Are you running out of fresh ideas to keep your kids occupied this summer? While children may not be particularly interested in listening to family stories (remember when you were little and Grandpa used to bore you to tears with stories about walking to school uphill both ways) or looking at old photographs, they may be interested in exploring your family history in other ways.
A good place to begin is with your children’s favorite hobbies. Perhaps they are interested in sports, or they like to listen to music. They may really love the outdoors, or they may prefer indoor activities like crafts and cooking. Whatever your children’s interests are, they can be tied to family history in ways that enable them to explore their heritage without getting bored.
As you think about your children’s interests, think about what you know about your family’s history. What kinds of sports did your ancestors enjoy? Perhaps someone won trophies in a local bowling league, or played baseball. Your kids can enjoy attending sporting events or even playing the sports that their ancestors played.
Did someone in your family have a unique talent like woodworking, quilting, or painting? If so, your children may want to try their hand at a new craft or hobby either at home or by attending a class in the community.
Was someone in your family a fisherman or the captain of a ship? If so, you may want to work a boating excursion into your next family vacation. Even fairly young children can get in on the family history fun by “helping” you bake a batch of molasses cookies from Great Grandma Betsy’s recipe or playing games that Grandpa used to enjoy as a child, such as hopscotch or marbles.
Since my son is only about eight months old, it is difficult to predict what kinds of family history activities he will be interested in as he gets older. It is fun to think of the possibilities, though. His father and grandfather really enjoy baseball. I love to cook, and there are many good cooks and great recipes on both sides of the family.
What kinds of exciting things will you be doing or have you done to get your kids involved in your family’s history?