- Keep a diary.
- Keep a family photo album (scrapbooking).
- Create a Family Organization.
- Have Family Reunions.
- Publish an Annual Family
Newsletter.
- Collect Family Histories from the
extended Family and publish in a bound Family History volume.
- Create a Personal Family Crest.
- Create a Personal Family Flag.
- Read your ancestor's journals to your
children.
- Collect antiques from your ancestors
or relatives
- Video tape your Parent's life stories
before they die.
- Play a family remembrance game:
- Every member of the Family must
relate a story or anecdote before continuing to the next member in a
circle. The member with the best story wins.
- Tell the kids something about their
early lives they may not remember. If they don't remember, they are
"it" and have to relate something they think another
member of the family doesn't remember.
- Have family members tell a story
about themselves that really happened, but put it in a very
different setting, such as on the moon or in Midevil times.
- Visit the cemetery an ancestor was
buried in and make a charcoal sketch of the gravestone.
- Write to distant relatives and ask
them what they know about the family.
- Hold a Family History Fun Night with
fun activities for all ages, labeled for a genealogical theme.
- Visit websites that offer advice for
beginning genealogists, such as www.LeeSysInfo.com.
- Solve Family History puzzles,
such as those found at http://www.leesysinfo.com/fun/index.html#fun_puzzlery
- Use Family History search engines,
such as http://www.leesysinfo.com/genealogy/index.html#genealogy_search
- Collect information on your ancestors
into a Pedigree Chart.
- Collect information on the
descendants of a common Ancestor into a Descendant Chart.
- Keep in touch with the extended
family through e-mails and chat rooms.
- Put together a Website of Family
History items and digitized pictures.
- Put together a virtual Website of
Family History items on a CD and give a copy to each member of the
family.
- Hire a professional
genealogist.
- Join a Family History Mailing list
for people interested in research in a specific geographical area of
the world.
- Join a Genealogical Society.
- Become a certified genealogist.
- Collect letters of importance to a
relationship.
- Earn the Family History merit badge
(for those in scouts).
- Visit a Family History Library and
ask for a tour.
- Study the history of an area in the
world your ancestor lived in. It will help to answer why he or she did
what they did during their lives. For example, many people migrated to
the United States in groups and settled in the same cities as the
other members of the group.
- Use internet portals to search for
your ancestor. Family Organizations post their genealogy on the
internet in hopes that others having done research will see what they
have and contribute to their knowledge. For example, by using a search
engine from one of the portals such as Yahoo or Dogpile, I found that
there are five different major lines in the US having my last name. Of
these, I believe all can be found on a Family organization's
website.
- Let others know you are interested in
Family History. Other members of the extended family which are not
interested may give you information and old books of interest because
they know you'll take care of them, while others may not.
- Visit your State library and/or
county recorders office. Records such as birth, death, marriage,
wills, deeds, business partnerships and etc. can offer glimpses of
information you might not find elsewhere. For example a birth
certificate may contain the names of the parents and their birth
States.
Hopefully this sample list of Family
History activities has perked your interest. Family History can be fun
as well as informative.
About The Author: Dale Lee
is a computer consultant who has been involved in Genealogy for
over 12 years. For information on how to publish your own Family
History or book manuscript, visit http://www.LeeSysInfo.com.
