A pretty sweet printable game- and it’s free!
Whenever I plan a I party or a family reunion I like to have an activity or game that people can play when they first arrive. The goal is to get family members, or friends, laughing and talking with each other. The “How Sweet It Is” free printable fits the bill and coming up with prizes for the winners is a snap- candy bars! I suggest the snack size because you’ll probably have several winners. This ice breaker game is great for large or small group games and for family members of most ages. You can download the free printable by clicking below. Don’t forget to download the answer key.
Nature Scavenger Hunt {with free printable}
Nature Scavenger Hunt- fun activity for your family reunion
If your family reunion location is at a park or a campground this Nature Scavenger Hunt is a wonderful excuse to get outside, have some fun, and spend time together as a family.
Just print off our fun Scavenger Hunt printable on heavy cardstock and give everyone a copy along with a pencil and let the fun begin. You can work as teams or individually, it can be a race or a contest to see who finds the most items. Allow everyone an opportunity to show off their favorite find.
You can find the link for our Nature Scavenger Hunt below- or right-click on the picture above, save it to your computer, and print.
Potatoes in a Bag
A Delicious Idea From My Nephew, Brayden, for Your Family Reunion
Sometimes I get in a rut- I forget that some people don’t pack up and head for the mountains when they plan a family reunion or family gathering- instead they head for the BEACH! And it was to the beach we went for a fun family party with my brother and his family.
We packed up the surf boards, sunscreen and mashed potatoes- yes, MASHED POTATOES! “Potatoes in a bag” is a fun and easy tradition Uncle Brett and Aunt Lisa have implemented in their family and would be a yummy idea for your family reunion no matter what location you choose.
Most of the prep for “Potatoes in a bag” was done at home. Everyone measured 1/2 cup potato flakes in a plastic baggie and added their favorite “mix-ins” to give their bag of potatoes their own special flavor.
At the beach, Uncle Brett heated up the water in his portable heater. When the water was hot we added 1 cup to our bag of potatoes and squished it up in the bag until it was well mixed and creamy. The potatoes were delish! The beach was chilly and wet, and the hot potatoes were a welcome treat.
Directions: Mix 1/2 cup of potato flakes with 1 cup boiling water. Stir until blended. Add your favorite mix-ins: salt, dry ranch Salad dressing, dry onion soup mix, Butter Buds, dried parsley flakes, beef jerky pieces, diced cheese stick and a beef stick. For thinner potatoes, add more water; for thicker, add more flakes.
If you’ve done eggs in a bag at your family reunion I think you’ll have fun with this idea. Set out all the ingredients and mix-ins and let your family create their own delicious mashed potatoes. Your bigger eaters may want to use 1 cup of potato flakes with 2 cups of water.
Thanks, Brayden, for a delicious family reunion idea! And if you’re looking for fun beach themed ideas for your family reunion, check out our Beach family reunion for lots of fun in the sun ideas.
Aunt MO
NOTE: Whenever you add boiling water to your baggie, always use heavy-duty or freezer zip lock bags. Although there have been no claims of injury or illness, Ziploc® states their baggies are not intended to be used at high temperatures, so use at your own risk.
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The Latest Trend in Family Reunion T-shirts
I LOVE family reunion T-shirts! They are the ultimate “party favor” or “souvenir” that family members can take home with them after the reunion fun is over. Reunion T-shirts are a reminder of the good times had at that years family reunion.
There’s a new reunion T-shirt trend going around and I think it’s great! We used to take family pictures at our reunion like the one below (we used paper plates with numbers on it).
But now, families are having fun applying this idea to t-shirts. Each family has a different color, and each t-shirt gets a number on the back representing the order you joined the family (through marriage or birth).
You can have each generation be a color and the in laws all have their own color as well. Then, every person is either numbered according to birth order (by generation) or by when they married into the family.
If there are people at the reunion who aren’t yet married into the family, you can give them a shirt with a question mark on it as in, who will be the next lucky member of the family?”
