Family Reunion Fun

Summer is primetime for family reunions. However, gathering multiple generations in the same place at the same time is only half the battle. Navigating the choppy waters of family dysfunction is where you really have to concentrate your efforts in order to make a summer get-together a raging success. The key to keeping everyone happy, especially when you are dealing with a wide range of ages, is to have as many distractions as possible. Games and entertainment can be the gateway to fun and frivolity at a family reunion. Try to find games that will appeal to the young and … Continue reading →

Fun for Multi-Generational Get-Togethers

Growing up, my maternal grandparents lived less than two miles away from my home, while my great-grandparents lived less than 8 miles away. Consequently, it was not uncommon for three or four generations of family members to gather on the weekends for a barbeque or other function. Besides blood, food was the tie that bound us all together. Oh, and games. My family loves “healthy competition.” I realize that many families are not as blessed to live so close to immediate and extended relatives, so you might want to save these family game night activities for your next reunion. Otherwise, … Continue reading →

Teens at Family Reunions – Hunt for Relatives Scavenger Hunt

Yesterday, I posted a blog about keeping young children happy at family reunions. Little kids aren’t the only ones who need some special things to keep them happy. Teenagers can get fairly miserable, too. I do think it’s important for the teenager to interact with their older relatives, though. So as much as the teens would like it, I don’t really recommend setting up internet and movie stations to keep them busy and occupied. What can be fun for the older relatives and for the teens is to set up a person scavenger hunt. It’s easy to set up. Ask … Continue reading →

Family Reunion Fun for Small Children

For small children, family reunions can actually be very boring. I imagine that they are quite confused by all the people they don’t who are standing around talking and eating food that looks very different and suspicious. We’ve had a few reunions in the last couple of years. One reunion was at a home with a pool. There was no problem occupying the children at that reunion. Most of us aren’t so lucky, though. The good news is that you don’t need a swimming pool to keep the youngest guests happy. Simple things like sidewalk chalk and a place to … Continue reading →

Fun Family Reunion Activities

No matter what type of family reunion you plan you will want some great activities. The best type of activity is one that requires a large number of people and discourages the forming of small groups. Get to know you activities are a great way to start, especially if it’s been a while since you have seen your relatives. Family Reunion.com lists some great ideas. Games are always a lot of fun. They can range from organized sports to board games. Check out some of the group games listed in Family Fun like Mother Elephant, The Sign Game, Robbers and … Continue reading →

Family Reunion Committees

After the specifics are decided (see my blog Planning a Family Reunion) then you can organize committees to make sure that all of the details are taken care of. Of course one person is ultimately in charge of making sure that the committees do their job but it’s a good idea to share the responsibility. Finance Committee This committee is responsible for handling the money and bookkeeping for the reunion. If you plan on holding yearly reunions it is a good idea to open a bank account for the reunion. Make sure that the person who signs the checks is … Continue reading →

Planning A Large Family Reunion

Large family reunions come in two categories. The first is a reunion with a large number of people attending and the second is a reunion held at an expensive destination such as Disneyland or other resort. Large Group Reunions that a large number of people are going to attend are especially challenging. This type of reunion takes a lot of planning to make it successful. It is typically a day event with families having the option to stay longer at their own expense if they choose to. Invitations can get really expensive when you have to mail them to one … Continue reading →

Family History Reunion

If you or someone in your family has been compiling family history data or you already have a record then a family history reunion is a great place to showcase this priceless information. A family history reunion can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. A simple family history reunion could consist of a program where different family members read about ancestors. When choosing stories to share try and chose stories with a multi-generational appeal, don’t make the stories to long, and focus on the most interesting parts. As a child my favorite stories dealt with the childhoods … Continue reading →

Outdoor Family Reunions

Outdoor family reunions typically encompass a few days and can be held at the beach, in the mountains, or anywhere outside. A longer reunion gives people more time to get reacquainted and bond as a family, plus there are no technological distractions. The most important thing in planning an outdoor family reunion is choosing a location that offers plenty of activities for the family. Outdoor family reunions often center on water. If family members have boats or other water recreational vehicles, contact them prior to the reunion and see if they would be willing to bring them. My dad’s family … Continue reading →

Simple Family Reunions

The simplest type of family reunion is a barbeque or picnic. But even this type of family reunion takes some planning in order to be successful. You will probably want to start between 10 and 11am, this gives people time to drive to the location. Expect some people to be late, so let people know what time lunch will be served. Keep the food simple, you can ask people to bring dishes or buy the salads and desserts at a deli. The main course could be bread and sandwich toppings, fried chicken, sloppy joes, or hamburgers and hotdogs. Make sure … Continue reading →