Make an Olympic Torch With Kids

By
Chelsea Foy
Chelsea Foy
Chelsea Foy
Chelsea Foy is a DIY expert, writer, author, and the founder of Lovely Indeed, a popular DIY and lifestyle website featured in notable online outlets, such as HGTV and Martha Stewart, She has over a decade of experience with hands-on crafting. Chelsea is also the author of two e-books on crafting and she has instructed DIY workshops across the country.
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Updated on 03/10/22
DIY olympic torch

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Project Overview
  • Yield: 1 torch
  • Skill Level: Kid-friendly

Celebrate the Olympics, no matter what year it is, by getting your family into the spirit of the games! This Olympic torch project is the perfect opportunity to have a crafty date with your kiddos while you teach them a bit about the history of the torch, the games, and why you celebrate the incredible athletes who compete at the Olympics.

This is a project that you can modify according to what you have on hand. You can use a cardboard tube that you have in your craft supply, but you can also use an empty paper towel roll or toilet paper roll. In a pinch, you could even cut up a cereal box and roll it into a tube! Be creative and have fun.

olympic torch craft
The Spruce / Lovely Indeed
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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Scissors

Materials

  • 1 cardboard tube (such as a paper towel or toiler paper roll)
  • Red, orange and yellow tissue paper
  • Tape
  • Glue dots

Instructions

  1. Cut Paper Strips

    Start by layering your tissue paper and cutting it into strips that are each about 8 inches long and 20 inches wide. You'll need two strips of each color to make the flames look nice and full. Cut carefully, so that the rectangles are roughly the same size.

    olympic torch craft
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  2. Shape into Flames

    Use your scissors to cut flame shapes into one long side of the tissue paper. They should look like a tall zigzag pattern cut into the top of the papers. Cut the flames so that they reach almost halfway down the 8-inch strip (about 3 to 4 inches deep). You can choose to cut the papers individually for a more randomized look or to stack the papers and cut them all together to save time (and cutting).

    olympic torch craft
    The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

  3. Layer and Tape

    Neatly stack all of the tissue paper in a single stack, so that the sheets are slightly overlapping. Create the overlap at the bottom, so that you can see approximately 1/4 inch of each sheet sticking out from under the sheet on top of it. Use a few lengths of clear tape to affix the sheets of paper in this position.

    olympic torch craft
    The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

  4. Prep to Roll

    Spread a line of glue dots along the bottom border of the tissue paper, over the area where you layered and taped.

    olympic torch craft
    The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

    Tip

    If you don't have glue dots, you can use school glue—just be sure to allow for plenty of drying time.

  5. Roll the Flame

    Start rolling the tissue paper in on itself, so that the color on the bottom of the stack becomes the outside of the roll. The roll should be loose and gentle, so that you're able to see all of the colors as they roll together. Don't make it too tight or you won't be able to fluff the tissue paper without it tearing.

    olympic torch craft
    The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

  6. Insert the Flame

    Add a few glue dots around the base of the flame and insert it into the top of the tube, pressing the glue dots into the inner sides of the tube as you insert. Again, you can use school glue for this step, spreading a thin layer on the inside of the top edge of the tube and affixing the paper there.

    olympic torch craft
    The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

    Tip

    Leave ample drying time before moving on to the next steps.

  7. Fluff the Paper

    Use your hands to gently ruffle and fluff the tissue paper into a flame shape. Be careful not to rip the paper as you separate the layers.

    olympic torch craft
    The Spruce / Lovely Indeed

  8. Play

    Let your kiddos play with their torch in the Olympic spirit! Have them hold those torches up high and march in a line toward the games that you've set up for a kids' Olympic party. You could also have the kids include the torches in a game passing a torch back and forth to each other during a race.

    olympic torch crafts
    The Spruce / Lovely Indeed