The Ultimate Guide For Choosing a Family Reunion Theme

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Aunt Mo

Excite family members by using a reunion theme!

Are you looking for a way to excite family members and stir up interest about your next family reunion? Choosing a reunion theme is a great way to build excitement for upcoming and make it more likely family members will want to attend.

A reunion invitation that invites you to a “Prehistoric” reunion for Brontosaurs burgers and a dinosaur egg hunt is more interesting than an invitation that invites you to a family reunion at “the park” for hamburgers.

A reunion theme helps to drive your reunion and with a little imagination food, games, activities, invitations and just about every other aspect of the reunion becomes a memorable event.

Themes are inexpensive to implement and can inspire the creative side of many members in your family. Ask for their theme ideas, brainstorm and see what they come up with. Our best family reunion themes have come from brainstorming about themes. When a “Caveman”, Mafia and Oz theme were suggested in one of our brainstorming sessions I was kind of worried about what we would do but those themes are some of our favorites and have left us with some amazing reunion memories. Below are just a few family reunion themes that you may want to consider for your next family event.

All- Sport or Olympic Themed Reunion

Get away from a boring sit around and just visit family reunion and jump into some action-packed fun with an All-sport or Olympic themed family reunion.

Activities- Soccer, volleyball, “whiffle” ball, Whacky miniature golf. Hold a cheerleader camp for the girls in your family and a sports camp for the boys. Go bowling or hold a family 5K. Give a family reunion MVP award. For fun variations of these favorite sports- whiffle ball, soccer, bowling, swimming and volleyball plus lots of great ideas for your sports themed reunion.

Food- Smoothies, “Breakfast of Champions” or “Long Jump” lunch hoagies.

Wear– Favorite team jerseys and t-shirt. Make a family t-shirt fashioned after a sports jersey.

Decorations: Pom, poms, pennants, sports balls, sports posters and plastic tablecloths.

Family History or Family Heritage Reunion

If your family reunion is held near where the family originated, then schedule a trip to the old family homestead, church or cemetery. You can use this as an opportunity to share family memories, or go a step further and recruit the clan to clean up the ancestral cemetery plots or research the family in old church records. Hold your reunion at the family home if available or in the town where one of your ancestors were born, raised, married or buried. You can find more Family History ideas for your family reunion at wwwfamilyreunionhelper.com.

Food – Use an ancestor’s home country as theme for your meals. Use recipes from that county and set tables with a centerpiece of memorabilia and a picture of your ancestor. If your people come from Italy, serve a spaghetti dinner, from Mexico, serve tacos, enchiladas or tamales. Box lunches are a fun idea to share an old-time tradition.

At our Family Heritage reunion, the girls in the family designed and decorated shoe boxes at home. We provided sandwich fixin’s, individual chip packages, fruit snacks and drink boxes along with cookies for dessert. The girls made lunches for two and put them in their box. We gave each box a number and the guys in the family each drew a number out of hat to determine which lunch they got to eat and which girl they ate lunch with. In a few instances, we had more girls than guys and so doubled up.

Activities – Play “classic” games at your reunion such as “3-legged race, gunny sack race, Annie I Over. Create a huge wall chart of your family so everyone can see how they are related. Take “old-time” photos and have everyone dress up. Make a family “time capsule”.

Dress – In the ethnic costume of your ancestors.

Ancestor Coloring Book- Making a heritage-coloring book about one of your ancestors is a monumental task but it’s a wonderful way to make family history come alive for the little ones in your family. If you have an artist in the family, then designing a coloring book will be much easier for you. If you don’t have a talented artist in the family a great resource is http://store.doverpublications.com/by- subject-coloring-books.html.

Sun, Sand and Surf Reunion Theme

If your reunion is in the summertime then it’s the perfect time for a Sun, Sand & Surf family reunion theme. Merge your beach reunion ideas with your Hawaiian reunion ideas for double the fun.

Invitations: Consider sending “Message in a Bottle” invitations to encourage family members to attend your family reunion or write out your reunion invitation on a beach ball with a permanent marker.

