A Quick Guide to Planning a Fun Family Reunion

Planning a family reunion is actually more about planning to have fun for the entire family. If you are the lucky person assigned to come up with ideas on what to do during your family reunion, you can benefit from the following pointers on how to keep the fun going.

1.  Have a Theme

Having a theme will surely make a family reunion interesting and fun.  You can perhaps go Hawaiian. The Hawaiian theme is best if there is a swimming pool where you will be holding the family reunion. Everyone can come dressed in hula shirts, drink in coconut glasses, partake of the luau and enjoy the pineapple galore. For more theme ideas you can use for your family reunion, check out family reunion websites. You can also consult with family reunion specialists and they can help you plan a fun family reunion.

2. Breaking the Ice

As guests arrive at the family reunion, there is bound to be people who are unfamiliar with the other members of the family. There could be some discomfort here so you need to warm up everybody with a game or any activity that promotes acquaintance with each other.

Consider the following icebreakers: "Human BINGO," "I Am A Turtle" and "Bring Me."

In "Human BINGO," create bingo cards. However, instead of the usual numerals in the cards, write in human traits or characteristics. You may include physical traits like eye color, particular hobbies or activities a person may like or may have engaged in at least once (e.g., skydiving or bungee-jumping). At the start of the game,  players search for a family member who has the trait called for, and have that family member sign his or her name on the card. Repeat the call and signing cycle until someone completes a  BINGO black out.

"I Am Turtle" is a wonderful game that lets everyone become acquainted with unfamiliar relatives. In this icebreaker, the younger members of the family draw a picture of something that best portrays them It can be an animal or a thing, such as a parrot for a  chatterbox or a hammer for a carpenter. The older family members choose which picture gives the best representation of the player's characteristics. Not only is this game fun, but it helps the older generation get to know the younger ones.

"Bring Me" is another fun game you can use to loosen up everyone and get them in a fun and mingling mood. In this game, the facilitator asks the younger members of the family to bring in items or objects. For instance, when the facilitator says, "Bring me a fifty dollar bill", the first person to do so gets a prize. However, the catch in this game is that the item or object brought by the winning player must not come from his or her immediate family such as parents or siblings; it can, however, be sourced from other relatives like an aunt, uncle or cousin. This game allows intermingling between family members, especially between the younger and older relatives.

3. Games During the Family Reunion

Family reunions normally last more than a day. As people are not likely to be content with merely taking walks, you can keep everyone busy and entertained by holding family games. A few games you can play during the family reunion include the "Generation Sack Game," "Family Tug of War," and "Musical Chairs."

The "Generation Sack Race" is similar to the traditional sack race...but with a twist. The twist in this version is in the pairing of the players. One player will come from an older generation and the other player will come from the younger generation. They will share a sack and hop together all the way to the finish line.

In the "Family Tug of War" game, two families will be tugging a thick rope against each other until one family overpowers the other and pulls them across the line. To add more fun to this family reunion game, you can create a puddle of mud using a garden hose and have it serve as the center line.

In "Musical Chairs," have music playing in the background as players go around chairs arranged in a circle. When the music stops, players sit on the chairs, which are just enough save for one player. The player left standing leaves the game at the end of each round. Before the music starts playing again, you remove one chair. To make this family reunion more fun, you can have the older family members sitting on the chairs and have the children go around the chairs as the music plays. At the end of each round, a young family member leaves the game and an older family member is removed too.

"Generation Sack Game," "Family Tug of War" and "Musical Chairs" are just three of the many games you can play during your family reunion. You can play any game and even modify it so that it can be played by everyone, fostering inter-generational contact.

4. Bring in Live Entertainment

Liven up the family reunion by bringing in entertainment. For instance, hire a band for an evening of gracious socializing or non-stop dancing if you are holding the family reunion at a hotel or pavilion. You can also ask family members to showcase their talents. Are there dancers and singers in the family? Ask them to do special numbers. You can keep the younger ones entertained through puppet shows, an afternoon of making arts and crafts, or a good storytelling session around a bonfire.

You can keep your family reunion spirited from start to finish and there are several ways to do it. When planning for your family reunion, focus all efforts towards getting the most fun out of it. Consult family reunion websites for hot tips to ensure a successful and fun-filled family reunion. Whatever activities you come up with for your family reunion, keep in mind that your overall objective is to gather the whole clan together and have fun as one.