7 Last-Minute Ideas for Planning Fabulous Family Reunions

Planning a family reunion at the last minute is certainly not ideal. But it is possible. With a little creativity and flexibility, you can make the meeting that’s been in the works all year. The first thing to remember: keep it simple. Here are seven last-minute ideas for planning a terrific family reunion.

a treasure hunt

Scavenger hunts have a way of producing priceless moments and lots of laughs that are sure to be remembered for some time to come. It is an inexpensive, easy and manageable way to strengthen family ties. They are generally good at crowd-pleasing, whether the crowd is five or 50.

Share family photos

Encourage everyone to bring family albums. People enjoy seeing themselves and others when they were younger. Bring a portable scanner and laptop for a great photo exchange. Maybe even set up a photo booth with fun props like fake mustaches and chalkboard thought bubbles.

Tell stories

Sharing stories is what families do most at gatherings. Why not make it an official event? Set aside a block of time where people get up and tell funny, silly, crazy, heartfelt stories about family members or about themselves. Sharing makes older family members feel pleasantly nostalgic and younger members inspired.

hold a tournament

Host a family gaming tournament. Those who haven’t seen each other in a while will have a reason to start a conversation, and old sibling rivalries may resurface. Make sure there is something for all ages. Some game options include horseshoes, pool noodle jousting, sack races, and bean bag toss.

BYOF

Last minute means food catering is probably out the window. So do it potluck style so the job of feeding everyone doesn’t fall to a few family members. Everyone can share their favorite recipes. Weather permitting, the event can be held in a park pavilion, nature preserve, or lakeside, where rental permits are often not needed.

the common game

Create a list of characteristics from the number of children born in a family to hair color. When they find other family members who share the same characteristic, those items are marked. The jackpot goes to those who can score the most features in a given period of time. You may have family members with diverse interests, so list a few easy items, such as number of appendages, eye color, or number of siblings, so everyone has a chance to cross something off.

Go to an amusement park

All ages can get excited about spending a half or full day at an amusement park. The good thing about going to an amusement park is that many of them offer group discounts, which would certainly make the day affordable for everyone. Amusement parks would work because it requires little planning. Just show up and have fun.