When it comes to figuring out what number everyone is your most valuable resource will be the matriarch of the family. Make a list of each family member and when they became part of the family. You may want to ask your family to email you their birthdates and anniversary to make sure your list is accurate. Email the completed list to your family so they can double check your numbers.
A common design for the front of the shirts is a fun idea. You may want to have a t-shirt company print the common design on the front of each shirt and then apply the numbers yourself, especially if you are doing multiple colors.
Of course, you’ll want to take a family picture. Take a picture with everyone facing forward and then do a second photo of the back of the shirts. I just love this latest trend in family reunion t-shirts. If you decide to do this at your reunion, send us a photo and we’ll feature your family on our website.
The Family Reunion Planner’s Shopping List
10 things every family reunion planner needs in her arsenal
Here’s my list of top ten tools I need to pull off a family reunion:
1. Divider Sticky Notes 60 Ruled Notes- I am an organization freak and these are perfect for keeping everything organized. They are like regular sticky notes but they have a tab that makes everything easier to find. They are very helpful when organizing your registration binder. You can find them at Amazon following the link below.
2. Tape- every size and every type. Be sure and include Duct tape.
3. Jumbo paper clips– It seems that every time I try to clip together a group of paper they get all messed up. The clips come off and I end up with a bigger mess than if I had just stacked them . I found these jumbo paper clips a couple of years ago and I use them for everything. They may seem pricey but after you’ve used them I think you’ll agree with me- it’s a screaming deal!
4. Ziploc bags– These bags go a long way to keeping me organized and I’m not talking about food. I use Ziploc bags to keep office supplies, game pieces, personal grooming supplies and a host of other items grouped together. For me, they have to be the bags with the zipper that slides across the top- they are faster to close and I know for sure that they are sealed. I like to put groups of items such as pencils and markers in smaller quart size bags and use gallon sized bags for larger items such as props for a game, items for a costume or all the tape variations I’ve collected.
5. Sharpie markers– more than one. I usually keep at least one Sharpie in my pocket at all times during a family reunion. A Sharpie for me and one or two to loan out.
6. A Laminator– I was so surprised to learn that I could buy a laminator for less than $20.00 and although they are pretty slow I love not gathering up all my signs, name tags and table toppers to take to the copy store for laminating . With this inexpensive laminator you can laminate documents up to 9 inches wide and it warms up and is ready to use in about 5 minutes. I still take my large jobs to the copy store but there are so many times I need to laminate a few items and this product has really saved me tons of time and trips to the store. Don’t forget the laminating pouches also available at Amazon.
7. Cell phone– You might think that’s a pretty obvious choice but when it comes to planning a family reunion it a cellphone is the perfect place to store your lists. Just a take a photo of the agreement for the rental site and you’ve got it at your fingertips when you need to show your reservation. Take a photo of your t-shirt order, family list, agenda and rules and instructions and you won’t have to run off to grab your files- they’ll be right there in the palm of your hand. (Not to mention all the phone numbers you’ll have handy)
8. Storage containers– I usually use Rubbermaid containers but paper boxes will work as well. I use one box or container for each day and time period. For instance- Saturday morning, Saturday evening and Saturday morning. As I prepare and pack for the reunion Ii I put everything I need for that time period in its box. At the reunion location I organize the containers according to the day and time when their contents will be needed. This saves me from having to dig through a jumble of boxes and bags.
9. Camera– I need my own personal camera, preferably one that fits in my pocket. (If your phone takes good pictures that may be all you need.) I don’t like to rely on others to take pictures of the reunion so I like to have my own camera to take pictures whenever or wherever I want. I like to document many aspects of the reunion for my blogs and reunion theme packages and with my personal camera I’m sure to get just the shot I’m looking for.
10. Emergency items– I’m talking about “fun” emergencies. If you have the following items you always have a fun game or activity if something doesn’t go quite right or if you have time to fill: A ball, 2 large dice and a deck of cards.
I prefer a playground ball that you can kick, jumbo dice and a regular deck of playing cards. You might also want to include sidewalk chalk, colored markers, Frisbees and a rope for group jumping games.