Activities: Sand candles and castles, sand art, volleyball variations and swimming pool games.

Aquatic Obstacle Course: Use sprinklers, Slip-N-Slides, baby pools, limbo sticks and hula hoops to create an obstacle course for wet and wild reunion fun!

Food: Sub sandwiches, fruit trays, shish kabobs, fruit kabobs, gold fish crackers.

Decorations are easy for a beach themed family reunion. Use beach umbrellas, Beach towels, Beach balls, Paper party lanterns, Paper Palm trees and party lights on a string. travel posters, flowers, straw skirt table. Don’t forget to use pink flamingos in your decorating and be sure to include music from the Beach Boys to round out your reunion theme.

Wedding Anniversary or Significant Birthday Family Reunion Theme

Planning a family reunion around an important wedding anniversary or milestone birthday makes for an easy but memorable family reunion.

Invitation – Put two photos of the honored couple on the invitation: their original wedding photo and a current photo.

Food – Finger foods and a “wedding” cake.

Activities- “When You Were My Age” A Celebration of Life’s Memorable Moments. This is such a fun program, fashioned after a Bill Cosby Show episode and was called, “When Mom Was my Age.” We have done variations of the program for 70th and 80th birthdays and 50th wedding anniversaries. Each time we do “When You Were My Age” everyone is a good sport and excited to be a part of the celebration. Everyone has a part on the program and an opportunity to highlight world events and significant family happenings throughout the life of your loved one. Download the “When You Were My Age” from Family Reunion Helper or write a “This Is Your Life” program for your reunion celebration.

Decorations –Photos and other various memorabilia of the couple’s life together.

Three Ring Circus and Carnival Reunion Theme

Begin your reunion with a circus parade and invite everyone to dress in fun costumes and march around your reunion site.

Food –Circus food- corn dogs, cotton candy and popcorn.

Activities – As your family arrives, have then guess how many circus animal cookies or peanuts are in a jar. The person who guesses closest to the actual number wins the jar full of treats. Have a carnival. Assign 6- 10 family members a carnival booth. Children earn prizes at each booth. Face painting, fishing booth, fortune teller, Plinko, Dart Throw etc. Consider renting a bounce house for the little ones in your family. For more ideas check out the family reunion “circus” theme at www.familyreunionhelpercom/

Decorations – Balloons, tents and circus animal cutouts.

There’s no place like home- Wizard of Oz Theme inspired theme

Oz Themed Activities

Design an obstacle course depicting famous scenes from the movie. Run through a tissue paper poppy field, jump over bale of straw etc. Make bottle tornados and make a yellow brick road out of scrap lumber. Plan an activity that represents each Oz character such as paper plate lions, red glitter shoes and

Decorations- Make flying monkeys from black poster board and hang around your reunion location. Use rainbow colored tablecloths (one color per table).

Food- “Ding Dong” the witch is dead Ding Dong cakes, rainbow lollypops, Lions, Tigers and Bears animal crackers and melted witch treats.

Western Themed Reunion

Western Reunion Themed Activities

– Make ponies from dollar store pool noodles and have a pool noodle rodeo. Shoot at targets with rubber band guns or pvc pipe bow and arrows. Make a family totem pole or try some line dance.

Food- Call the food you serve” vittles”. Have a chili cook off., have a Texas Straw Hat food bar or serve barbeque, spareribs or grilled hamburgers. Use tin pie plates, mason jars with handles and lots of bandanas.

Decorations- Put up a large ranch sign at the party entrance. Print off some wanted posters. To make it more fun, get hold of some photos of the guests and put them on the posters. Place some paper or real horseshoes on the path leading to the party entrance. Create a teepee out of a large sheet and some wooden dowels. Create a large cactus out of a cardboard box or even buy some inflatable ones. Cover the party food table in a red and white checkered cloth and hang up a sign saying “SALOON”.

Secrets for Hosting a Successful Family Reunion

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Aunt Mo

3 Keys to a Successful Family Reunion

Planning a family reunion can be a nightmare. But the good news is that you are not alone, we can do this together. I don’t know your specific situation but I can tell you that if you will follow these 3 important keys you will be on your way to having a successful family reunion. So let’s get to work- first key is…

Choose a permanent reunion date

This is the most important aspect of reunion planning- it’s not much of a reunion if no one can attend.

