Lucky for you, we gathered up the most unique and fun activities to help you plan your next family gathering. Looking for fun family reunion games that everyone can play? We’ve got you covered. We even have family bonding ideas to make your family reunion experience the best family get-together you’ll ever have! Not only did we find some of the most unique and fun family reunion ideas, but we also looked for some great ideas that will help you make memorable moments with the whole family. After all, that’s what family reunions are all about! To start, we’ve divided our list into four fun categories to make browsing a little easier:
15 Family Reunion Ideas and Games14 Activities or Competitions for Family Reunions9 Ways to Make Family Memories12 Ways to Get to Know Your Family
Here we go with the best family reunion ideas! Read the following ideas and let your imagination run wild with the possibilities. Remember that you don’t have to use each activity exactly the way it is presented. Make it your own! Last but not least, have fun with the list of amazing family reunion ideas below!
15 Family Reunion Ideas and Games
There are so many fun ideas for family reunion games out there! To start off, here are 15 fun game ideas that you can tweak and turn into fun relays or tournaments to entertain the whole family. Additionally, consider asking your family in advance what kinds of games they would love to play as a group. Have young kids? Don’t worry! We have tons of family reunion games that accommodate children of any age. Remember that games are one of the best ways to make sure everyone has fun at family gatherings, so enjoy them!
- Frisbee Golf with a Twist – Frisbee golf is fun and makes a great family reunion game! Make it super unique by creating your own course. First, split the family into teams, then at each ‘hole,’ have a fun family fact, trivia question, or mind game for each small group to complete before moving on to the next hole. Instead of keeping score, the fun becomes learning more about your family and building friendships. Grab these great frisbee golf discs while you’re at it!
- Egg and Spoon Race – This is one of those family reunion ideas that might get a little messy! 🙂 Race each other holding an egg in a spoon, and see who wins. Add an obstacle course if you want to make it a little harder!
- Balloon Stomp – This game might get a little rough, so be prepared! First, blow up some balloons, tie one to each participant’s ankle, then go around and try to pop everyone else’s balloon. Whoever has the last un-popped balloon is the winner! Fun!
- Ping Pong Toss – Add this easy idea to your list of family reunion games! To begin, set up plastic cups (filled slightly with water), in a formation. Next, write different point values on the front of the cups and have a competition to see who can bounce ping pong balls into the cups and get the most points. You might be surprised to see who ends up being the winner!
- Carnival Games – A fun idea for your family reunion is to have a full-on carnival day with all kinds of carnival games. For example, a bean bag toss, can toss, cupcake walk, or even a prize punch!
- Lawn Twister – If you like the game Twister, you will love this version! Paint the circles onto the grass and play to your heart’s content!
- Hot Potato Camera Game – This is like the hot potato game, but with an awesome twist! First, get a camera that has a timer on it. Then, pass it around the group, with each person having to hold it up at arm’s length (as if they were going to take a selfie). Whoever is holding the camera when it actually takes the pic is out of the game! However, be careful not to drop the camera!
- Olympic Yard Games – Turn up the family competition with a round of Summer Lawn Olympics. Set up games like Corn Hole, Ladder Ball, Jenga, Twister, Bocce Ball, and Kubb. Make sure to grab awards to go with the medals for the winners!
- Glow Lawn Bowling – I cannot even believe how fun this looks. Not only that, it’s so simple! Fill up some old plastic bottles with water and food coloring and create your own mini bowling alley. Undoubtedly, this will make for one of the best family reunion games for all ages! Or, you can make your own bowling game in the dark using glow sticks! Any participant will love the added challenge of playing in the dark!
- Lawn Checkers – Ready for one of the most fun family reunion ideas ever? Make your own oversized game of checkers and play to your heart’s content! This would be great to have out for people to play in their downtime during your family get-together!
- Ring Toss – Create your own game using materials you already have inside your house. Then, get some 3-inch embroidery hoops. This is a crowd-pleaser at family gathers, no matter the age!
- Hopscotch – Make a hopscotch board using tape and burlap. With this version, it’s portable, AND you can use it for family reunions or family gatherings in the future as well.
- Burlap Sack Races – Split the family into different age groups, give each participant a burlap sack, then, racing within each age group, hop to the finish line as fast as you can!
- Bingo – Bingo is a classic game that never grows old! Not only that, it’s one of our favorite family reunion games! Play a few games to really get the party started! Don’t forget the fun and silly prizes for the winners!
- Fun Relay Games – Relays are the perfect way to build family relations, make connections, and make fun memories! Plus, everyone loves to get a little competitive, seeing who can work together as a team.
