5 Places Your Kid Should Search for Family Clues

December 15, 2020

Learning about family history is like fun detective work, and this detective activity box encourages kids to discover their family history with clues that are hiding all around them! Here are five places kids will likely find clues that will help them learn new stories about their family.

In photo albums

While exploring, how many photos can you find that aren’t labeled? Ask who the people are and where the photos were taken and you can help label them! Unlabeled photos are how stories get lost and forgotten.

Items on display

Look around your house and find anything that has been passed down from other family members. Ask who and where it came from (and when). Record your findings in your detective notebook!

In boxes

Ask if there are any boxes in the garage or attic that have family items in them. Did you know that garages and attics are the worst place to keep family treasures? Move them inside and put them on a shelf so they will be protected from extreme temperature changes, which deteriorate items at a quicker rate.

Grandma's House

Ask other family members (not just grandma) if they have family heirlooms or photos you could explore. Make sure you ask questions and record your discoveries in a notebook (a really cool notebook is in this kit)! You could also take photos to share with your family. You can even create a meme with your photos!

On the computer

FamilySearch.org has a free worldwide family tree where anyone can upload pictures and stories to your ancestors. See if anyone has added something to your family that you didn’t know! They even have a fun interactive app you can download on your phone so you can make discoveries from anywhere!

You can write your discoveries in your top secret detective notebook. For extra fun you can use your invisible ink pen to leave a note for a family member – maybe the name of an ancestor who has your favorite picture or story!

These detective activity boxes help kids build memories and explore their family history through creative play. Get a box and let the fun begin!