When we began planning the “Stewart” family reunion we were only working around about 20 people and it was fairly easy to find a date that was good for everyone, but now that we are more than 100 family members strong we would never be able to find a date that met everyone’s needs. Lucky for us, about 20 years ago we set Labor Day weekend as the permanent date for our family reunion.

We have found that holding the reunion at the same time every year helps family members plan their busy lives around that weekend. They always know when the Stewart reunion will be and although the location may change the date never does. Unbelievable but true- we usually have all but about 3 family members attend our reunion each year.

Plan a Reunion Date BEFORE You End Your Family Reunion

If you can’t choose a permanent date, plan your next reunion date before you end the reunion you are currently attending. Planning in advance will increase the odds that more people will be able to attend the reunion, which translates into more fun for everyone. If you book early, you can most likely get better rates and/or reserve your preferred hotel or retreat site, flights and other travel arrangements. Most campgrounds and parks can be booked a year in advance.

Last of all, stick to your decision. Changing dates in the middle of planning can create a huge amount of anxiety and additional work.

Key #2- Delegate Responsibilities!

People always wonder why we have such good attendance at our reunions and I tell them, “Because everyone has a job!” There is always someway that everyone can contribute to your reunion no matter what their age or their ability. You can assign a couple of pre-teen girls to do a story time or games for the younger children at your reunion, ask a 5 year old to bring a can of olives or assign someone that loves music to lead a sing- a- long.

It’s impossible to organize a reunion by yourself, I know, because I’ve tried it. Not only that, but it is good to have the input of different family members’ points of views. Family members that have a responsibility feel greater ownership in the reunion.

Make Assignments According to Abilities

Delegate tasks according to those with special talents, skills and connections. Our Uncle Ben owns a restaurant whose specialty is turkey steaks and quite often we have turkey steaks at our reunions or family parties. We have great Dutch oven cooks in our family and of course, we give them the opportunity to practice their skills. Use the resources that you have.

There are certain jobs at our reunions that have become tradition- for instance cousin R.D. and Uncle Richard always make the homemade root beer, Aunt Lynn is always in charge of Bunko and Uncle Steven always makes his Dutch oven potatoes.

So how do you put all these people and their great ideas together? Let me tell you how we do it. There are six original children in the Stewart family; we call them the “Big 6”. We schedule a planning meeting and ask that there be a representative from each Big 6 family at the meeting. These people become your liaison from each branch of the family.

At the meeting we discuss our plans and make assignments, that way every family has a representative and if they have concerns they can be addressed at that meeting and each families’ fun ideas can be implemented. We ask for volunteers to be in charge of each major aspect of the reunion – food, family history, invitations, photography, games and activities, finances and facilities. The chairman of the committee, that’s me, takes the ideas and suggestions home and makes a master plan or schedule which is emailed to the committee members for their approval.

Reunion Committee

A reunion committee is essential to planning a smooth, successful family reunion. Be sure your chairman (if you’re reading this than the chairman is probably YOU) is creative, energetic and willing to put in the time and effort required to organize a reunion.

Planning a family reunion is a too big a job for one person, so make a checklist, get some help, put your entire family to work and let everyone share in the satisfaction of a job well done!

Choose a Theme For Your Family Reunion!

A theme gives your family get-together an added twist that can build excitement. Choosing a theme for a family reunion is a great way to interest people and make them more likely to attend your reunion. Who wouldn’t want to attend a “Caveman” reunion where they can feed on “Brontosaurus” Burgers?

Or Conjure up a Wild West atmosphere for your next family reunion or party by using the decorating ideas, wild and wooly western games, activities and recipes available at familyreunionhelper.com You’re sure to have a rootin’ tootin’ good time!

If your family has ever dreamed of sailing the seven seas in search of excitement and adventure plan a pirate reunion where you feast on barbequed parrots, search for treasure and walk the plank.