PSYCH! A Multiplayer Game For Your Phone and… Your Family Reunion
I recently attended my nieces wedding, luncheon and reception. Everything was beautiful and I loved being part of the festivities but like most weddings and such there is a lot of downtime for those of us who are basically spectators. During one of these downtimes my brother introduced us to a fun game you can play on your phone that involves everyone.
The name of the game is Psych! Choose from a variety of fun categories in which each player makes up fake answers to real trivia questions.
According to the games own description- the idea behind the game is to get together with a bunch of friends and answer ridiculous trivia questions. The catch is, the multiple choices you’re given include the correct answer as well as a bunch of incorrect answers which are provided by the other players. So, say for instance the question popped up of “Who is the Editor in Chief of TouchArcade?” “Eli Hodapp” would be in there somewhere, along with whatever else anyone playing decides to toss into the mix as possible answers.
Anyone who knows me will understand that, after playing a few rounds of Pysch! with my family, my “reunion” brain kicked into gear and I immediately began to think of ways to use the game at a family reunion.
Can you imagine how excited the teenagers in your family would be if you asked them to get their cellphones for a game they would be playing. Psych! is a clever way to get family members that just can’t seem set their cellphones down to join in a game or activity to participate with the group.
Psych! is also a pretty fun way to get to know family members that you see only once a year at the family reunion. Some of the game options give you a real opportunity to see into your cousin’s psyche.
“PSYCH!” is the perfect app for game night, road trips, or even waiting in line. So grab your phones, gather ‘round, and get ready for a gaming experience unlike anything you’ve ever tried!
NOTE:There’s in-game ads as well, which can be removed for $2.99. If you’re just downloading the game to play with a friend (who might have bought a ton of stuff in-game), it’s totally free.
Mashed Potato Bar
What’s a Mashed Potato Bar?
I had never heard of a “Mashed Potato Bar” until recently when my daughter came home from a family function with her husband’s family and they had hosted a mashed potato bar. My daughter raved about how delicious and fun the mashed potato bar was.
Of course, I’ve eaten at lots of baked potato bars and for any years a potato bar was our go to meal at family gatherings but a mashed potato bar is a fun new twist to that traditional and rather over done family reunion meal.
Here’s how you put a Mashed Potato Bar together for your next family reunion or party.
Of course, the main ingredient is mashed potatoes. You can make your own (see recipe below) or you can use already prepared potatoes such as the ones Costco carries.
Mashed Potato Bar Toppings Ideas
Serve your potatoes in large crock pots to keep the potatoes warm and set out various toppings. I’ve listed a few of our favorites but use your imagination to customize to your needs:
Sour cream
Chopped green onions
Mushrooms
Olives
Crumbled bacon
Finely shredded cheese
Steamed broccoli
Chopped Ham
Shredded chicken
Whipped butter
Sour cream
Frozen Peas
Ranch salad dressing
Grilled zucchini and summer squash
Caramelized onions and peppers
Freshly grated Parmesan
Tomato salsa
Tomatoes
Jalapenos
Grilled tri-tip sliced thin
Onion crisps
Country Gravy (I like to stay away from gravy, it’s the obvious choice and people aren’t’ as creative if they have gravy as a choice)
Salt and pepper
The Idaho Potato Board has their own list of ingredients for a Mashed Potato Bar which you can find by clicking on the link below.
https://idahopotato.com/recipes/mashed-potato-bar
Serve on plain plates or bowls or fancy things up a bit by using goblets as your dishes. You can always find a miss-matched assortment of goblets and wine glasses at your local DI or Goodwill.
A good basic mashed potato recipe includes just a few ingredients. Note: Baking and Russet potatoes tend to be heavier and starchier than Yukon Gold potatoes.
Basic Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- 8 Potatoes
- 1/2 Cup melted butter
- 1 can Evaporated Milk ( I melt my butter in a bowl with the milk for creamier potatoes.
