Projects - good idea, keeps the father-in-law busy when he is with us

Jigsaw puzzles are a great thing for several generations to work on at once

Food - plan lots of meals that are things like chili and pasta - big single pot meals (make sure you have some big pots!) Easy to cook (slow cooker is great and frees up hob space) and sociable to eat. If a vegetarian is among the group, you can easily do a seperate sauce for them.

Think about using more canned / dried food than normal - we find refrigerator space at a premium when we have guests, so need stuff that will store well

A long walk is a good idea at least once a day especially with a group of kids - fresh air and a chance for those left behind to have a bit of space.

Take a deliberate 'personal space' every day - defuse before you get snappy with everyone

Switching the tv off is a good idea BUT planned group watching of films or sport or whatever can also put some structure in the day

Stick to the air freshener. All the match really does is lay an even stronger stink over the original. At least the air freshener is a pleasant stink.

Thanks, those are all good tips!

A few other things that we did:

1. My folks picked up five bicycles of assorted sizes (toddler to adult) at the local Goodwill store for $7 each. The kids used them all the time.

2. Every night after supper I herded the kids down to the local playground to give the other adults some kid-free time (plus it got me out of washing dishes )

3. Breakfast and lunch were "on your own" affairs but supper was a group meal every evening. The kitchen wasn't big enough so we set up three picnic tables in a row outside to eat on...even in drizzle. If needed we had EZ-Up awnings we could have put over the tables but the weather never got that bad.

I tried repeatedly to get my mom to use disposable paper plates but she refused. Lord knows why.

-Blast

Nice, but... both my girlfriend and I prefer the smell of a burnt wood match over the smell of an air freshener. Also, a burning match eats up some of the unpleasant vapors, especially when I let the match burn for awhile and work the match around the bathroom. In contrast, an air freshener merely covers the unpleasant vapors with pleasant smelling liquid particles. That's my theory anyway, and I'm sticking with it!

Compromise: spray the air freshener on a burning match.

-Blast

To help keep people out of the kitchen set up a drinks and snacks table on the porch. Stock this with coolers full of ice for drinks, also water, tea and coffee. I'm not a fan of Koolaide and such, kids rapidly learn to drink water or tea around our place, but if you are keep pitchers of of it in the same place. This limits the numbers of trips into the kitchen. No normal ice maker will keep up so lay in a generous supply of ice before people get there.

Consider regularly putting a kid on 'drink and snack duty'. Their job is to check on the drinks and snacks and to help make/get out more as needed.

Before any big get together scatter chairs and benches in ones and twos around the property and well away from the house. Setting up areas where two or three people can have a conversation and/or escape the crowd. Make one or two of these just one chair, preferably with a decent view, and out of earshot of the house. Some people, some times, just need some time alone.

If you have a body of water at hand do have fishing poles handy. Check with fish and wildlife. Some don't require licenses for kids under a certain age and I have known rangers to give a family reunion a one-day pass for free if they were informed beforehand.

If the water is of any significance allocate an adult to act as lifeguard. Work this in shifts. Being on lifeguard duty is a fair reason to get away, or get someone away from, the crowd.

Keep several first-aid kits and fire extinguishers, a bucket of sand does less damage and is quite effective on small fires, handy. You never know when kids will get overenthusiastic and do a header down the stairs or when uncle Billy will fall asleep with a lit cigarette in his hand and try to burn the house down.

With kids outside make it a game to apply sunscreen and check for sunburn. If you press lightly with a finger and the exposed skin looks very light when pull away the skin is burned.

When I first got here, I thought your handle was just . . . imaginative.

Yet again, you've reminded me how literal it is.

If your home is likely to be overcrowded for a family reuninon or similar social event, then consider a local budget hotel.

If however one is planning to put up friends or family due to some emergency, then hotel accomadation is unlikely to be available.
Pre planning is vital, especialy as the emergency may interupt utility service, or result in empty shelves in local stores.

Keep large stocks of non perishable foods
Blankets, linens and pillows.
Plenty of large cooking pots.
Sufficient glases, plates and knives and forks.

Review secure storeage for firearms, liquor, medicines, dangerous tools, and hazardous chemicals.
Remember that those staying with you may be unaware of the hazards in your home. Keeping a loaded gun under the bed and rat poision in the kitchen cupboard MAY be OK normaly but not with visitors.
Consider the risks of utility failure, or the breakdown of a domestic appliance.
You may be able to cook for yourself on a camping stove, but for 16 ? Consider a large camp stove, or two.
What if the washing machine breaks ? for just yourself you could wash by hand or postponne laundry day , but for 16 ?
In a remote area, consider a spare washer, in a town try to keep money to hand for any urgent replacement.

Managing without electricity gets more diffecult, and possibly dangerous with a crowd, a generator is nearly essiential.

Consider spare/additional PCs, TVs, radios etc, old ones are very cheap.

I would certainly with others who suggest an outdoor urinal and shower, and vast supplies of TP.

Additional from shelter management: Write down the rules and post them. That way, everyone knows what the rules are, and if they are not following the rules, it can be pointed out. It can help diffuse things if you're pointing to a paper and not saying "because I said so". I like to explain things, and will to people who want to listen! Adults will have to remember to follow the rules too.

If bathroom time is a problem get people into the habit of giving notice before taking a shower or other time consuming action.
It is surprising how many people suddenly feel an urge to pee when they hear running water so they should all go pee before the person needing a shower turns it on.