A theme also makes it more fun to plan when it comes to being imaginative with food, games, activities, invitations and just about every other aspect of the reunion.

If you have a wedding anniversary or a significant birthday coming up in your family you could choose to celebrate around those special events. If your grandparents were married in the 50?s, plan a fifties reunion complete with poodle skirts and sodas. If Aunt Addie will be turning 70, celebrate with her by having a seventies party- make tie-dyed shirts and decorate with peace and flower power signs.

Just because it is a family reunion doesn?t mean the theme has to be centered on the family itself. Plenty of other party themes are perfect for a reunion. Plan a western, caveman, boot camp or other similar theme.

A few years ago my sister-in-law suggested that we have a caveman reunion and I was pretty nervous about it- caveman? How do we do a caveman reunion? But we all shared ideas at our planning meeting and guess what- our caveman reunion turned out to be one of our best family reunions ever.

Whatever theme you choose, design your decorations, food, activities and games around that theme. Your caveman theme might feature Brontosaurus burgers and a dinosaur egg hunt or a pirate theme might include Barbecued Parrot and a treasure hunt.

Planning a family reunion requires serious effort and thoughtful strategic planning but if will follow these 3 important keys you will be well on your way to a memorable and successful family reunion. And who knows- maybe they?ll want you to be in charge next year too.

Aunt MO

Remote Control Car Racing for Your Family Reunion

Posted on October 19, 2014 by Aunt Mo

We attended a party sponsored by my husbands company this summer and when we walked into the huge warehouse all the boys faces, young and old, lit up with excitement at what they saw. A simple remote control race track had been set up in the warehouse and party goers were able to organize their own races against family and friends. What a great party idea and what a fun idea for a family reunion! Here’s how it works-

The Cars

If your reunion committee has the funds, purchase a few cars and at the end of your reunion auction them off or have a prize drawing. Another option is to invite family members to bring their own remote control cars to the reunion. If you’re planning in advance, a good time to purchase remote control cars in during the Thanksgiving Black Friday sales.

The RC Track

First you have to decide if you want a dirt track or an inside track. As far as size goes, you won’t need more than a 20-foot by 20-foot area. You can chart out the obvious oval course or focus on hard turns to make it more challenging. If you are racing on a hard surface, you can easily chart out the borders of the track using chalk or tape. Use 2x4s to make a sturdy track. A garden hose may also be a solution to keep the RC cars on the track. Depending on how many cars and racers you have the track should be within 5 to 7 feet wide.

A barrier in the center of your track helps keep cars roaring around the track and may help keep younger racers from getting stuck in the center. It can also be used as a control central for racers.

RC Jumps and Obstacles

Now it’s time to have some fun adding obstacles and jumps. If your car is a cheaper model, add only slight jumps but medium cost remote control cars can fly right over jumps without being damaged. You can use 2 liter bottles that you spray paint bright orange as obstacles. Put a little sand in each bottle and use them for obstacles to weave in and out off. (You can use orange cones but the smaller ones get pushed out of place.) Another fun obstacle for your track is a tunnel made from plastic or metal that a remote control car can fit through. If you are creating a dirt track the pipe can also double as the base for a jump if dirt is piled around it. You will have to experiment to get the dirt at the right angle. Tunnels can also be made out of cardboard boxes.

Race Day!

Have your track set up when reunion goers arrive. Invite them to practice racing cars around the track then choose a few cars to race for prizes at the end of the day. Gift bags of “Hot Wheel” and “Cars” goodies are fun awards.

Race Day Party

You can find race day printable invitations, decoration ideas,printable Pit Passes, water bottle (fuel) labels and award certificates in the familyreunionhelper store at Race Day Party.
Whether for a family reunion or birthday party it’s a great party theme with plenty of ZOOM!

Gentlemen, start your engines!

5 Dollars Off Any $19.95 Reunion Theme Package

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Aunt Mo

Had the pleasure of stopping by the Mower family reunion today. It was so fun to see everyone visiting, enjoying yummy food and kids playing on the toys. Seeing them having such a good time made me excited for family reunion season. Can’t wait to get together with our extended family!

