6 Fun Activities for a Family Reunion
January 20, 2016
It doesn’t matter if your extended family gets together every year or every four years—planning a reunion is always fun. But it can also be a big responsibility, especially if the last reunion was a huge success and you’ve got some big shoes to fill. No worries, entertainment is our specialty at Buckin’ Wild and we are happy to share a few ideas to help make your next family reunion a memorable event.
Guessing Game
Think about something your different family members have in common. Maybe it’s a sweet tooth, love for good food or a mutual obsession with 007 movies. Then grab a jar and fill it with the object of their passion, whether it’s tootsie rolls, M&Ms, Legos or anything else. Be sure to count them first and write the number on a piece of paper that you can stick in the jar or tape to the bottom. Now have your family guess how many items are in the jar and give the jar to the person with the closest guess.
Scavenger Hunt
A scavenger hunt works best when you have two or more competing teams. Each team is tasked with finding the same thing or collecting the same items. For example, you can give each team a list of questions about landmarks in your neighborhood and see who comes back first with the correct answers. Or you could hide clues on your property or somewhere else, so that one clue leads to the next one until one team discovers the final item.
Family Olympics
If you are hosting your family reunion on a farm or have a large property, you have plenty of space for outdoor family Olympics. Feel free to invent your own sports and competition events, such as a cornhole tournament, water balloon tossing, apple cider chugging, a one-legged relay or 4-wheeler races. Just be sure to consider safety measures, especially if alcohol is involved.
Bull Riding Contest
The actual bull riding contest is probably a bad idea for a family reunion, but what about a mechanical bull? This is an activity your entire family can enjoy and try their skills and luck at. The best part is that the speed of the bull can be adjusted depending on each participant’s skill level. This way both kids and adults can participate in a way that is challenging for them. At Buckin’ Wild, we provide mechanical bull rentals in Maryland for family reunions, fairs, birthday parties and similar events. We take care of everything from setup to transportation. All your family needs to do is show up and have fun!
Talent Show
Every family is full of talents—some are obvious and some are hidden. Organize a talent show for the family reunion and watch uncle Steve do a parody of Jim Carrey or grandma Susan knit a sock in 5 minutes. Be sure to announce your talent show well in advance, so that everyone has time to prepare their act. Depending on the budget, you can award real gifts or commemorative ribbons, medals and trophies custom-engraved with your family name.
White Elephant Auction
If you will have 50+ people at your family reunion, you can ask everyone to contribute an item to a White Elephant auction. These could be regular unused household items, old gifts or even family heirlooms. The proceeds from the auction can be used to gather funds for the next family reunion. If an auction is not your style, you could instead do a secret gift exchange where no one knows who their gift is from.
Hopefully, you’ve gathered some new ideas for your next family reunion. And if you decide to go with a mechanical bull, you can rely on us for timely delivery, pickup and safe operation!
