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Fun-Filled Family Reunions
A family reunion is where relatives can renew bonds and ties, meet new additions to the family, keep updated on each others' lives, and simply have family fun. If you have been tasked to plan the next family reunion, one of your goals may be to organise family games and general entertainment for everyone, so here are a few tips to get you started.
A family reunion is one big party, so it's in your best interests to keep the boredom to a minimum throughout the day. But how exactly can you keep everyone entertained and high on the fun? Here are a few suggestions.
1. Theme it!
Get your guests all psyched up weeks or even months before the family reunion by coming up with a family reunion theme. When you send out the invitations, use it as an invitation style! Include leis (bands of flowers) for a Hawaiian theme, and instruct people to come dressed accordingly! You can take the theme as far as you like, too: hire ushers in costume, decorate your house or venue, plan food and drink along the same lines - the possibilities are endless! Get online and check out the various family reunion web sites for more ideas.
2. Get the icebreakers out - pronto!
As soon as your guests arrive at the family reunion venue, get the icebreakers out! There are bound to be guests who aren't familiar with the rest of the family, so prevent them from feeling uncomfortable by suggesting games early on in the evening, before the reunion is fully in swing. Think of it as a sort of warm up: you're getting the guests comfortable, relaxed, and ready to take part in the real event later on. Here are some ideas of games you can play:
Human bingo.
Each bingo card contains certain traits and characteristics of someone in the family. It can be an eye color, something accomplished or a physical characteristic (e.g., mole on the face, hair dyed red, long hair, etc.). Give each family member a bingo card with several descriptions on it. Each player looks for family members that correspond to the traits and characteristics on their card. When found, the subject signs the card, and the first person to have a complete list of signatures wins. This particular icebreaker is a wonderful way of helping new family members get acquainted with other members of the family.
The animal game.
Young family members draw a thing that represents them. It can be an animal or an object. The older family members then try to explain how the animal or object drawn relates to the young member. This particular icebreaker is a wonderful way to connect the younger and older generations.
Bring Me...
The young family members do what the game host tells them to find for and bring to him. So when the game host say, "Bring me a red handkerchief," the first one who brings it to him gets a prize. The only rule here is that participants are not allowed to get the items from their immediate family members (parents and siblings). The items must come from their other relatives. This particular icebreaker is wonderful way to initiate mingling among family members.
Most family reunions last more than a day, with some requiring overnight stays. You may have activities like nature hiking, day trips to the city or dance night all planned out, but you still need to keep everyone entertained in between walks, meals and dances. Young and old can engage in some friendly family reunion games such as "Generation Sack Race," "Family Tug of War" and "Musical Chairs."
In "Generation Sack Race," pair younger family members with the older ones. For instance, pair 12-year old Billy with his Uncle Ronnie. Together, they stand inside a sack and race hopping to the finish line.
In "Family Tug of War," have two families pull on opposite ends of a thick rope. Make it challenging and exciting by having them tug with a puddle of mud or water between them. The family who pulls the other family into the mud wins.
In "Musical Chairs," have the older family members sit on chairs arranged in a circle while younger family members go around the chairs while the music plays. The chairs should be one less than the number of younger family members in the game. When the music stop, the young ones scramble to sit on an older member's lap. A younger member gets eliminated. When the music resumes, one chair and one older family member have been removed. The game ends when one of the two remaining younger family members sits on the lap of the remaining older family member.
There are plenty of other games you can use for your family reunion. In fact, you can put your own twist on some of the games so that they become relevant to the event. For more game ideas, visit some family reunion ideas.
Keep everyone's energy level up by bringing in some entertainment. Hire a live band or hold a dance party if you are holding the family reunion in a hotel, pavilion or function hall. You can also enlist the participation of family members themselves. Cheer up the children by doing a puppet show, holding an afternoon of arts and crafts just for them, or doing a storytelling session. If there are singers and dancers in the family, have them do their own numbers.
3. Get out the games!
Most family reunions last more than a day, with some requiring overnight stays. You may have activities like nature hiking, day trips to the city or dance night all planned out, but you still need to keep everyone entertained in between walks, meals and dances. Young and old can engage in some friendly family reunion games such as "Generation Sack Race," "Family Tug of War" and "Musical Chairs."
In "Generation Sack Race," pair younger family members with the older ones. For instance, pair 12-year old Billy with his Uncle Ronnie. Together, they stand inside a sack and race hopping to the finish line.
In "Family Tug of War," have two families pull on opposite ends of a thick rope. Make it challenging and exciting by having them tug with a puddle of mud or water between them. The family who pulls the other family into the mud wins.
In "Musical Chairs," have the older family members sit on chairs arranged in a circle while younger family members go around the chairs while the music plays. The chairs should be one less than the number of younger family members in the game. When the music stop, the young ones scramble to sit on an older member's lap. A younger member gets eliminated. When the music resumes, one chair and one older family member have been removed. The game ends when one of the two remaining younger family members sits on the lap of the remaining older family member.
There are plenty of other games you can use for your family reunion. In fact, you can put your own twist on some of the games so that they become relevant to the event. For more game ideas, visit some family reunion ideas.
4. Entertainment to the max!
Keep everyone's energy level up by bringing in some entertainment. Hire a live band or hold a dance party if you are holding the family reunion in a hotel, pavilion or function hall. You can also enlist the participation of family members themselves. Cheer up the children by doing a puppet show, holding an afternoon of arts and crafts just for them, or doing a storytelling session. If there are singers and dancers in the family, have them do their own numbers.