To get the reunion season started off right, family reunion helper is offering 5.00 off any of their $19.95 reunion theme packages. Circus, Caveman, Heritage, All-sport, Western or any of our fun reunion themes.

Just enter the code "reunion2013" at check out. This offer expires at midnight, May 27th 2013, Memorial Day- the start of family reunion season!

Cruisin Family Reunion Theme

Posted on June 3, 2012 by Aunt Mo

I’m so excited for our 2012 family reunion theme- cruisin’. We will visit 6 different “ports” while camping out at Box Elder campground.

Each of the 6 “original’ kids in my husband’s family will be responsible for one meal and a 2 hour block of time. Every family is choosing a theme and planning their meal and activities around that theme. During that 2 hours they can plan any activities, crafts or games they want. This will give every family the opportunity to plan an activity they have always wanted to do or to choose a family reunion favorite.

I’m pretty excited about this reunion format- I think it will relieve some of the stress I have when planning a reunion and give everyone a chance to make the reunion exactly the way they want.

Aunt MO

HINT: I got the backgrounds for these “beach” themed flyers from http://delightful-doodles.com/.

$5.00 off any Family Reunion Theme Package

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Aunt Mo

Labor Day seems to mark end of summer and the family reunion season. You may be planning some fun family Halloween and Christmas parties but If you’re like me, as soon as one family reunion ends I immediately start thinking of ideas for the next years reunion.

To help jumpstart your family reunion planning www.familyreunionhelper.com is offering $5.00 off any of our reunion themes until October 31st. (This includes only $19.99 theme packages)

First step is to select the family reunion theme that best fits your family. Each reunion theme comes with free downloadable games, activities, recipes, printables and templates to simplify, inspire and guide your reunion planning.

You will need to login or enter your credit card information before you can enter coupon code reunion2011 and receive $5.00 off your reunion package- but hurry, this coupon code expires October 31st at midnight!

Happy Reunion Planning!

Mafia Family Reunion

Posted on September 8, 2011 by Aunt Mo

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”.

My favorite activity was the marshmallow wars- the longer the game went the more strategic the teams got. I hate to admit I was on the losing team but if the winner is the team that had the most fun it would most certainly be my team!

The “Godfather” of our family got a little help to get around the reunion site.

“Gangster” ball and “Mob” Ball were two favorite activities.

We printed our own Mafia “funny” money. It featured portraits of the Godfather and Godmother.

Family photos with a Mafia twist were snapped as family members entered the “speakeasy” and sat down to a delicious Italian dinner and murder mystery theater.

A picture of the “Family” was taken in our black Mafia shirts.

Look for the all the “Mafia” reunion fun at family reunion helper- Aunt MO will soon be posting everything you need to have your own Mafia themed family reunion so your family can learn how to put “Family First” too.

Aunt MO

Family Reunion Theme Ideas

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Aunt Mo

A family reunion doesn’t have to have a theme to be successful but creating a theme for a family reunion is a great way to interest people and make them more likely to attend. A reunion invitation that invites you to a “Prehistoric” reunion for Brontosaurs burgers is more interesting than an invitation that invites you to a family reunion at “the park”. It also makes things more fun when it comes to being imaginative with food, games, activities, invitations and just about every other aspect of the reunion.

In addition, a good themed reunion will help to break the ice, especially for those family members who have not met before or who do not know each other really well.

Ask family members for their theme ideas. Our best family reunion themes have come from Aunt Lynn and her family. When they suggested a “Caveman” theme I was kind of worried about what we would do but our reunion planning committee brainstormed and incorporated dinosaur and prehistoric ideas for a super fun reunion.

The location that you choose to have your reunion might influence the theme you choose for your reunion. A campground with lots of trees and foliage makes for a great “jungle” theme and a lake or swimming pool is a wonderful “beach” reunion theme.

If you will be spending a day at an amusement park you might what to choose your reunion theme around one or the popular rides. Plan your reunion around a “color”, a decade such as the Roaring twenties, 50’s Sock Hop, 70’s Disco, 80’s New wave, 90’s Grunge, or even “The Future” theme.