14 Competitions for Family Reunions
Does your family like to compete? In our opinion, nothing brings a family closer than a little competition! Additionally, these family reunion ideas are simple to pull off! On that note, split up into teams for some family-friendly competitions OR enjoy some fun family reunion activities for sweet family bonding time. Not only are these activities perfect for a family get-together, but they also bring out the best in everyone over fun, laughter, and excitement. I sure hope our next family reunion includes some of these! 16. Frozen T-Shirt Competition – My family plays this fun game every time we get together for family reunions! We even have prizes and bragging rights until the next competition! 17. Family Parade – Every reunion must have a family parade! Throw in a family reunion banner, decorate some bikes, and have a blast showing off your mad decorating skills to the rest of the family! 18. Hula Hoop Competition – This one is sure to bring laughter when watching those that might not be the best at hula hooping. It’s a fun family reunion idea sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face as they watch family members try to keep their hula hoop moving! 19. Bobbing for Donuts – Hang donuts on a string, tie the participant’s hands behind their back, and see who can eat their donut the fastest. You can split this into different age groups or pick an individual to represent each family for large groups. Whichever you choose, this is sure to be a family reunion hit! 20. Piñata Fun – Every reunion needs a piñata! Make it a human pinata with this fun idea! 21. Paper Airplane Competition – Buy a book about making paper airplanes and let the kids go at it! Once you have some good ones, why not do a whole competition for the family and see who can get an airplane to fly the furthest? This is not only one of the easiest family reunion ideas, but it’s also really fun! 22. Outdoor Movie Night – Take the party outdoors with a fun movie night! Don’t forget some comfy blankets, popcorn, treats, and more! Here are all of the tips you need to pull it off. You could even turn it into a fun family slumber party and sleep under the stars! 23. Dance Party – Let’s dance! Get your groove thing on with a dance party for the whole family. No one should be left on the sidelines for this memory-maker activity! 24. Minute to Win It – Oh my goodness! If you want some good laughs, plan some Minute to Win It challenges! Getting a little silly and embarrassing yourself in front of everyone is one of the best ways to have fun and make memories. PLUS, the Divas have you covered with printable Win it in a Minute Games for almost any holiday or occasion! 25. Squirt Gun Races – This is one of those family reunion ideas that looks like such a blast and is super easy to rig up! All you need is some good squirt guns and some kind of container attached to string that you can push along by spraying the squirt gun! 26. Obstacle Course – Create an obstacle course with all kinds of challenges for the family to complete! This is probably one of the most memorable family reunion ideas my family did at reunions growing up. These ideas will get you started, but use your creativity to come up with your own family challenges. You could even have families come up with their own challenges. 27. Jigsaw Puzzle Race – My friend told me about this family reunion tradition. They do this at every reunion, and they LOVE it! First, pick out puzzles depending on the age and skill level of the family. You will be surprised at how fun and challenging this activity is, AND you’ll be hooked on a new family tradition! 28. Splash Party – This is one of the best family reunion themes you’ll ever see! If your family reunion is in the summer, a splash party is a perfect event. Pull out all of the water toys or hit up a pool for some fun! 29. Watermelon Eating Contest – Eating contest?! Heck, yes! This is one of those family reunion activities that involves everyone’s favorite summertime fruit: watermelon! Yummy! However, you could use whatever you want for an eating contest; go traditional with pies, cupcakes, or even tacos!
