By A. Noelle

How well do you know your nieces and nephews? How well do your nieces and nephews know their Savvy Auntie? Here are some fun games and activities that are sure to test your knowledge of your loved ones and make this year’s Auntie’s Day celebration on Sunday, July 22 a truly memorable one!

Savvy Auntie Jeopardy

How much do your nieces and nephews know about their Savvy Auntie?

Players: 3+ Contestants (Nieces and Nephews) and 1 Game Host (Auntie)
(Note: This game can also be played with multiple Aunties as the contestants and one niece or nephew as the host.)

You will need:

-1 Scoreboard with 3+ categories (across top)
-A stack of flashcards or large Post-its
-1 Marker
-1 Timer (or way of keeping time)

How to play:

1. Prepare the board by creating 3+ categories across the top, depending on the types of questions – or rather, “answers” – you intend to provide in the game (e.g., Before & After, Literature, and Pop Music); feel free to get creative with your categories (e.g., Fears and Pet Peeves, It’s All Relative, and Auntie’s Ancient History).

2. Decide whether you’ll be using money or a simple point-system to keep score – money tends to be a surefire way to get them excited about the game. If you decide to go with a point-system, make sure you have a suitable prize to award the niece or nephew with the most points at the end of the game. Record the amounts on one side of the flashcards or Post-its; you’ll record the “answers” on the opposite side of the cards. Here is an example of a possible “answer” you might give during the game: “It falls on the fifth of every August, during which the entire family always gathers at my house for a backyard barbecue.” Answer (in the form of a question): “What is Auntie’s birthday?”

3. Once you finish recording the amounts or scores and “answers,” stick the flashcards or Post-its to the scoreboard; and form columns beneath your categories. Decide the amount of time you’ll allow for responding to “answers,” and keep your timer, watch, or phone handy.

4. Decide the best – and safest – way for your nieces and nephews to respond during the game (i.e., by raising their hands or through the use of portable buzzers). Have them sit in a row in front of the scoreboard. Remember to read out the categories before you start, and explain to your nieces and nephews that they should phrase their answer in the form of a question.

Flag That Auntie!

How much do Savvy Aunties know about each other?

Players: 2 Contestants (Aunties) and 1 Game Host (Niece or Nephew)

You will need:

-A stack of flashcards
-1 Pair of differently colored flags for each contestant (Optional)
-1 Pen or marker

How to play:

1. Have the host (or a group of your nieces and nephews) prepare a set of questions with the flashcards. Some examples include the following:

-Which Auntie is the better driver?
-Which Auntie should have her own stand-up comedy show?
-Who absolutely loves to (or needs to) shop, especially during a sales event?

2. Have the two contestants sit back-to-back, and give them each a pair of differently colored flags (if you plan on using them) – or you can simply have them raise their hands to answer. Designate which flag or hand will be used to indicate which Auntie (e.g., a red flag indicates Auntie A, and a blue flag indicates Auntie B).

3. Every time the host asks a question, both Aunties will give an answer by raising one of the flags – or one of their hands. Here is one example exchange:

Question: Which Auntie reads the most?
Auntie A (is indicated by a red flag/right hand) thinks it’s herself, and raises the red flag or her right hand.
Auntie B (is indicated by a blue flag/left hand) thinks it’s Auntie A, and raises the red flag or her right hand.

What My Auntie Says and Does

What are some of Auntie’s best-known phrases and mannerisms?

Players: 2+ Actors (Nieces and Nephews) and 2+ Aunties

How to play:

This fun and quick game is designed to get them moving! Nieces and nephews will take turns acting as one of their Savvy Aunties, and it’s up to everyone else to guess which Auntie is being put on the spot. If nieces and nephews decided to give gifts during this year’s Auntie’s Day, this is the perfect game to play before passing the presents to their respective Aunties; nieces and nephews can act as the Auntie who will be receiving the next gift.

Photo: Ambro
Published: July 2, 2012