You may be familiar with the lively, entertaining, interactive activity The Human Knot. The instructions are simple: Gather as a family or group and stand in a cluster. Grab each other’s hands then try to untangle yourselves into a continuous circle without letting go of each other’s hands! What implications for family history can be found in this activity, and how much fun can you have discovering and applying them? See what you think of the following discussion ideas to process your experience playing The Human Knot and relating it to family history. We would love to hear your ideas–please share!

• The Human Knot can be used to illustrate the importance of working together as a team to accomplish your family history goals. What do you do to collaborate?
• Were there “natural leaders” in your family or group who called out suggestions and encouraged everyone to keep going? What about the family history gurus in your family–how do they help you all stay on your family history quest?
• What strategy did you use to decide what the team should do next? How do we learn what works as we do family history?
• Did your family/team members have to get out of their comfort zones? What types of difficult things might we need to do to collect, document, preserve, and share records?
• What do you do when a team member wants to give up before the goal is reached? How do you help each other remain motivated in doing family history work?
• What was it like trying to get out of the knot? Did people think they would be able to do it when they first began? How important is perseverance in doing family history research and making family connections?
• In what kind of family history “knots” do we find ourselves? What do we need help with to unravel those knots? (hint: your “go-to” place is The Family History Guide to make the job easier, more efficient, and more enjoyable!)
• Discuss what an unbroken circle represents and the nature of eternal family bonds. What can you do to stay connected?

Resources:

The Human Knot wiki-How article

Movingbeyondicebreakers.org  The Human Knot 

Note: Much has been written about the benefits of helping children and youth connect to their ancestors through family history activities. Finding fun, relevant activities to fit the needs of your family is easy and convenient with the Family Activities Section of the Family History Guide at your fingertips! So many fun ideas from which to choose and each can bless your family in unique ways.