Planning a family reunion can be both fun and exhausting. Take the worry out of what activities you will do at the party with these great games for children and adults.
Family reunions are a great way for families to keep in touch and catch up on things that they've missed through the years. Planning one can be time-intensive and any quick tips are usually welcome. Here are some fun games that should please children and adults, and help keep the party exciting.
Large Group Games
Relay races are lots of fun. Examples of relay races include:
- Sack races: You need huge burlap sacks that you can purchase at your local party goods store.
- Egg races: You need plenty of eggs and plastic spoons are more efficient than using your own silverware.
- Three-legged races: You need twine to tie around the legs of two people per team.
Scavenger hunts are great when played on a large scale with teams. Here is one particular idea.
Have groups of three to four people on a team. Try splitting family members up, so different families are working together. Designate a leader for each team (maybe the oldest person on the team). The leader calls out the items that they are to find. Each item should have a point value already decided upon before the game begins. Each time a group member finds one of the items, they bring it back to their designated space. The team with the most points at end wins.
Suggested items:
- An item by color (i.e., something red or something gold)
- A pencil
- A coin with a particular date on it
- A key chain with at least 5 keys on it
- A newspaper article about a particular event
- A new stick of lipstick
- A $2.00 bill
- A receipt from a grocery store
- A broach
Prize Games
Door prizes: Have family members actually pay a dollar or two to buy door prize tickets. This will help offset the cost of the prizes a bit. Offer prizes that are attractive to contestants, such as movie tickets in a popcorn bucket, themed gift baskets, toys for kids to win.
Prize wheel: Family members can spin the wheel and win what they land on. This can include things like candy, craft items, plant seeds, etc.
Guessing Jar: Set up a jar filled with candies or buttons and have family members write down their guess. Whoever is closest to guessing correctly can win the jar contents, along with maybe a gift certificate to a nationwide restaurant, store, or a win a VISA gift card with a designated amount.
Relaxing Games
Family Trivia: Before the event, have participating families e-mail you some facts about their family immediate members. Devise a list of questions from these facts (making sure you have a master list of answers) and play a rousing game of trivia. The person who answers most of the questions correctly is the winner.
Baby Faces: Display baby pictures from as many family members as you can. Have people try to guess who is who. The person who guesses the most is the winner.
BINGO: Buy a BINGO game at your local store. This can provide hours of fun and prizes can just be something as simple as a roll of pennies or candy.
It helps to pick a location, such as a park, that offers a tot lot and/or playground, outdoor grills, and shelters. This way you will have plenty of space to do all of your activities, and no one family's home gets messy. Most parks will let you rent shelters for an entire day for a small or reasonable fee.
