Family Reunion Play Ideas

Go the Extra Mile when Planning

• The first thing you'll want to do is have a variety of games and activities of interest for all ages. Game play is an important element of a reunion as it provides an opportunity for distant family members to bond on an intimate level as much as it entertains participants and spectators alike.

  It's important to create a number of games that require the formation of teams. You might want to be creative by having girls/women vs. boys/men, state vs. state or the very young vs. the very old.

  Be sure to have all the necessary equipment for planned game activities. Decorate the play grounds with colorful flags, balloons, and simple signs to heighten the festive mood.

  To encourage participation, set up a prize table and attractively display prizes for each activity. You can find a variety of low cost, perceived high value prizes to motivate family whatever their ages at a dollar store. Prizes like fishing poles, clock radios, travel bags, travel irons, CDs, DVDs will be coveted by adults and teens. Youngsters will be motivated by puzzles, dolls or action figures, coloring books, trophies and ribbons.Try to have enough token prizes for the little kids so that they each get a prize.

Youngsters and Teens at Play

• Little kids love to run around so challenging their hand-eye coordination while running can prove a worthy challenge for them. Try these activities for youngsters to challenge those little legs either solo or in teams:
  Water balloon balanced on a plastic spoon races
  Hard-boiled egg under the chin races
  Two person wheel barrow races

  Teenagers are likely to do thumbs down on most things athletic. However, they enjoy proving how cool they are. Nowhere can cool props be demonstrated better than with things both musical and mental. Try these activities with groups to get teens involved. Activities for tweens and teens:
  Rapping contests (spoken word battles to popular music)
  Name that "old school" tune contest

Adult Play

• Mid-life adults like to prove that their still in good physical condition by participating in sports. Activities for mid-lifers and seniors:
  Make familiar games memorable by throwing in some unexpected elements like rule changes such as having to run the bases backward or using a football for the volleyball or using painted golf balls with a croquet game.
  Set out decks of new cards on tables for card playing games for those not interested in physical games.
  Bingo or Pokeno (a bingo-like gambling game)
  Dominoes