Holidays + Family Gatherings + Genealogy Games
From Prudence at creativefamilyhistorian.com games you can play at your holiday gatherings that get everyone talking about your ancestors. Enjoy!Games are the ultimate way to spend time with your relatives and have fun while teaching them a thing or two about their ancestors.
There are so many games you can create or convert into an 'ancestor edition.' You're limited only by your imagination. That said, if you're looking for ideas to get you started, here are my favorite three.
- Detective
All players pick a name and, without looking at it, wear it on their head so it's visible to the other players. They then ask strategic questions of the other players to guess who it is. The first player to guess the name they are wearing is the winner.
To make it more challenging, you can limit the number of questions, guesses or time available for each player's turn.
What you need
- Sticky notes, cards or pieces of paper
- Headbands or a way to affix the names to each person's head
- A list of family members known to the players
- Write one name per note. Add them to a bag or place them face down so the players can't see the name they pick.
Minimum of 2 players. It works for individuals or teams. The person wearing the name would sit at the front of the team, so the answer is only visible to other players.
Alternatives
Try photos instead of names.
2. Guess Who (Ancestor Edition)
How it works
Each player blind picks a mystery ancestor from a selection of 20 to 25. They then use yes or no questions to figure out who the other player picked. When they think they know who their opponent's mystery ancestor is, players make a guess. If the guess is wrong, that player loses the game.
What you need
- Photos of 20 to 25 ancestors. Aim for a good mix of males and females, plus some apparent patterns, such as people in glasses, hats, military uniforms, etc.
- Game boards or reusable sheets (one per player) for players to rule out options while narrowing their guess
- Cut out the photos from the game individually for players to pick their mystery ancestor from. You can use an old “Guess Who” game board to set up your ancestor edition or print, laminate and fold cardstock.
Number of players
Typically, this game has only two players or teams, but it can work for more. If three or more are playing, decide whether they can try to guess for all players or just one (e.g. the player on their right). If it's all players, then they'll need a sheet for each person or team.
Alternatives
Don't have enough photos? Use names and facts instead. The yes/no questions will be based on facts, not appearance. For example, was the person born in the 1800s or were they ever married?
3. Trivia
How it works
Ask questions about family members and see who knows the most about their relatives. The one who does is your winner.
What you need
- Fun facts about family members
- Answer sheets or notepads
- Question cards
- A scoring method
It's best for three or more players or teams. Great for family reunions or large family gatherings.
Alternatives
You can set this up as a standard trivia game or use your trivial pursuit board and craft questions for each category.