The size of your family may also influence your reunion theme. For an “All-sport” reunion you may need a lot of people for softball, Human Foosball and football games.

Don’t be afraid to repeat a family reunion theme that was successful in the past. All you have to do is update the old ideas and refine the details. Our western reunion is so popular we’ve done it several times and it just keeps getting better and better.

Below are just a few family reunion themes that you may want to consider for your next family event.

All- Sport or Olympic Themed Reunion

Get away from a boring sit around and just visit family reunion and jump into some action packed fun with an All-sport or Olympic themed family reunion.

Food- Smoothies, “Breakfast of Champions” or “Long Jump” lunch hoagies.

Wear– favorite team jerseys and t-shirt. Make a family t-shirt fashioned after a sports jersey.

Decorations: Pom, poms, pennants, sports balls, sports posters.

Family History or Family Heritage Reunion

Dress – In the ethnic costume of your ancestors.

Decorations – Display historical memorabilia from your family and ancestors.

Hawaiian Luau

Grandma will love passing out multi-colored leis (along with a kiss on the cheek) as people arrive at this family reunion.

Food – Pig roast, anything pineapple

Activities – Tinikling- Tinikling means "bamboo dance" in English. Hula hoops, bubbles and Frisbees, volleyball, swimming, Limbo and of course, hula dancing. Make Hawaiian leis from paper flowers and don’t forget to spend some time in the pool at your Hawaiian reunion.

Dress – Hawaiian shirts, Bermuda shorts and grass skirts.

Decorations – Hawaiian travel posters, flowers, straw skirt table.

Sun, Sand and Surf Reunion Theme

It’s summertime and the perfect time for a Sun, Sand & Surf family reunion. Merge your beach reunion ideas with your Hawaiian reunion ideas for double the fun.

Activities: Sand candles and castles, sand art, volleyball variations and swimming pool games. Aquatic Obstacle Course: Use sprinklers, Slip-N-Slides, baby pools, limbo sticks and hula hoops to create an obstacle course for wet and wild reunion fun!

Food: Sub sandwiches, fruit trays, shish kabobs, fruit kabobs, gold fish crackers.

Decorations are easy for a beach themed family reunion. Use beach umbrellas, Beach towels, Beach balls, Paper party lanterns, Paper Palm trees and party lights on a string. Don’t forget to use pink flamingos in your decorating and be sure to include music from the Beach Boys to round out your reunion theme.

Wedding Anniversary or Significant Birthday Reunion Theme
Planning a family reunion around an important wedding anniversary or milestone birthday makes for an easy but important family reunion.

Invitation – Put two photos of the honored couple on the invitation: their original wedding photo and a current photo.

Food – Finger foods and a “wedding” cake.

Activities- “When You Were My Age” A Celebration of Life’s Memorable Moments. This is such a fun program, fashioned after a Bill Cosby Show episode and was called, "When Mom Was my Age." We have done variations of the program for 70th and 80th birthdays and 50th wedding anniversaries. Each time we do "When You Were My Age" everyone is a good sport and excited to be a part of the celebration. Everyone has a part on the program and an opportunity to highlight world events and significant family happenings throughout the life of your loved one. Download the “When You Were My Age” from Family Reunion Helper or write a "This Is Your Life" program for your reunion celebration.

Decorations – Photos and other various memorabilia of the couple’s life together.

Three Ring Circus and Carnival

Begin your reunion with a circus parade and invite everyone to dress in fun costumes and march around your reunion site.

Food –Circus food- corn dogs, cotton candy and popcorn

Activities – As your family arrives, have then guess how many circus animal cookies are in a jar. The person who guesses closest to the actual number wins the jar full of circus animal cookies. Have a carnival. Assign 6- 10 family members a carnival booth. Children earn prizes at each booth. Face painting, fishing booth, fortune teller, Plinko, Dart Throw etc. Consider renting a bounce house for the little ones in your family. For more ideas check out the family reunion “circus” theme at www.familyreunionhelpercom/

Decorations – Balloons, tents and circus animal cutouts.

