Family History Cards!

This is the most exciting idea for helping children get interested in family history--Ancestor cards!

Aren't these gorgeous?  See how they are are done and how you can make them here:

http://catchthewindow.blogspot.com/2011/09/ancestor-cards-how-i-did-it.html

If that is a bit too complicated, try these simple ancestor cards:

They are available here:

http://www.ancestrygames.com/products.php

I like this idea because it is so meaningful!

Ancestors card game--My Grandma Maxine made cards with pictures of family members on them.  Each card had a duplicate so that we could play "memory" by placing the cards face down on the table, picking two and hoping for a match.  If you got a match you got to keep the cards and go again.  The person with the most cards at the end was the winner.  This game was a great way to help us grand kids keep track of our ten aunts and uncles and their spouses and children.

Quiz game:  Once family members become more familiar with the ancestry cards, take turns drawing a card and asking the other player a question about the information on the card.  If they answer right, they get to keep the card.  Play till all the cards have been used.  Person with most card winds.

You're invited

Help children keep in touch with their cousins and learn about an ancestor at the same time by having a cousins camp.  Base it on the life of an ancestor.  Have the kids 12 and older be the counselors.  Divide the younger kids into jr (6-8) and sr (9-11).   Prepare a framework for the camp including a schedule and menu.  Have the counselors research the ancestor and prepare games, etc for the camp.  Let the counselors come a day early and set up camp.  Let them have a campfire with stories about the ancestor and sleep over in a tent.
Have the young ones come the next day for a 3-5 hour camp
Camp songs:  based on songs you know the ancestor used to sing, or songs from the period they lived.
Camp games:  games they used to play or games to get to know them better
Camp crafts:  based on their life
Celebrations:  Celebrate an anniversary or birthday with period food.  Include a spotlight of the person.
Skits: based on the life events of the ancestor
Etc.

Ancestor Watch

Do you have an heirloom watch that doesn't work?  Why not turn it into a memento of it's owner?  The blog, maizehutton.com, tells us how to replace the watch face and workings with a photograph of a loved one.  What a wonderful way to keep their memory with you always!

Fan Chart

Have you created your own fan chart yet?  It is so easy and is a wonderful way to see nine generations at once!  Go to createfan.com to get started.  You will need a family search account or an lds.org account, but if you don't have one, createfan.com has a place you can click to set one up.  Once you sign in, they create your chart.  It's that easy!  On the site they have a couple of companies that will make your chart into a poster if you'd like.  I chose chartmasters and ordered a 26"x36" poster of my fan chart on bond paper, laminated.  At that size, the font is 10 points.  It costs $10 plus shipping.  With a bit of creativity, I have been able to print out photos and glue them to the chart. These posters make great gifts!

Family Photo Guess Who

Get an old Guess Who game.  Cut out family photos and replace the cards in the game with photos instead.  Play Guess Who using the original rules.  What a fun way to get to know your ancestors!

Great Links to Family History Fun

Familysearch.org has such wonderful activity ideas for turning the hearts of our children to their forefathers that I wonder why I even have this blog.  If you want some amazing activities to do with your family, check out these pages!

https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Family_History_Activities_for_Youth
https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Family_History_Activities_for_Children:_3-11
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Family_History_Activities_for_Children:_12-%3F
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/FamilySearch_Kids_Camp
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Involve_Children_and_Youth_in_Family_History

These are wikis so you can add your ideas to the site, and the site keeps getting better and better.  Enjoy!

Fun Photo Page

This idea is for people who have a family website or blog.  I found it on Family History Is Fun.

To have family photo fun, make a page with photos.  Inform your readers that they can find out more about any of the pictures by clicking on the picture.  Here is my photo page:

My Family Photo Page
To find out about a person, click on his or her photo.

Book It!

Does someone in your family tell jokes, use funny words, have a lot of embarrassing stories, etc?  Why not celebrate it by writing a small, custom-made book just for them?  Entitle it "Dad's Joke Book" or "Momish to English Dictionary" or maybe "The Perils of Polly."  Make it funny and fun.  Draw pictures if you are brave enough.  It will double as both a gift and a small bit of history to keep and share through the years.

Family Memories Game

What better way to help your children connect with family members than with a custom-made family game filled with stories, laughter and fun.  Find out how to make one for your family on my other blog--   http://sisterical.blogspot.com/2011/12/family-memories-game.html

Make a Family History Coloring Book

I found on familysearch.org, a link to dumpr.net where you can turn your family photos into coloring pages.  First, choose a family picture that you would like to include in your coloring book.
                                                                                 
I chose this picture of Clarence and Esther.  Aren't they beautiful?