat will advance to the final round.
Supplies
- 6 hand weights

Gymnastics

One Olympian from each team will attempt to pick up a paper bag with their mouth while standing on one foot. Participants will place the brown paper bag open in front of them on the ground. Standing on one foot, participants must lean down and pick up the bag with their mouth and then stand back up without putting any other body parts on the ground.
- All participants who are able to complete this in the first round cut off an inch from their paper bag (where the line has been drawn) and attempt again. This continues until only one person is left. All teams will compete together.
Supplies
- 9 paper bags
- Scissors

Field

Olympians will throw the “shot put” as far as they can. They will get to throw a total of 4 times. Their farthest throw will be their marker.
- 3 teams will compete against each other at a time. The top team from each heat will advance to the final round.
Supplies
- 4 shot put throwers

Shooting

Olympians will shoot 10 shots from the nerf gun attempting to hit 3 targets. Points are awarded for each target that falls off the table.
- 3 teams will compete against each other at a time. The top team from each heat will advance to the final round.
Supplies
- Nerf gun
- Nerf balls
- Little people

Couples Events

Track

Players will race from start to finish line using the couples challenge walk method sent to them (it was a TikTok trend in 2021 and can be found on our Instagram in this reel). A 15 second penalty will be implemented if players detach from their partner at any time or walk/run rather than move two feet at a time.
- 3 teams will compete against each other at a time. The top team from each heat will advance to the final round.
Supplies
- Jump Ropes for finish line

MTWI Relay

Olympians will compete as a couple in a relay attempting to complete 4 MTWI tasks. They will alternate every other task. If an olympian completes a task quicker than a minute, their partner can immediately start the next task. Once a minute is reached, if an olympian has not completed their task, they stop and their partner starts the next task. 30 seconds is added to the final time each time an olympian does not complete the task in under 1 minute.
- Breakfast Scramble: the front of a cereal box has been cut into 16 squares, randomized, and must be reassembled by the contestant. The fact that all the pieces are the exact same shape adds to the difficulty.
- Balloon Pyramid: contestants will make a pyramid with 3 cups on bottom. They will build the pyramid by moving the cups with a balloon they blow up in their mouth. If the cups fall they must rebuild only using the balloon in their mouth. The pyramid must stay standing for 3 seconds.
- A Bit Dicey: contestants will stack 6 dice onto a popsicle stick that is clenched in their mouth. At no time while the dice are being stacked can contestants touch their popsicle stick. All 6 dice must stay stacked for a total of 3 seconds to move on.
- Paper Dragon: contestants must swing their arms in a rapid continuous windmill motion and completely unwind a pair of streamer rolls.
Supplies
- 9 boxes of cereal
- 18 plastic cups
- 9 balloons
- Small popsicle sticks
- Dice
- 18 rolls of streamers
3 teams will compete at a time. Another team will be timing them. Their final time will be written down and teams will be awarded depending on how fast they complete the challenge.

Swimming

Contestants will sit back to back with their partner. One partner will fill a plastic cup with water and then pour it into their partner’s cup over their head. Contestants cannot turn around at any time and must pass the water over their heads. The second partner will then pour the water into a bucket. The first team to fill their bucket wins.
- 3 teams will compete against each other at a time. The top team from each heat will advance to the final round.
Supplies
- 6 plastic cups
- 6 buckets