Whatever your family reunion theme you can count on Family Reunion Helper for step by step, proven family reunion help that really works, not just "ideas", but actual planning advice, schedules, activities, games, recipes and templates to make your next reunion memorable.

Twelve Classic Games for Your Family Reunion

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Aunt Mo

I heard a quote once that has stuck with me. IT goes like this- “New and improved is not always better than tried and true”. That quote kind of sums up the games I’ve included here- they are not “new and improved” but they are certainly “tried and true” classic games that we probably all played as kids growing up. Try some of these classic games at your next family reunion or party.

Game #1. Three Legged Race

I remember doing the three legged race at the Fackrell family reunion when I was a girl, this certainly is “classic” reunion game.

Equipment: Bandanas or rope for each team of two

How to Play: Each team breaks into pairs (matching an adult with a child keeps things fair and interesting). Using a bandanna or a piece of rope or twine, each pair ties one partner’s right ankle to the other’s left ankle. When the whistle blows, all of the pairs, assembled side by side at the starting line, race to the finish line. The first team whose pairs all cross the finish line wins.

Game #2. Clothes Pin Drop Game

Equipment: Canning jar or wide mouth bottle of any type, wood clothespins, chair

How to Play: When playing this game at family reunion you will want to divide into teams. You will need a bottle, chair and clothespins for each team. Place the bottle on the floor behind the chair. Players line up behind the chair. The first player kneels on the chair, leaning over the chair back. Each player gets 3 clothespins to try to drop in the jar. When each person has a had a turn dropping in the clothespins they count the number of pins in the jar. The team with the most clothespins in the jar is the winner. NOTE: You will want to make some rules about where you hold your hand while dropping the clothespins. I suggest keeping your hand at your chin.

Game #3. Kick-the-Can

If you like Hide ‘n’ Go Seek and Tag- this is the game for your family reunion!

Equipment: can (empty tin can)

How to Play: Depending on how many people you have, you choose one person who will be IT (you can have 2 or 3 if you would like.) You choose a designated "prison." By the prison you put a standing can. You have IT close their eyes while the rest go and hide somewhere. Then whenever IT chooses, they can go and look for their soon-to-be prisoners. Once a hider is captured, IT takes them back to the "prison" and that one has to stay there. The only way the prisoner may come out is if one that has not been captured kicks the can, then all those inside the prison are free. But, if the one who attempts to kick the can gets caught before kicking the can, he has to go to prison. You may decide when the game is over, by either everyone is captured or if IT gives up.
NOTE: At our family reunion we like to play this game in pairs- the game moves faster and no one gets stuck being "IT".

Game 4. Wheelbarrow Race

Game 5. Pin the Tail on the Donkey

I like this game because it can be adapted to fit any family reunion theme you are using. For instance, you can do pin the “crown” on the “king” if you are using a medieval theme for your reunion or “Pin the moustache on the outlaw” if you are using a western theme.

Equipment needed: Donkey picture and tails, tape or pins

How to Play: Hang up a picture of a donkey without a tail. Line the kids up a few feet away and give each one a tail e a different color). Blindfold the first child and slowly spin him around three times. Point him in the direction of the poster to tape on his tail. The child that puts the tail closest to the correct spot on the donkey is the winner.

Game #6. Gunny Sack Race

You can get gunny sacks, also known as burlap bags or potato sacks at co-op or feed stores such as IFA or Cal Ranch.

Equipment needed: Gunny sacks

How to Play: Line your family up at one end of the field. Contestants should step into the bag, one foot at a time until both legs are inside. The bag should come up to at least the player’s hips. Both legs have to remain inside the bag and the bag should stay up around the waist. On the word “GO”, racers begin hopping to the finish line.

Game #7 Duck, Duck Goose

Once I decided to be clever and adapt this game to my family reunion theme. It didn’t work- kids just want to play it saying “duck, duck goose”. They don’t like a “new and improved” version of this game.

