Family reunions can be fantastic events, often taking place in hotels or holiday lets; the whole extended family can come together to bond and enjoy each other’s company. Despite many using a group chat to plan reunion events, it can be hard to find dates when every member of the family is free to come.
Even before the pandemic began, work and other responsibilities could mean that it would be a long time before you could plan a group staycation to see your extended family. With the pandemic in full swing this became especially true, as the lockdown prevented contact with even close family members who live abroad or a distance away. However, now that the lockdown restrictions have eased the whole family is free to meet up and throw a party.
There are thousands of activities that can help the family bond after so long spent apart. There are a wide range of events to book from a hike together as a family through the beautiful landscapes of Kent and Sussex, to a Monopoly game (although that one is more likely to create tears than bonds). Here are a few that can keep the entire family entertained and keep everyone engaged with the reunion:
Sports tournaments
Having a friendly game to kick off a reunion is a great way to shake off the stiffness that comes from driving to arrive at the reunion venue. Sports such as football and rounders are fantastic icebreakers and are great fun to play, even when you aren’t keeping track of the score. Sports are often a family pastime, with everyone coming together to watch the rugby or the tennis and having fun discussing the players and the game.
Bringing these games into a family reunion allows everyone to enjoy the sport and have a good time. Many of the younger and older members of the family may be part of a sport team and compete. Even if no one in the family is a particularly good sportsman, any mistakes in the game can only add to the fun.
Here is a list of a few games that will work as activities for a family reunion:
- Football
- Tag rugby
- Rounders
- Netball
- Badminton
Talent show
Having a talent show is a fantastic way to make a family reunion exciting, especially if you have a fairly creative family. Setting up a small stage for music recitals, dance performances and small plays can be a great way to reconnect with the family.
If you are not particularly artistic, comedy routines or even magic tricks can be a great way to connect with your audience. However, performing can be hard for families with shy or more introverted members. If this occurs, a separate show for art and crafts created by quieter members of the family can be an excellent way for less performance-inclined kids to show off their talent.
Quiz night
Organising a quiz night to kick off the evening can become an instant classic; from movie questions to sports buffs there are plenty of online quiz websites that you can use. If you want to create a quiz yourself, having a range of questions at different levels will help give everyone their chance to shine.
Having a set of different teams competing to answer the most questions can create a great way to bond. Team combinations such as boys vs girls or family teams can make the competition more exciting.
Movie night
This is a classic activity for when the evening is winding down. This is an especially good way to keep any younger children occupied so the adults can get a chance to have a chat and a drink. Snacks such as popcorn and vegetable sticks with hummus are fantastic to bring out for them to enjoy while watching the film.
Showing animated films from Pixar or Disney is a good way to make sure the content is family friendly. Of course, if the reunion is mostly made up of adults and teenagers you will have more interesting options to choose from.
Pictionary
Pictionary is another team competition where each team member must draw an object or a creature and their team mates must guess what they are drawing; the first team to guess correctly wins.
What makes this game so suitable for family reunions is that the game is easy for players of all ages and abilities to take part in, so no one will feel left out.
Afternoon tea
Having an afternoon tea with the whole family creates a wonderful atmosphere for everyone to chat and enjoy their time. It allows for family members of all ages to participate and enjoy the food and conversation, which can be difficult during more strenuous activities.
Here at Salomons Estate we serve delicious afternoon teas for you to enjoy. To learn more click here.
Charades
This game is similar to Pictionary, but instead of drawing the object or name that you want the other team members to guess, you have to act them out. This silly game is fantastic to set up when you have limited supplies on hand to play with, as the game doesn’t require any cards or other equipment.
Setting up teams or competing individually can help make this game a hit, with each family member winning a point for each time they guess correctly.
Card games
There are hundreds of different card games of varying levels of difficulty that can be played with a single deck of cards. Having a pack of cards on hand during a holiday or family reunion can act as a fantastic icebreaker.
Cards are easy to bring with you wherever you go and are universally popular. Here are a few card games that are particularly popular:
- Snap
- Old maid
- Go fish
- Cheat
- Twenty-one or blackjack
Here at Salomons Estate we have multiple function rooms, as well as accommodation perfect for a family reunion. If you are interested in organising an event with Salomons Estate, please contact us here.