The First Olympic Games

A close up of Hercules wearing a lion's skin on his head.

Marble statue of a bearded Hercules, A.D. 68–98. Roman, Early Imperial, Flavian. Marble, 93 3/4 in. (238.20 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Mrs. Frederick F. Thompson, 1903 (03.12.14)

«Are you excited to watch the 2018 Winter Olympics? According to Greek myths, Herakles, known to us as Hercules, held the first Olympic Games. Want to know why?»

Herakles was famous for his great strength. He was not only strong: Herakles was also an amazing athlete. According to Greek myths, he held the first Olympic Games to honor his father, the powerful Greek god Zeus. The original Olympic sports included running races, jumping contests, wrestling, and boxing.

What is your favorite winter Olympic sport? Work with a partner to capture some athletic poses. Let one person pose as an Olympic athlete (for example, a runner waiting to start, or mid-race), while the other person draws or photographs the pose. Then switch roles and have the second person pose while the first draws or snaps a photo. You can include modern Olympic sports like figure skating, snowboarding, basketball, skiing, gymnastics, or swimming.

Put your drawings and photos together to create an Olympic poster!

Find out more about Herakles' death-defying deeds by visiting Herakles the Archer on #MetKids.

Visit #MetKids, a digital feature made for, with, and by kids! Discover fun facts about works of art, hop in our time machine, watch behind-the-scenes videos, and get ideas for your own creative projects.

MetKids brand image of Greek hero Perseus holding up paint can


Contributors

The MetKids Editoral Team

Two circus monkeys appear on stage balancing atop balls, each adorned with a mauve-colored star.
Video
Instead of mixing paint colors on a palette, what happens if we let our eyes do the mixing? Learn about Pointillism and how the artist Georges Seurat used the science of optics to create a whole new way of painting!
October 20, 2023
A cracked egg floats over a table top surface featuring a bowl and whole eggs as well as a bucket of paint brushes and bottles of blue, yellow, and red pigments.
Video
What does a cake have in common with an Italian Renaissance painting? The answer may surprise you! Watch to learn about the special properties of egg yolk that make it just as perfect for painting as it is for baking.
October 20, 2023
A painting of a Madonna and egg and an illustrated egg artist holding a paint brush flank either side of an open sketch book with colorful test paint swatches labeled bright, grainy, and dull.
Video
Did you know that you can make paint in your very own home? In this experiment, make a glorious painting using only ingredients from your kitchen cabinet and refrigerator.
October 20, 2023
More in:For FamiliesSports