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 draw will be much appreciated. A small sandbox will entertain children for hours. If it’s in the shade, the parents will appreciate it even more. Some easy crafts like stringing beads can be fun, too. You might consider setting up a craft table with some basic supplies like buttons, pipe cleaners and paper and markers, glue, googly eyes, and pompoms. With a table like this, kids will come up with their own projects and leave the adults to visit.
Blocks or shape games are good for mixed age groups. You can challenge the kids to build stacks for the smaller ones to knock down. Bubbles are always fun, even for bigger children. Kids like play-dough too, though it may dry quickly if you are outside in hot weather.
At a reunion, last year in Kentucky, we played a horse racing game that even the adults thought was fun. We each got a stick horse to “ride”. Players took turns rolling giant dice and moving ahead the matching number of steps. It was simple, and silly, but still fun.
It doesn’t take much thought or money to create a small child friendly reunion, and your smallest guests will be much happier.
For more on family reunions visit the Family Reunions and Gatherings Forum, Planning a Large Family Reunion, and Planning a Family Reunion.