Get Enjoying Your Family History

Put together a scrapbook. ... Record a video. ... Make a recipe book of your favorite family recipes or recipes that your ancestors would likely have used in their location and time period. ... Designate a special shelf for precious family objects in your home. ... Go digital.

Keep it simple. ... Fit traditions in at times when you might already have time set aside, like during family time on weekends. Involve children in planning and carrying out the activities.

Knowing the health issues your ancestors dealt with will allow you to be aware of the risks you have of developing the same problems, and you can talk to your doctor about better preventing them. This is one of the single most important reasons to do family history research. Preserve family traditions or cultures.

Learning the history of our ancestors helps us gain a greater understanding of the challenges they faced, and it often inspires greater love and compassion for their flaws and mistakes. This compassion can easily translate to our relationships with the living, within our families and outside them.

Choose a Format. Define the Scope. Set Realistic Deadlines. Choose a Plot and Themes. Do Your Background Research. Don't Be Afraid to Use Records and Documents. Include an Index and Source Citations.

A family medical history can identify people with a higher-than-usual chance of having common disorders, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers, and diabetes. These complex disorders are influenced by a combination of genetic factors, environmental conditions, and lifestyle choices.

Plan your project. Decide on what you want to accomplish, a time frame, and your audience. ... Fine a format and style you like. ... Gather your materials. ... Look for themes. ... Write! ... Review and supplement. ... Edit your text. ... Put it all together.

Keeping Memories and Traditions Alive. Tom Merton/Getty Images. ... Tell the Stories. Roger Richter/Getty Images. ... Write the Stories Down. Hero Images/Getty Images. ... Create a Family Memory Tablecloth. ... Convert Your Videos and Photos to Digital. ... Explore Your Family's Ancestry. ... Maintain Traditions as the Family Grows.

Chalk Art. A fun activity to create a family photo to keep forever! ... Fun Science Experiments. ... Gardening together as a family! ... Go see a Movie. ... Visit your local Arcade. ... Go for a Family Bike Ride. ... Visit Nature. ... Have a Movie Night.