Family Reunion Ideas & Activities For Making Each Moment Special

Family is everything. When all else fails, our family is what we fall back on to help center us and help us feel alright again. A family reunion is a fantastic opportunity to come together and catch up on what changes have happened to the family, to see members you haven’t seen in a while, and to just be together. There are tons of great family reunion ideas out there that will help you truly create lasting memories that stay with you forever, and we want to help you choose the best reunion for your family.

What Has to Be Kept In Mind For Conducting A Family Reunion?

When it comes to a great reunion, there are a few things that you do need to keep in mind on how to do event planning. Things like timing, venue, and what you are going to do at the event are all factors that need to be decided prior to the day. Taking a moment to look at each different element individually can help you get a better idea of what will work for your particular family.

 Choosing a Venue

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The first thing to consider is where you are going to have your reunion. Do you want to have it indoors or outdoors? Indoor is great if you are having it at a time where the weather may not be favorable, either too hot or too cold. It can also be great if you are concerned about smaller kids and keeping them contained, or if you want to make sure that everyone is comfortable and has creature comforts like indoor bathrooms or climate control. Outdoors is great for very large families and for some great fun. If you want to do something like using a digital product from Esstart like Storybook for quizzes and competition to help male your party more fun, you also need to consider being able to hook up screens and necessary equipment. 

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 Creating a Budget

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Another thing to keep in mind is what sort of budget you want to have when it comes to the reunion. Is one person footing the bill, are you going to have each family member pay a small amount, and so on. With a budget, you have to keep in mind the venue, any games you are going to play, the food, and favors as well.

 Wrap Up the Party

The last thing you want to think about is how you are going to wrap up your reunion and send your family off with great memories and ready to come back next year. Things like thank you cards for those that attended, maybe with a picture from the reunion on it, and things like farewell favors like t-shirts, cups, and more all need to be considered when planning.

Family Reunion Ideas

There are tons of great ideas out there for your reunion. We have a few that we are partial to and that might just work for your party and your particular family dynamic.

 Talent Show

This is a great idea and the Esstart Instant Spotlight tool is perfect for this type of event. You can highlight family members as they perform so that everyone can get in on the fun, and you can truly have a wonderful time.

Baby Picture Contest and Guessing

This is another great idea that you can use Esstart products for. The Storybook tool is a great way to showcase baby photos and to let everyone see them and then guess on who is who and even choose their favorite. Storybook also allows for interactive quizzes so you can compete against other family members. 

 Artistic and Simple

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If you want a great theme that is going to be easy to pull off, try making an artistic and simple theme. Choose a color that you all love and decorate with that color. You can also feature art and beautiful displays.

Family Slideshow

If you have a great family that loves to take photos, a family slideshow of things that have happened that year can be a fun idea as well. The Esstart Instant Spotlight tool is a great way to do this. You can collect photos from attendees as the party takes place and share them in real time. 

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 Family Camping

This is one that you do have to do a bit of planning to ensure everyone is on board. Camping is fun, it is easy, and it is a great time for everyone that attends.

 Decades

This is a fun theme if you have family members who are from a number of different decades. They can all dress up as the decade that they were born in so that you have a fun and interesting mix of costumes.

 Scavenger Hunt

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This is one that you can use to keep everyone involved in the entire party. You can have smaller hunts for your little attendees, and you can have a harder hunt for your older guests. You can also use family hints to give your clues.

Carnival

This is one theme that can be super fun to pull off and that has a plethora of great activities you can use. You can even hire a clown to come and play your party!

Dance Party

This is one that you can use the Esstart Instant Spotlight tool for as well. Have dance contests, and showcase the moments as they happen.

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BBQ

This is a great event if you are having an outdoor reunion with a lot of people. You can have contests for things like chili and ribs and the contest food can double as refreshments.

Family Photo Shoot

This is one that is great if you have someone in the family that loves to take photos. You can have your photos done on the day and then have the finished prints sent out after the party as your thank-you cards.

Holiday Bonanza

If you have a family that does not get together for all the holidays, you can choose your favorite holiday, or even have a few at the same time, and celebrate at your reunion.

Musical Theme

Do you have a favorite singer or musician? Do you have someone in the family who can play an instrument? Music is a great way to bring your family together and can give you some fantastic entertainment at the same time.

Everyone's Favorite Movie

If there is a movie that you all love, this is a great theme. You can choose your favorite movie and have everyone dress up as characters or dress up on the theme for the movie, you can even watch it at the reunion.

Dress Up As Pirates

This is a super fun theme that is great for kids and adults alike. You can dress up as pirates, have a costume contest, find treasure and so much more.

Family Reunion Activities That Everyone Will Love 

After you have settled on a budget and theme, it is time to figure out what you are going to do at your reunion. Having some great activities planned can keep everyone having a great time and can also keep everyone occupied.

Family Trivia

This is a game that everyone is going to have a ton of fun taking part in. Family trivia has never been easier with Esstart Storybook. You can collect photos, create questions, and create an interactive game that you can even keep score with. You can even pass out prizes to the member that gets the most questions right.

Family Olympics and Sporting Challenges

This is a great activity if you have a family that is very active or that is very competitive. This is an activity that can keep everyone involved. You can set up events for each age group so that everyone has something to do and can have a ton of fun.

Charades

This is another great activity that everyone can take part in and that you can tailor to the age group and to each person that wants to play. You can also set up teams and offer prizes for those that win.

Conversation Starter Cards and Questions 

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This is a fun game to do over dinner or just after dinner. You can offer cards with questions or topic starters and then let the conversation go right on.

Family Award Show

You can choose different family members for each category and offer them prizes like funniest, best dressed, most likely to be late, and more. This is a fun way to recognize family members and to just be silly.

Long Distance Calls

If you have family that simply lives too far away and cannot attend, you can always try video chatting with them from the reunion so that they can see all your smiling faces and so that they can take part.

Family Relay Races

If you have ever done a relay race, you know how much fun it can be. This is a great way to get everyone up and moving and to keep everyone involved.

Guess the Family Member Guessing Game
If you want to play a game that is going to be super fun and engaging, try telling everyone some clues so that they have to guess which family member you are talking about.

Obstacle Courses

This is something that kids love to do and that can keep them occupied for hours. Try setting up the blow-up obstacle courses or setting up your own. Even the adults can join in on the fun.

Gift Exchanges White Elephant and More

If you have a family that does not get together for the holidays or that misses things like Christmas, a gift exchange is a great way to spend your time at your reunion. Gift exchanges can be either person to person, or can be done in the form of a game or a white elephant exchange. This is great for kids and adults alike.

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Closing Thoughts and Considerations

Family reunions are something that we as a culture have started to grow away from. This is not ideal, however. Having a family reunion offers you the chance to see family that you might not be able to see otherwise or that you do not see all year round. It is also a great time to catch up, to have fun and to make memories that are going to last for years, and to truly spend time with the people that you love.

When you are thinking of having a family reunion you need to keep a few things in mind. Things like your budget, what theme you want to do and what games and activities you are going to play are all important. Taking the time to plan ahead can help to alleviate some of the stress that comes with planning a big event and can help make the actual day of easier and more fun overall.

Family reunions are a great thing, they can help you teach your family about their family, they bring generations together, and they are just plain fun. With some great event photo sharing tools you can make each event more memorable than the last, and you can truly create memories that you are going to keep with you forever.

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