6 Fun Things To Do At A Family Reunion

A family reunion is a great time to reconnect with relatives and enjoy one another’s company. It is also a chance to celebrate, laugh, and reminisce. When it comes to making this event as meaningful and fun as possible, we have a few family reunion activities to make this the year to remember.    

When it comes to family reunion ideas, the food should always be a big part of the plan. People like to eat and food is always a communal element that makes people want to open up more. If you are including family you haven’t seen in years, having a spread of food will give everyone something to do and talk about to break the ice.  

A potluck style is also a good bet because it allows others to feel involved and takes the burden off one host doing it all. It is also a chance for cherished family recipes to shine. Do you make a mean version of grandpa’s famous chili? Have you perfected the treasured red velvet cupcakes of grandma but added your own take with crushed peppermint on top? Use this activity as a time for your loved ones to come together and share a tasty meal with the gang.

If your family is super close, you may not need ice breakers. If you have family attending from out of state that you haven’t seen in years, ice breakers are a great way to kick things off and get everyone comfortable as they reconnect. It is also great if there are new members joining the fun this year like the new partner or step kids of your uncle Jeff you haven’t seen since the wedding. Ice breakers let you all have a laugh and get to know each a bit better. Here are a few fun ideas for ice breakers:

• Baby picture guessing. Have everyone send you a baby picture prior to the reunion and then line them up on a line with clothespin or a board and tacks. People can take turns guessing the family members in the baby picture until everyone is holding their own baby picture to end the game and easily return the photos to the owners.

• Two truths and a lie. Have everyone stand up in front of the gathered family and say two truths and a lie about themselves. This is a great way to learn about new family members or learn something new about old family members!

• Candy version of "tell us about yourself". When guests arrive, have them take a handful of candy from a dish and tell them not to eat them just yet. When all the guests have arrived and have their candy, everyone must tell something about themselves for each piece of candy.

Everyone has a hidden talent, even your family members! Let everyone put on a show for the family and show off that hidden talent with a family talent show.

From the sweet singing of your niece to grandpa doing his loudest burp, it will be a free for all of class meets crass which is always funny. Set a time limit to keep everyone on track, and make it fun by providing popcorn and drinks like at a real talent show.

One of the best family reunion ideas is to host a family home movie night. Have everyone bring some old home footage or put together a slideshow showing what they were up to since the last gathering. This can be a fun way to show extended family pictures and milestones they may have missed. It is also a chance to relive some childhood memories when your parents or grandparents bust out that old home footage of you as a youngster. A family movie night is sure to create some bonding and fun for the whole gang!

You want everyone to be comfy and cozy for maximum bonding time. One of the best and comfiest family reunion ideas is to make it a pajama party.

You can either insist that the family shows up in PJs from the start or they can bring their jammies with to change into after eating dinner. This is especially comfy for watching those old home movies after you have stuffed yourself to the gills with the family recipe potluck. It is also adorable for taking a group photo of everyone, young and old, in cute pajamas!

To end the festivities, giving out awards is a fun idea. You can give out awards for just about anything you want.

An award for staying awake the whole time for your sleepy grandpa? A medal for your sister not talking politics the entire time? A trophy for a little one for eating the most candy of the night? Whatever suits your gang, you can find a way to give everyone an award at the end of the reunion.