Top 5 Reunion Games & Ice Breakers

Reunions. They can be excitedly anticipated or painfully dreaded; either way the first hour or so can be awkward as people shuffle in from all over. Reunions should be a great time for catching up and renewing old relationships. Getting past that awkward hour just got a little easier with our fun and easy reunion ice breaker games ideas. Check them out! (reunion games inspired by Mister Spiffy)

1.M&M’s a Plenty -Reunion Ice Breakers
Gather everyone to sit in a circle. Pass around a bag of M&M’s (for more fun, buy several bags and dump them all in a huge bowl). Instruct everyone to take as many as they want, and let them know not to eat them just yet. Once everyone has their M&M’s and is asking when they can eat them, inform the group that for every M&M they took they have to tell the group something about themselves. So all those people who dug in with both hands….”100 M&M’s!? Um, one, my name is Sam. Two… I live in Portland. Three, I…play the piano.” You get the idea. Hopefully the shy folks don’t take a big handful!

2. Finding A Perfect Match
You’ll need a handout with questions and places for signatures underneath each one. Have each person answer the questions on the blank provided (not the signature blank), and make sure they use ink so they can’t change their answers. Then get on your soapbox (yes, again) and have them mingle and find people who answered things the same. When they do, get their signatures under the answers they have in common. A good limiting rule is that you can’t have one person sign more than two of your questions. Good questions to ask:

What year were you born?
What color are your eyes?
What is your favorite baseball team?
What is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Can you roll your tongue?
If you had to choose from eternal youth, endless wealth, and a year’s supply of ice cream, which one would you pick?
If you could be any musician, who would it be?
What is your favorite movie?
If there was a warrant for your arrest and you had to escape the country, where would you go?
If you were in a situation where you could shoot the Taco Bell dog and throw its body in a rapidly flowing river without ever being caught, would you do it?
Have you ever done anything you shouldn’t have with a magnet and computer accessories?
Do you suffer from any of those things that prohibit you from going on roller coasters (i.e., motion sickness, back and neck pain, heart conditions, under 46 inches tall, et cetera)?
Ah, the possibilities!
The person who has all their questions signed (or at least the most, if none could find all of them) wins this reunion game.

3. I’ve Done Something You Haven’t Done
Have each person introduce themselves and say something that they have done that they doubt anyone else has (example, I para glide every weekend) If someone else speaks up and can honestly say that they have done that too (”I’ve had a kid too, mom – you’ve got grandkids, remember?”), then the person has to keep trying until they find something no one else has done.

4. I Am None Other Than George Washington Carver, Who Worked With Peanuts
Write the name of famous people on pieces of paper and tape one on each person’s back (don’t let the person know who’s name is on their back). Everyone now has to guess the person on their back by asking other people around the room yes or no questions about the person. “Did I chop down a cherry tree?” “No.” “Was I a good guy in history?” “Yes.” “Hmm. Attila the Hun?” “Ah…no.”

5. Make a Memory Jigsaw Puzzle
Create your own jigsaw puzzle using a blown-up family photo, class photo, or any picture that you prefer, and reconstruct the image as many times as you like. Choose a picture that has special meaning to you. If you do not want to destroy the picture by using it to make the puzzle, make a photocopy. Use a color copier and enlarge it to the maximum size. This way you’ll create a puzzle with the most possible pieces. Check out your local copy center for pricing and color options.

What You Need:
Large (11 x 14) family photo (or any picture blown up as large as possible)
Photocopy machine
Large piece of card stock (any color)
Thin tipped marker
White glue
Exacto knife or scissors
Large piece of cardboard (if using Exacto knife)
What You Do:

Apply a thin layer of glue across the entire back of your picture, then paste it to the piece of thick card stock. Make sure to smooth and press firmly on the surface of the picture to ensure that the image sticks, and that there are no air pockets. Trim the edges of the card stock to the shape and size of the picture pasted on it.
Once the picture is completely dry, flip it over and draw out puzzle shapes on the card stock that will be used for the puzzle pieces. Have an adult cut out the drawn shapes using an Exacto knife on a flat surface with cardboard underneath, or with a very sharp pair of scissors. Once all pieces are cut out, work on putting the puzzle back together again!
Create other puzzles following the same steps using other photos, magazine pictures, or art work you have created. This original puzzle activity makes a great gift for the holidays or to send to a friend using a photo from a special time together. Write a message on the opposite side of the picture to a friend before cutting out shapes, and they will receive two special surprises in one! Remember, printing photos from a home printer works just as well.

We hope these reunion games & ice breaker ideas help you make the most of your next reunion party. Have fun, be yourself and take some time to make up for the years that have passed between you!

6 Great Ideas For Family Reunion Decorations

Decorations for your family reunion should reflect the mood and theme of your event. Here’s a few suggestions to help get you started.

Family Reunion Wall Charts Decorations:
One of the most popular ideas for family reunion decorations are the large family charts which show all the family members and how they are related. They start with the ancestor and show all the cousins, aunts, and uncles and other relatives attending the reunion, and lets you see how everyone is hooked together. If you are feeling creative, use brown butcher paper to create a giant tree skeleton (trunk and branches)background and hang the chart on the tree. You can also cut out various colored leaves with the names of family members to use on your chart.

Themed Events:
If you are planning a Luau theme or Fiesta theme family reunion celebration, take your decoration inspiration from that! Check out family-reunion.com for theme ideas.

