Family Reunion Idea #6- Right/Left Game
A Right/Left game is an activity everyone at your family reunion can participate in. We always ask each family member to bring a “white elephant” gift (wrapped or unwrapped) to the family reunion or party. I always bring a few extra gifts in case someone forgets.
How to Play: Form a circle, each time you hear the word right, pass the candy, prize, grab to the person on your right. When you hear the word left, pass to the person on your left. When you finish this story everyone opens the gift they are LEFT with. HINT: Be sure and read with lots of expression and pauses- the children in your family will have fun anticipating RIGHT or LEFT. Writing a Right/Left story is pretty easy but you can find a fun family reunion Right/Left story here.
Family Reunion Idea #7- Bloomers Game!!
I have to include this game for your family reunion in this list because it makes me laugh. This is a very scary game for boys ages 10- 14. (There is nothing scarier to a boy of this age than women’s underwear) This game is good game for any family reunion but is especially fitting for a family “heritage” reunion theme.
Everyone should sit in a circle. Ask if they know what old fashioned bloomers are. Explain that in the olden days they used to call women’s underwear “bloomers”.
Hold up a box that is neatly wrapped. (In advance, you should have wrapped the box in at least ten different layers of wrapping paper.) Tell your family that inside the box are a pair of bloomers.
Everyone will pass the box around the circle while music is being played. When the music stops the person holding the box must open the box and model the bloomers for everyone to see.
Be careful how you word your instructions because inside the box is not a pair of old fashion women’s bloomers but a pair (two) bloomers from the garden. The look of relief on the person’s face when he finds out it’s just “flowers” he is modeling and not “underwear” is a joy to see.
Family Reunion Idea #8- Tell a Scary Story
If you will be camping or sleeping over at your family reunion plan a few scary stories to share. I have found it best to assign out scary stories in advance of your reunion so that scary story tellers can be well prepared. There are lots of scary story resources on the web- just give your story tellers advance notice so that they can do the research and find the best ones.
I have a favorite scary story that Uncle Steven has shared at many family reunions, girls camps and scout camps. Family members that have heard the story at previous family reunions are always excited for him to share the story with reunion “newbies”.
I didn’t write the story but like all the best scary stories it has been passed down through generations of story tellers. The story is called “White Eyes” and requires some advance preparation.
Besides practicing the telling of this tale you will need to take a ping-pong ball and cut it in half. Color a small dark dot on each half with a permanent marker. These will be your "white eyes". Keep them concealed in a closed hand. When the time is right, pop them on over each eye.
You can find a free copy of the story here.
I’ve heard a lot of scary stories when I’ve been camping but this is the only story that made me scream- I hope you scream too.
Family Reunion Idea #9- “Are You Older Than Dirt?” Game
It’s important to provide a wide variety of games and activities at your family reunion. You will want to have lots or physical games but will also want to consider “Pencil and Paper” games that are not able to participate in the more active games. One of my favorite “Pencil and Paper” games is the “Older Than Dirt” game. In this game participants answer twenty questions about life styles throughout the years. For example, question number one says-
1. In the 1940′s, where were automobile headlight high beam switches located?
a. On the floor shift knob
b. On the floor board, to the left of the clutch
c. Next to the horn
You can find the entire free test, “When You Were My Age” at
http://familyreunionhelper.com/blog/2010/06/older-than-dirt-game-for-your-family-reunion/
Family Reunion Idea #10-Pipe Chimes
Make a set or two of musical pipe chimes. Making music with pipe chimes is an easy and inexpensive way to have fun with your family. My Mom saw pipe chimes more than thirty years ago and our family has been making music with conduit pipes ever since.
Pipe chimes are easy to make and don’t require the use of expensive tools. Cut pipes to exact measurements and create your own set of musical pipe chimes. It’s so easy you might want to make two sets for use at your larger family reunions.
As long as you can read numbers, you can play pipe chimes. They are numbered 0 to 20; they also each have their note name on them, so you can play a song that you know the melody to.
You can find easy to follow instructions and thirteen fun chimes songs here.