Equipment: none

How to Play: In this game, kids sit down in a circle facing each other. One person is "it" and walks around the circle. As they walk around, they tap people’s heads softly and say whether they are a "duck" or a "goose". Once someone is the "goose" they jump up and try to chase "it" around the circle. The goal is to tap that person before they are able sit down in the "goose’s" spot. If the goose is not able to do this, they become "it" for the next round and play continues. If they do tap the "it" person, the person tagged has to sit in the center of the circle. Then the goose becomes it for the next round. The person in the middle can’t leave until another person is tagged and they are replaced.

Game #8. Mother May I (or Father may I, or whatever fits your family reunion or party theme!)

Line all children up on a start line and put one child on the finish line who is “Mother”. Mother will then tell each child, one at a time, to “take one giant step forward” or “do 3 spins forward” or “take 2 baby steps forward”. That player must then say “Mother May I?” Mother then gives permission to take the steps. If a child forgets to say, “mother may I?” then that child must return to the start line. The first child to cross the finish line wins and gets to be the “Mother” next.

Game #9.Red Light Green Light

Equipment needed: none

How to Play: Line your family up on the starting line. Choose one of your family members to be “it” . “It” stands on the finish line. “It” shuts his eyes and calls out “green light”. At this signal, the other children begin to run towards the finish line. Then “it” calls “red light” and opens his eyes. The other players, when they hear “red light” must freeze. The first child to reach the finish line wins and gets to be “it” next time.

Game #10. Red Rover

Equipment: none

How to Play: Divide the family into 2 teams. Each team makes a line by holding hands and stretching the line out. The two teams are arranged facing each other about 20 feet apart. One team begins by saying, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send (person’s name on other team) over.” The person whose name was called runs from his line and tries to break through the hands of any two people on the other team. If he successfully breaks through he then chooses one opponent to take back to his team with him. If he does not break through he must stay on the opposing team. The team to get the most players wins.

Game #11. Blind Man’s Bluff

Equipment: Bandana or other blindfold and a big open area

How to Play: Chose someone to be “it”. They count to 12. (You don’t want to give them too long to hide or get too far away”.) As “it” counts everyone else finds a place to hide or stand in the playing area. When “it” gets to 12 he then yells “stop.” Everyone must freeze where they are. “It” then says, “BLIND MAN’S” and the players must each say, “BLUFF”. You may not move and “it” must try to find each of the other players blindfolded using only their voices as direction to them.

Game # 12. Tug-0-War

Another classic game that can be adapted to your family reunion theme. Pit family against family or make up team names that fit your reunion theme.

Equipment needed: About a 120 foot rope (Measure 15 feet from the center in each direction and tape the rope at those points. When this line crosses the line on the ground, the team on that end has lost.) and perhaps some gloves

How to Play: Line both teams up on their respective ends of the rope. Each team pulls until one side’s tape crosses the line.

Aunt MO

Win 500 dollars in free custom t-shirts from ClassB

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Aunt Mo

Are you planning a family reunion for the first time? Then you’re eligible to enter the “First Family Reunion” essay contest and you could win $500 in free custom t-shirts from ClassB!

At ClassB, they love talking about t-shirts almost as much as we love talking about family reunions. Why did your family decide to hold your first reunion? Was it some sort of event that brought everyone together? Or perhaps you just decided that it’s about time you all got together! Whatever the reason, ClassB wants to hear all about it.

To enter, just submit a brief essay explaining why you’ve decided to hold your first-ever family reunion, what types of events and activities you plan to do, and what things you’re looking forward to the most. Remember, familyreunionhelper can help you with this part of your essay. Each of our reunion theme packages is loaded with fun activities, crafts, games, food and decorations to make your reunion planning so much easier.

ClassB judges will choose one winning essay and the person who submitted it will receive a $500 ClassB Gift Card to use toward custom t-shirts for your first family reunion. So on top of starting a new family reunion tradition, you’ll be starting another tradition— awesome family t-shirts!

Your essay must be 250 words or less, and only one essay per family will be considered. Deadline for submissions is midnight on March 31, 2011, so get those submissions in soon!

Click here for complete contest rules and to enter now.

Good luck!

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Win 500 dollars in free custom t-shirts from ClassB

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