Pictures, Pictures and more Pictures:
If you can organize it ahead of time, ask people to mail the main reunion organizer family photos (ask them to label them so you can return them). Be sure to include photos of past reunions and photos of those no longer living. Create collages on poster boards to hang around your location. Ask families to include captions about their pictures to include on the poster board.

Family Name Banner Idea:
Create a large family name banner to hang in the main area of your event. Add in a family slogan. You can have everyone sign the banner and take a group picture under it for the memory book. This idea for you family reunion decorations is sure to be a hit and your guest will rant about it for long. (Read More On Class Reunion Decorations Ideas)

Balloons and Beach Balls:
If you have a lot of little ones in the family, balloons and beach balls are always a hit!

Potted Plants:
Get several small plant starts or flowers and terra cotta pots. Provide some potting soil and let everyone pot their plants as they arrive. If you want, you can provide paints to decorate the pots. Each family’s plants can serve as center pieces for the event and then they can take them home for their own gardens.

It’s easy to feel like you need lots of family reunion decorations ideas but you really just need a few accents to fit the mood of your event. Keep it simple and low stress! Need more ideas for family reunion? Check out more PurpleTrail family reunion articles. Use PurpleTrail for all your family reunion planning needs!

Family Reunion Games & Activities For a Spectacular Celebration

Ok, you’ve set a date, you’ve set a location, your invites are out and you are counting down to the big event! Family reunions are a time for fun, food, catching up and of course exciting, perhaps embarrassing, games and activities. Taylor these family reunion game ideas to fit your family’s personality.

Community Events:
Contact the local Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as the local Chambers of Commerce for information regarding sightseeing tours and other activities.

Family Trivia:
Find out odd facts about Grandpa Pete and Aunt Julia, then tell everyone and have them guess who it is. The weirder the facts, the more far-out the trivia, the better the game! “Did you know Grandma Gertrude can put her ankles behind her head? Yeah, she’s a contortionist!”

Scavenger Hunt- for family members!:
Give everyone a list of personal characteristics and have them find family members who match (for example, green eyes, no hair, same color eyes, born the same year). Be sure to toss in a few easy ones like same number of arms, born after 1850, etc.

Family Reunion Photo Swap:
Members bring new and old photos including pictures with historic value and the great-greats at the old homestead and even previous reunions. Photos should be labeled with name of owner.

Certificates and Awards:
Let your family know how special they by creating certificates and awards for them. Use your imagination and try to think up as many categories as possible in order to recognize the largest amount of family members that you can. Be sure to also include categories unique to your family (i.e. if you have lots of musicians have a ‘best tuba player’ category. Basic categories suggestions :

The oldest and youngest family members
Who traveled the least and greatest distances to attend
Who has attended the most consecutive reunions
Youngest grandparents
Oldest cousins
Couple with the most children or grandchildren
Tallest/shortest family member
Most enthusiastic family member (we all have one)
Family Reunion Games -Olympics :
The family reunion olympic games is a great opportunity to hold special events allowing teams members from each family to participate while drawing close to one another. Make sure your events allow for different age groups and varying physical abilities to participate. Each team selects its name state/county and design their own banner. If you really want to get serious, plan teams ahead of time and order team jerseys! Family Reunion Games ideas:

water balloon toss
relay race (on land or water)
potato sack race
broom stick jump
basketball toss

Jigsaw Puzzle Race:
Other young adult activities that challenge the intellect and reflex are the family portrait jig-saw puzzle challenge. Using previous years family reunion photos create two card table sized jigsaw puzzles from the photos. Select several family members for each team to assemble the puzzles on their table. The puzzle could have a well known fact, slogan or metaphor unique to the family printed on it before cutting. The first team to assemble the puzzle enough to guess the phrase wins.

Pitch Burst:
Have a relative that drives you nuts? Sign them up for the Pitch Burst and see them get soaked! It’s like a combination of a water balloon war and a dunk tank. You can rent them for your event. The lucky relative sits under a caged waterballoon while the other person pitches balls at the target. Once the ball hits the target, the balloon is pierced and bursts. The pitcher gets the satisfaction of seeing their ‘favorite’ relative all wet and the target person gets a cool, refreshing soak.

Reunion “Survivor” Game:
This game draws from the Survivor TV show. It will capture the attention of everyone. The key is to survive (complete) a series of daring feats including a jump rope line, keeping up the hoola hoop for 2 minutes and Dodge ball with velcro vest and velcro ball (20 hits). Remember to keep it simple so family of all ages and abilities can participate.

The Amazing Race:
The activity borrows from the popular television show and is sure to be a big hit. Select several families to complete a 3 mile race with several stops along the way providing destination clues. Make the race a one hour event. The family that wins gets a prize.

My Family’s Got Talent:
Put on a talent show featuring three categories of song, dance, and stand up comedy (or whatever 3 things you want). Have a panel of three judges whose aim is to shower each contestant with praise and exaggerated compliments but votes on cards. Each card is placed in a box. The host adds up the vote tally to reveal the winner in each talent category.

Sports Family Reunion Games:
Playing baseball or volleyball is always a great way to spend the afternoon. Try playing H-O-R-S-E to see who’s got the most creative shot! Set up a croquet course or play a game of horseshoes. Bocce ball, putt-putt golf, the list is endless. Pick one that fits your family’s idea of fun!

Some of the family reunion activities Ideas listed here were inspired by yahoo.com and family-reunion.com. Need more family reunion activities inspiration? Check out our family reunion decoration ideas and 10 Tips to make your reunion party a hit articles. Use PurpleTrail for all your family reunion planning needs!