- Salt
- Fresh Pepper
- Peel and dice potatoes and put in pot of boiling salted water. Cover and simmer until potatoes are fork tender (20-30 minutes, depending on quantity of potatoes). Remove from heat and drain.
- Mash potatoes with a potato masher or a hand mixer.
- Add butter and milk
While doing research for this article I found this cute Mashed Potato Bar sign on Etsy. The name of the shop that offers it for sale is the TheDoodleCoop.
Be sure and sign up to receive a copy of familyreunionhelper.com’s FREE reunion cookbook HERE
Mafia Themed Activities for Your Family Reunion or Party
Let us make you an offer you can’t refuse-
When it was first suggested that we use “Mafia” as our theme for the Stewart family reunion I was a little apprehensive but after three days of Mafia activities over Labor Day I’ve decided that “Mafia” is just another word for “Family”. Family can also be friends, and so a Mafia theme for a reunion or party is a great idea. Included in this party pack are invitations and activities for a party or reunion for either your friends or your family.
You will have fun creating Mafia names for your guests using the list of names and name tags included in this party theme package.
Guests can also fill out an application to join the Mafia using the “Complete Mafia Dictionary” to decipher Mafia lingo.
Test your Mafia IQ to see if you should be “The Boss” or “Knuckles”.
If you are having an indoor party consider playing the party game, “Mafia”. The game of Mafia is all about the power of bluffing and knowing when other people are bluffing themselves. You can be a member of the Mafia, a towns person, the FBI or the Moderator in this elimination and guessing game. You will vote out other players and try to avoid being murdered in the middle of the night by the Mafia!
If you planning an outside party play “Steal the Flag” using marshmallow shooters. Instructions for making custom shooters are included.
Printables include invitations, The “Complete Mafia Dictionary”, Mafia Application, Mafia funny money, Mafia IQ test, water bottle labels, Mafia name tags and playing cards for the game, Mafia.
Cosa Nostran (This thing is ours!)
Storing Your Reunion Photos
Where to Store Your Family Reunion Photos?
There’s no doubt about it, organizing a family reunion is the hard part. We drift apart over time because of studies, work, marriage, or just drift. Some families are closer than others. It’s even more so for cousins or between generations. When you have the family reunion worked out and you are going to meet, it’s natural to think of photos and videos of the event, but what do you do with them? How do you share them?
Technology now makes it easier to not only find lost or distant family members and to trace our family histories, but to also store and share photos and videos. By creating a single cloud account, families can let everyone have access to them – they can download other people’s photographs or upload their own. These can be from the reunion or from their lives and those from the past.
The question is then which cloud service is best. A good cloud storage service for families is low cost, preferably free, but is also secure. It should be encrypted so to protect users but be accessible from any device where the user knows the login details. To find out more about these services and what to look out for, check out this piece on the top 3 family friendly cloud services.
Reunion Buddies
A Getting to know you activity before the reunion even begins
Get the family reunion started early!
If you’re looking for a fun ice breaker activity and a way to generate interest in your upcoming family reunion try “Reunion Buddies” and get the party started before the reunion even begins.
Reunion Buddies
About four weeks before your reunion make a double sided copy of the “Reunion Buddies” printable using the same information on each side of the paper.
Match family members up into buddies making sure everyone, young and old has a reunion buddy.
Write one buddies name on the line that says “My Name Is” and write their buddies’ name below it on the line that says “My Buddy Is”. You will need to do this on both sides of the paper but reversing the information.
Send a copy of the reunion buddies printable to one of the “buddies” with the instructions to fill out their personal information and then mail the completed form to their buddy. Be sure and provide an address and if your reunion has the funds, a stamped envelope.
The buddy they mail the form to will complete the form and return it to back to their buddy.
Encourage buddies to spend some time with each other at your family reunion perhaps even bringing inexpensive gifts (such as their favorite candy bar) to share. You may even ask some family members to share what they learned about their reunion buddy.
The idea behind “Reunion Buddies” is to make long lasting friendships between cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. Get a new buddy every year!
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