Family reunions are a time for people to reacquaint themselves with the extended family they may only see a few times a year. Whether they are the eccentric uncle, the overly-private cousin, or the single aunt traveling the world, the family reunion is a way to have fun with people who share a genealogical tree. It is often a day in a park, best spent with fun activities and fun people. Family reunion game ideas can range a wide variety of activities, although there have been some popular ones in the United States used for decades. Often, they rely on physical activities, like races and scavenger hunts, but games like charades can also be fun.
The most popular ideas often involve a silly physical activity, like the potato sack race. This race has different family members, legs tied inside of a potato sack, hopping along a grassy race course in the most unathletic conditions possible. Often falling to their face, this race is a popular way of bringing out laughs and embarrassed family members. Another variation is the three legged race, which has two family members tied together, one leg on each person free. The resulting two-headed, three legged person keeps family members close as they hop along to the finish line, or fall into it.
Other physical games find family members tossing eggs or water balloons at each other. This is a game of finesse and nerve in which two teammates stand facing each other, tossing an egg (or water balloon) at each other, catching it carefully so as not to break it. Moving farther apart, the team that lasts at the end without egg on their faces wins. Other games popular at family reunions include traditional games like horseshoes or bocce ball, variations like hillbilly horseshoes, or sports like football or baseball.
A scavenger or treasure hunt can also be fun. One person could come up with a list of stories or objects to find, perhaps from older family members, with other individuals teaming up to find each thing on the list. Alternately, prizes could be hidden, with family members grouping together to be the first to find them. Hunts can also be played out as a road rally, putting family members in cars driving around town to find prizes or clues.
Many other recreational games can be played during a family reunion. Families can compete as one member struggles to draw an object or act out a scene, and the others try to guess what it is. This type of yelling and bonding can also be found in team games, like trivia. These games provide the family an opportunity to work together as a team, with each member probably possessing a different trivial or silly knowledge. The family reunion, a day to keep the family together, is best complimented by games that keep the family laughing, yelling, winning, losing, and embarrassing each other.