GENEALOGY FUN

GENEALOGY PROJECTS AND EXTENDED ACTIVITIES

FAMILY REUNION: Have a family reunion this year. The reunion can include a single branch of the family or many branches. It can be for only a meal or a whole weekend. Design it to fit your circumstances. Consider location size, time factor, location facilities, and distance to travel.

ANCESTOR WALL CHART:Make an ancestor chart, either with a genealogy computer program or by hand. You can put on as many generations as you wish. Using removable tape first and then overtaping with permanent tape, match lines, trim and tape pages together as necessary. Make copies of the completed chart on a copy machine that makes over sized copies. (Places like Kinko's, Office Depot, etc. have these machines.) You will want to be able to trim the width size to the dimensions of the available laminate, or smaller. Decorate if you wish. Get the chart laminated with a heavy weight laminate. Trim laminate edges to 1/4inch outside the chart. Hang up and enjoy. These also make wonderful thank you gifts for a relative.

MEMORY BOX: Give a box full of memories to a loved one. Use a box the size of your choice (probably about 8x8x8 or so...a wide mouth jar would work also). The box needs a removable or hinged top. Decorate it if you wish. On small slips of paper write memories that connect you with the recipient such as: being there when they were born and how you felt; taking them to school on their first day; or being taken by them to school on your first day, and how you felt. When the box is full present it to the recipient. Attach a note telling them to choose one of the loving memory slips each day and know you are thinking of them.

JOURNAL: Keep a journal. It can be as simple or as detailed as you wish. Not only put in it things you are doing at this time of your life but your memories of past days. You can add illustrations or even scrapbook items.

MEMORY BOOK: There are ideas and design aids at craft stores for making these. They make great presents for a child, especially at a marriage. Collect pictures of parents, self, spouse, and the young couple. If there are pictures of the great grandparents you can add them. If there are children in the future, more pages can be added.

GENEALOGY TRIP: Go on a genealogy search trip. Prepare yourself before you go by setting goals; checking times and availability of places in the search area; making copies of the information you will need to take on the trip; and doing all the pre­research work so you won't spend time doing it at the research site.

ANCESTOR BUSINESS CARDS: Make yourself some business cards that list your name, address, phone, e­mail, website, and all your ancestor surnames. You can either print these with a card program on the computer, or have them printed. You can even make paper ones by hand. Cut a piece of paper twice the size of a business card, fold in half, print your name on the front and the other information inside.

GENEALOGY WEB SITES FOR CHILDREN

MAP THE PLACES WHERE YOUR FAMILY LIVED: Either draw a map or use one already printed. You can use maps of the USA, states, counties or towns. Outline maps work best. There are government agencies like county offices where you can get free maps. Color in all the places where you have lived. You might want to track where you parents have lived with different colored pencils. Interview your grandparents and track them.

FAMILY STICKERS: Design and Print them on a computer label printer program. They can also be made by hand using crayons, permanent markers, or colored pencils. Put the design on self­sticking postage labels purchased from an office supply store. You can use each label to make two or more stickers by repeating the design and cutting them. You can put a picture on them that represents you family name or favorite activity. Make some as gifts for the rest of the family.

TEE­SHIRTS showing family pride: There are comupter programs that let you print tee­shirt designs, or your can use permanent markers. Follow the computer program directions for preparing the shirt. If doing the shirt by hand, first wash it. Next draw your design on paper with a black marker. Place the design over a sheet of transfer paper on top of the shirt. Trace your design with pencil. If the shirt is light weight material, you can transfer the design by putting it between the shirt layers and tracing with a pencil or disappearing marker. Color with markers. How about making a special shirt for your parents or grandparents.

CROSS GENERATIONAL ACTIVITIES

PLACE MATS for grandparents to give grandchildren, or grandchildren to give grandparents: Make a three generation descendant chart (grandparents; parents and their siblings; and children) either with a genealogy computer program or by hand. Match lines, trim and tape pages together if necessary. Taping the chart together first with removable tape makes it easier to correct aligning mistakes. Make copies of the completed chart on a copy machine that makes over sized copies. (Places like Kinko's, Office Depot, etc. have these machines.) You will want to be able to trim the final size to about 16"x13", or the size of your choice. Decorate however you wish. Get laminated with a heavy weight laminate. Trim laminate edges to 1/4inch outside the chart.

PERSONALIZED POSTER: First, help the child find out what his or her given name means and from where it comes. Baby name books, dictionaries, and encyclopedias are good sources. You and the child might want to research what the name would be or how it looks in other languages. Who else in the family has the same name? Use paper or posterboard for the background. Put the child's name on the poster, using crayons or markers to draw bold letters, or letters cut from colored paper. Finally put on pictures or drawings to illustrate and explain the name's meaning or derivation. If the child knows a story that uses the name, or something that connects with the family's history, it can be added. Family photo's and other items can also be added. If you use photos you might want to copy them on a copier first. When the poster is finished it can be hung on the bedroom door or wall.

INDIVIDUAL GRANDCHILD ACTIVITIES: Pick a special, on­going activity to do with each individual grandchild. It could be stamp collecting with one child, watching the trains go by with another child. With still another child, maybe you could search for the best pizza. Taking pictures of courthouses, or visiting fire stations would be especially interesting if an ancestor or other relative had worked at one. The important thing is to make the activity special to each individual child and continue the activity through the years.

GAMES AND SONGS: Teach your grandchild a favorite game you played or song you sang as a child. How about a magic trick. A string through the fingers trick, learned from our grandfather when we were young, is being passed to our grandchildren.

DANCING: Teach your grandchild one of the dances you did when you were young. Get them to teach you one of their dances. It might be good exercise.

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FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHER: Ask one or more of the grandchildren to be a roving photographer at the next family gathering. Children see things differently than you do. If the child doesn't have a "simple" camera get several disposable ones. Make the small photographer a "Press" Badge that he or she can display with pride. It will help the other adults take notice and smile. Passing out disposable cameras among the other guests also produces a lot of interesting pictures. Be sure to write names and dates on the backsides of the pictures with pencil.

SHARE A GENEALOGY PROGRAM with a child or grandchild. You can use one of the less expensive and easy to manage ones. Children in grades 4 and up (and some younger children) have the computer skills to run the programs. Each partner in the share project will need the same program or one with gedcom cabilities. In the Mott's program mentioned above, if both grandparent and grandchild share the password then information can be shared. "Family Origins" is another inexpensive easy to run program.

SILHOUETTES: Make silhouettes of the grandchildren, their parents and grandparents. You will be surprised how much alike they will look. If you are not a silhouettist here is the easy way. Using a low chair, sit the subject close to a wall on which you have taped or pinned a large size piece of white paper. The paper needs to be large enough for the entire shadow of the head to fit. Make a sharp shadow by shinning a bright light on the head and wall. With a pencil, trace the shadow outline, including eyelashes, hair curls, neck and collar. You might find it helps to gently place one or two fingers of your other hand on the top of the subject's head to keep it steady. Also, do the lips and nose first since these are the hardest for the subject to keep still. When finished, carefully cut out the shape then retrace it onto black paper. Carefully cut out the black silhouette and glue it to a white background. If you wish to have smaller silhouettes, reduce the original white paper drawing on a copy machine before cutting it out.

YOUNG FILING ASSISTANT: Older elementary children love to help file and sort papers. Have one of your grandchildren help you with your annual file review. It gives you a wonderful opportunity to discuss their ancestors and other relatives. It gives them a hands on experience on how to collect and retain items of importance. You might be surprised when they come up with some good ideas on improving your system.