mom calling (blindfolded parents have to locate their bleating children)
In this contest, blindfolded mothers (or fathers) race to find their children, who are calling to them from across a designated distance. Just imagine the roar of 50 kids bellowing for their mothers.
WHAT YOU NEED:
A blindfold for each mom (or dad)WHAT YOU DO:
Line up the mothers side by side. After they've been blindfolded, the children also line up side by side across an open expanse, with siblings grouped together. At the signal, the kids start calling for their mothers; the mothers can move, but the kids must remain stationary. Whoever touches her own children first is the winner.Shoe race
In this game, the children have to find their own shoes and put them on. So what's the big deal? Don't we try to get them to do this at least once a day? Here's one strategy you may not want to try at home.
WHAT YOU NEED:
Shoes on the children.WHAT YOU DO:
Have the kids remove their shoes and pile them together. Someone then scrambles all the shoes and lines up the children, side by side, at the starting line. When the whistle blows, the kids race to put on their shoes and fasten them. Those with siblings have to find them (also with shoes on) before crossing the finish line as a family.Family Flags
WHAT YOU NEED:
A sheet of poster board cut into a triangular pennant shape and a 1/2-inch wooden dowel (about 3 feet long) for each family, washable markers and staplersWHAT YOU DO:
Give each family its poster board pennant, and make markers and staplers available. (Do not hand out dowels until the flags are complete; they can look like swords to eight-year-olds.) Allow 15 minutes for each team to create a flag. Each pennant must contain the family name. After the clock has stopped, ask the families to staple their posters to the dowels to make flags. Post banners around the olympic grounds.eunion Games
What to do when you get there
This is a list of games reunions play. Many are childhood games that generate just as much excitement and laughs as they always have. Use these to get everyone involved and smiling.http://www.reunionsmag.com/familyreunions/family_games2.html
What to do when you get there
Planning activities for your reunion is essential. That does not mean something for every minute because visiting and catching up are always as important as structured activities. But as you plan, keep in mind ages, abilities and interests of your members. Be sure to include some activities just for kids and some things that force all ages to mingle and get to know everyone.
When descendants of Rose & Frank Darga meet, games are organized and run by the Benny Darga Game Committee. The children and adults have fun playing games and whistling with soda crackers, Carol Idalski, Charlotte, Michigan, reports.
Some ideas for clowning around at reunions include tossing ping-pong balls into goldfish bowls, and a knock ’em down competition with stuffed toys as targets. Takes a little planning up front, but these kinds of activities will get everyone laughing.
Marianne Mersereau, Seattle, Washington, reported that during their Portland reunion, members of the Van Valkenburg Family Reunion got to know each other better through an adaptation of Bingo, called Vango. Everyone received a Vango card with the letters V-A-N-G-O at the top and a clue in each square. The object was to collect signatures of persons who matched the clues. For example, one clue was “Purple Heart Veteran,” so you had to find the family member who fit this description and get his signature on the card. Everyone completing a card received a Dutch-themed treat. The family was surprised and frequently amused by many revelations that resulted from the game!
Or establish your own family Olympics. Create contests — sack races, 50-yard dashes, checkers games, card tournaments, a family trivia game — for all ages and abilities. Award medals in a ceremony.
Sarah Okuno, Saratoga, California, shared these ideas from the Awaya Family Reunion.
Awaya family members represent a broad spectrum of talents, hobbies and disciplines, which were called upon to arrange activities and events. The week kicked off with a t-shirt tie-dye party, including a silk-screen station to apply the family coat-of-arms as a reunion memento. With colorful shirts drying in the background, the space adopted a week-long festive, party atmosphere, as family members also made colorful paper lanterns (to festoon the anniversary dinner later in the week), beadwork, model airplanes and a papier mache piñata, among other projects. One of the week's highlights was the “unbirthday party,” during which the whole gathering participated in uproarious games and broke the piñata they'd made.
The Rabb-Herron Biennial Family Reunion Picnic includes a big track meet. The picnic was held at the Lincoln Parish Park in Ruston, Louisiana, known for its mountain bike trails. Laura Morgan, Chicago, Illinois, writes, “We just pick a section of the park that’s isolated and have family members from two to whatever age run against each other. Everyone gathers around to cheer on their family members. The competition can get fierce, especially among the older ones trying to regain their form and finding out that you can’t go back. This year we gave the winners medallions with pictures of our maternal and paternal grandparents.”
J. Lynne Wilson Jenkins, Simpsonville, South Carolina, reports that the Douglass-Blount Family Reunion has a talent show, tours, kid & adult games and family history games. Everyone introduces themselves and explains how they’re related to the family. They also play icebreaker games that "force" people to mix and mingle. It is traditional to recognize the oldest and youngest family members, the member who traveled farthest, and the family with most immediate members present.
And from Gannett News Service, Press & Sun-Bulletin, Binghamton, New York.
- Bake-off. Have relatives bring their best cakes, pies and cobblers from all over the country. A panel of judges selects the best and awards bragging rights to the winner for the next year.
The Seideman Family Reunion always holds a tasty bake-off called a Kuchen Contest.
- Speech contest. Improve younger family members' public speaking skills with an oratorical contest and give a savings bond as a prize.
- Showers. What better time than when everyone is together to set aside time for baby and wedding showers?
- Talent show. Showcase family members who sing, dance or play an instrument well.
- Family tree. Plant a tree in a spot significant to your family to honor your ancestors. As it grows older, commission a plaque explaining its importance.
| Family Talk and Grandparent Talk facilitate conversation in a fun and relaxed manner. |
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The question cards fit a wide age range and any type of family. Our families learned new things about each other in a short period of time. The tin makes the game easy to play at the dinner table or outside at the picnic table. The carabiner set takes the already portable game to even more destinations. The carabiner set fits easily in a backpack or picnic basket for on-the-go conversation. There is no worry that the cards will be lost or damaged. Family Talk and Grandparent Talk enlivens any family conversation, anywhere. Reviewed by, Erika Page, Waupaca, Wisconsin. Visit aroundthetablegames.com/ |
This is a list of games reunions play. Many are childhood games that generate just as much excitement and laughs as they always have. Use these to get everyone involved and smiling.
Games reunions playCapture the flag Charades Duck, Duck, Goose Find the Leader Follow the Leader Hopscotch Hot Potato Jump Rope/Double Dutch London Bridge Mother, May I? Pin the Tail on the Donkey Red Light, Green Light Red Rover Ring around the Rosy Ring Toss Scavenger Hunt Simon Says Steal the Bacon Tag Treasure Hunt Tug of War Water Balloons Wolf & Sheep RacesEgg Carry Sack Race Three-legged Race Team sportsBasketball Bowling Dodgeball Football Kickball Soccer Softball Volleyball Wiffleball | Individual sportsCroquet Frisbee Golf Horseshoes Relays Tennis After darkFlashlight Tag Kick the Can Stargazing Water GamesBob for Apples Dive for Pennies Tag Volleyball Water Basketball Board gamesBackgammon Checkers Chess Clue Life Monopoly Pictionary Scrabble Trivial Pursuit Yahtzee | TV board gamesJeopardy Wheel of Fortune Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Card GamesBlackjack Bridge Canasta Gin Rummy Go Fish Hearts Old Maid Poker Solitaire War Genealogy/History GamesAncestors & Questions Generations Life Stories Reminiscing Table Talk The Ungame In a category by itselfBingo EventsConcerts Festivals Rodeo County/State Fairs |
