Oh What Do You Do in the Summer Time?

from the newsletter published by Brother and Sister Miller who are Area FH Advisers in Northern Part of New England.  We appreciate them sharing!

… when all the world is green?  An old Primary song asks a question that has fun family history answers.  After such a long, difficult winter, try some of these activities with your family.  Take pictures and store up memories to review during the long winter that we know will follow.

• Visit ancestral home(s) where your family lived.  If you don’t know where, check an old historical atlas (like Beers) that have maps with homes shown (often labeled).  Ancestral homes include the homes where your parents or grandparents lived, so research may not be required.  If possible, take them inside and show them some of the fun places you played.

• Visit family gravesites with your children and decorate them with flowers or plants.  Write down information from the gravestones and see if some of your family members need ordinances in New FamilySearch.

• Hold a family reunion with either immediate or extended family.  These are a great opportunity for cousins to chat, for children to get acquainted with neat (young) relatives, and for older family members to share memories.

• Visit the temple with young children.  Touch the temple door and help them look forward to the day when they will go inside that door.  Take a picture of each child at the temple and attach it to “My Gospel Standards” (on the back of the Faith in God booklet).  Title the page “I Love To See the Temple – I’ll Go Inside One Day” and have them post it in their room, so they can see the temple and the gospel standards that will help them be worthy to go there.

• Take teenage children to the temple to perform baptisms – preferably for names you helped them research.  Make a keepsake by taking a picture of them outside the temple (holding the card!).  Put the card and picture in a page protector and give it to them to keep (it could be a start for their own Book of Remembrance).

• Visit a living history program, event or location.  Bring your children or grandchildren.  Learn something that relates to your ancestors – what did a blacksmith do, what was it like in the ___ war, etc.?  (occupation information is given in the US census – find out what it means) Take pictures, collect brochures, and put them in page protectors for the children’s Book of Remembrance.  This winter, you could write more information about an ancestor that relates to the site, photocopy it and give it to children to add to their Book of Remembrance.  It will be more meaningful since their living history experience.

• Visit family members who live further away.  Plan a visit (perhaps a camping trip) in the area where family members live.  Visit with them and try out some of the activities offered in that area.  You don’t need to stay with them (makes it easier for them) or wait for an invitation.  This is an especially great time to get oral histories from older relatives.  Arrange with them in advance so they have a chance to gather their thoughts together.  You may want them to talk about something specific – memories of their parents or grandparents, or a specific object or place.  The more information you give them in advance, the better they can prepare.  Be sure to bring a camera, notebook, and recorder.  Most people are grateful when younger people show interest in them, their lives and times.  If they are shy, ask them about their parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, and siblings.

• Do something with your children that your parents or grandparents did with you.  Did your father or grandfather take you fishing?  Take your children or grandchildren to try it.  Explain that this is part of your heritage that you are passing on to them.

• Visit church historical sites.  (The ones in the east are quite a distance., but there are some in the Western USA and in Southern Alberta).  In addition to the “standard” tours, the tour guides can point out lesser known feature s that you and your family might enjoy.

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