Group Games for Your Reunion

FAMILY LINEUP: Put enough family members together, and odds are you'll have representatives of every astrological sign, every political party affiliation and a handful of hometowns. In the game Family Lineup, the aim is to get your team (of eight or more players) lined up according to a single distinguishing characteristic that's called out by an emcee: birth order, age, height, distance traveled to the reunion, alphabetical state of origin and so on. The first team to get lined up yells out its order and wins. For a more challenging variation, ask the teams to figure out their order without speaking.

FAMILY SCAVENGER HUNT: In this twist on an old favorite, the search isn't for items, but for family information. It's particularly suited to kids, who have an innate gift for asking endless questions. Before the reunion, gather clan lore and trivia from your extended family members. Then type up a list of questions (questions can pertain to reunion day happenings too). Here are a few examples.

• How did Grandpa propose to Grandma?

• Which relative traveled to this country by boat?

• Who traveled the farthest to be here today?

• Who has the worst sunburn?

• Which relative has the most children, and what are their middle names?

• Who has the reddest hair? The loudest laugh? The biggest feet?

Let players pursue their questions in teams throughout the day--then trade their completed questionnaires for a prize.