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The Family Tree - Tips And Reasons To Make Your Own

The Family Tree - Tips And Reasons To Make Your Own

We all have families, be it big and small, near and far. They are the people that we share our bond and many memories with. They are the ones who know us the best. Each family is unique and precious, so why note celebrate your special family ties by creating a family tree and storing it forever?

Whether you want to go the conventional route with a basic tree structure, or simply go for a more eccentric feel such as a galactic family tree, any way you choose would be a great school project, family activity or even a gift your beloved family member. This is why we are here with this article where we have listed a few of our tips that you can use to craft the ultimate family tree along with some reasons why you should make one.

REASONS TO MAKE YOUR OWN FAMILY TREE

In the year 2010 Emory University undertook a study asking children questions about their families’ history wherein they found out some shocking fact. They got to know that family stories provide a sense of identity through time, and they also help children understand who they are in the world. Below are some of the main reasons why you should make a family tree of your own:

1. Children often cannot see past themselves and the little world which revolves around their day to day lives. This is quite natural and by creating a family tree it can tremendously help them see where exactly they fit in the world. It can also help them know where they come from and their roots and ancestors.

2. With a family tree, they will learn about people that may not have really seen. They will also learn that they have similar personalities and characteristics with some of their relatives or ancestors.

3. Through a family tree, children or younger people in family will learn who they are, where they have come from. They can get a lot of information about whether or not their relatives immigrated from somewhere else in the world and if yes, where. It's important to show them, pull the map out and explain things.

4. Family Tree makes history interesting and fascinating. Many of us might have had to endure history lessons that really held no excitement for us at the time we were young. Children need connection and subjects such as history should be explained in a different way to make it interesting for children. Getting out of the classroom and seeing things and feeling stories with their own eyes would only excited them to know more and learn more.

5. Last but not least, family tree involves asking questions to family members, talking to relatives, asking about things in their childhood and a lot of conversations. Do not just stop at the basics and get them delving deeper to get as much information as you can.  Conversations with your relatives give a way to family bonding and not just for your children because at the end of the day, it is about bringing family and blood together.

TIPS TO MAKE YOUR OWN FAMILY TREE

The main thing in making your own family tree is to keep it simple and not complicate it. Keep the craft side of it as simple as possible. You can make a small family tree up to the children’s Great Grandparents. On a large sheet of paper, you can make a tree out of brown tissue paper also. Then with the help of green ink, your immediate family members consisting of mother, father and children can be made with the leaves having their fingerprints. You can talk about family relationships and ask your family such as ‘cousins’ and ‘aunts and uncles’ about who all were there in their family. You can begin to write out all those names on small pieces of white paper and then place them where they should be on the family tree. Begin with the children’s names at the bottom of the tree trunk and gradually climb up the branches of the tree.

Once you are satisfied that there is enough space and everything is in place, you can start sticking them down and then drawing the linking up lines of relationships.

While you make your own family tree, you can contact your family to see if they could send pictures of themselves of their childhood and teenage years. In this way, when you talk about those people and those they never met with, you could show them pictures when they were young and at different ages of their life. This will be a really fun addition to the activity as it not only adds another visual aid, but also creates moments of reminiscent stories and conversations between your own adult siblings about the long lost images and what they meant to you.

Also, you can make things simpler by collecting all the information and storing it in the Apni Family Tree app provided by us which will be with your family and generations to come, forever. So get together with all your family members with the help of Apni Family Tree and start this extremely rewarding family detective project as it is one that will just keep giving and one that you all will cherish forever.