9 FAmily Reunion Ideas to Make Memories
Family reunions are all about bonding and growing close together. Although you can make memories with your family anywhere, coming together for an organized family reunion ensures meaningful life-long memories. There are several family reunion themes that include ways to make memories, but below, we’ve gathered specific family reunion ideas that focus on memory-making. 30. Family Photoshoot – Every family reunion has to have a family photoshoot! First, check out our family photography round-up for inspiration and ideas on great family picture ideas. Then, have each immediate family take their own picture using the timer on their cameras. Next, put together a slide show of all the pictures for everyone to enjoy. Another idea is to have all of your family pictures be a candid shot instead of the normal point, smile, and shoot pics. 31. Storybook Time – When you plan your reunion, consider including this adorable activity. Have each child coming to the family reunion bring their favorite childhood book to share with everyone. You can either have Grandma/Grandpa read them out loud to the group (depending on the size of the reunion), or split the group into small groups and have the books read there. 32. Decorate for a Special Meal – For a special family dinner, have the kids work together to decorate a tablecloth. Use butcher paper, crayons, markers, stamps, and stickers to make a fun display! Record memories, draw pictures, write notes, and don’t forget to take pictures! 33. Give Secret Gifts – Looking for family reunion gift ideas? I love this idea! Hang up pockets at the reunion for each member of the family, and throughout the reunion, you can leave notes or little gifts for family members to find! 34. Award Night – Have a fun awards night and give out the ultimate family awards. You can even make your own trophy awards with some hot glue, plastic cups, and paint! 35. Reunion CD – This family tradition sounds like a fun must-have for anyone’s family reunion! Before getting together at the reunion, each family member sends in a favorite song. Then at the reunion, you try to guess who sent in each song. After the game, you have a fun playlist you can listen to! This is one of our favorite family reunion ideas! 36. Create a Family Crest – My mom grew up knowing what her family crest was, thanks to her grandma. What a special time it would be to create a family crest for your family to enjoy and help build relationships! 37. Family Reunion Book – Family reunions are so much fun! But the fun and memories don’t have to end once the reunion is over! My mother-in-law put together a fun family reunion photo book that she sent to all the families afterward, and my kids LOVE to look through it. It helps keep the memories fresh and is one of the most cherished family reunion gift ideas! Shutterfly is a great option to put this together. You can ship it to other addresses, so that’s less work for you! 38. Interview the Grandparents – Grandparents hold so much wisdom and understanding! They have so many fun stories that the family might not know or remember. Hold and record a special family interview so that you can have those memories for years to come! As far as meaningful family reunion ideas go, this one takes the cake! 39. Family Reunion Shirts – It’s no secret that having matching shirts completes your family reunion like nothing else! Consider making family reunion shirts to really round out your reunion and build a lasting memory!
12 Getting-to-Know-You Family Reunion Ideas
When it comes to your family reunion ideas, don’t forget to include get-to-know-you games! These family reunion games that focus on getting to know each other are always a hit. See how well you know your family members with some of these fun get-to-know-you games AND simultaneously have a good time! These family reunion ideas can be really fun, even if you already know everyone in your family really well. 40. Who’s Who Photo Game – Have everyone send in a baby pic before arriving at the reunion. Then, have a competition to see who can guess who’s who is in each picture! This is a fun and easy activity for your reunion! 41. Get to Know You Bingo – If your family needs to get re-acquainted after being away from each other for a long time, this fun game of Bingo will get everyone running around asking all of the IMPORTANT questions. For example, who loves broccoli and who is brave enough to go skydiving? 42. Family Trivia Game – Family trivia games are so much fun to play. Everyone ends up learning a ton about the family. What a fitting activity for a family reunion! 43. Video Scavenger Hunt – Instead of doing just a regular scavenger hunt, each member of the family should be given a camera or video camera to PROVE they found the items. Make some fun memories with this intense scavenger hunt. 44. Ice Breaker Games – Unfortunately, there are some family members who have never met each other or don’t know each other very well. This game is perfect for a family get-together because it allows each individual to relax and get in the groove of having fun with each other! 45. Get to Know You Ball Game – This game can be fun for all ages! Write a bunch of random questions on an inflatable ball. Then take turns throwing the ball and answering questions. Make up your own rules to make it more fun and challenging, like you can only catch it with one hand or you have to throw it granny style. 46. Conversation Starters – Get the family talking with these hot table topics! Fun conversation is the best way to bond whether at a family reunion or the dinner table! 47. Talent Show – My kids’ favorite thing to do when my family gets together is to participate in a talent show! They love showing off for their cousins and seeing what everyone else will come up with. This is one of the best family reunion ideas to include when planning your get-together! 48. Who Am I? – Write the names of everyone at the reunion and drop them in a hat. Have each player draw a name and tape it to someone else’s forehead — don’t let them see! Go around and ask other participants yes-or-no questions (“Do I have kids?” “Am I taller than you?”) until everyone figures out whose name is taped to his or her forehead. 49. Family Tree Craft – This is an excellent way to help families get to know each other and create a meaningful piece of family history. 50. Family History Timeline – Mapping out your family history can be a fun activity, as well as a great way to make family history more visible and meaningful for everyone, even the littles! Aren’t all of these family reunion ideas just perfect to help with planning your next family reunion? Remember to be creative! There are so many different variations you can use for each of these family reunion activities above to help it fit your family perfectly. If you are looking for more family reunion ideas, check out these Backyard Games, Fun and Crazy Family Games or Outdoor Party Games for the Entire Family. Last but not least, enjoy the special time and memories made at your family reunion!
