6 Fun Family Activities During a Power Outage

power outage family games sorry

Do you have to wait a long time before the lights go back on? Here are six ways to keep you and your family productive and sane during a power outage.

Making the Most of a Power Outage

A power outage is annoying- we get it! But you can still make the most of your time together in the dark. Whether you want to tackle some long-forgotten chores or fire up the charcoal grill in the backyard for a neighborhood cookout, these tips will keep your family happily entertained and occupied during a power outage:

  1. Put everyone to work
  2. Play a family game
  3. Take time to read
  4. Play with flashlights
  5. Family campout
  6. Organize activities with your neighbors

What Can I Do During A Power Outage?

You’ve survived the storm! The worst is behind you – but now you’re left with fallen trees, damaged power lines, and the inevitable power outage. When will the power company restore electricity? They don’t know. However, just because you might not have invested in a generator, all is not lost!

You can still survive and even thrive during this crazy hurricane season. Here’s how you and your family enjoy these power-free days!

1. Put Everyone to Work

Assuming it’s safe to go outside, chances are, there’s plenty of yard work everyone can help with after a storm. Will your children jump at the chance to help you outside? Probably not. Will they keep on saying “I’m so boo-ored?” Not if they’re working. 

Studies indicate that childhood chores are a great antidote to anxiety in children and adults later, so a neighborhood power outage can be a great opportunity to help your kids get started with household chores.

So, pick up sticks in the yard. Move furniture. Rake the leaves, or weed the flower beds.

What if it’s just not safe to go outside? No problem! A big block of time with no power and internet could be a great opportunity to tackle those projects you’ve been putting off- like rearranging your drawers or decluttering a closet.

2. Play a Family Game

When was the last time you sat down with your family to play a card game or board game? Do you ever have enough time to do those things? During a power outage, you do!

So dust off your board games or Bananagrams, and start playing! If you can’t find any physical games, no problem! Play the who-am-I game, charades, or I-Spy.

It’s amazing how much you can learn about your children when you’re taking time to spend uninterrupted time with them, especially when you don’t have extra distractions.

3. Take Time to Read

Many of us are familiar with the benefits of reading to your children, but how often do we take the time to do it? There are so many fabulous ways to read with your kids during a power outage
, whether you read during the evening, snuggled under the covers with a flashlight, or in the afternoon in a well-lit room.

Reading during a power outage can provide great entertainment for both of you, especially if you pick one of your favorite childhood books to share together. It’s also great for brain development and listening skills.

4. Play with Flashlights

Whether inside or outside, shadow puppets are a great way to keep your kids entertained during a power outage! Ever make shadow puppets on the wall? Now’s your chance! You might feel silly, but shadow puppets are a simple, easy way to entertain a younger child during a power outage.

Kids of all ages will love games like flashlight tag outside, or a form of flashlight hide-and-seek. Just make sure you have plenty of extra batteries!

5. Family Campout During a Power Outage

Make the most out of these power-free days and have a family campout! Get out your flashlights, huddle together in sleeping bags under a makeshift tent, and let the family bonding begin!

Big storms can be scary for little ones, and having a little family campout in the comfort of your family room can help give everyone a sense of security. It’s also making a fun memory they’ll remember for years.

6. Organize Activities with Your Neighbors

Even though we might see our neighbors walking the dog or waiting for the bus stop, we don’t always get time to really know them. But when you have no power and fallen trees are blocking the entrance to your neighborhood, it’s time to get friendly with your neighbors!

Have your neighbors over for a playdate, especially if you have kids around the same ages. If you all have a lot of yard work after a storm, help each other out. Or use your food that might be defrosting in your freezer all too quickly and arrange a big potluck dinner gathering.

Don’t Let the Power Outage at Home Darken Your Days!

It can be so easy to start to go crazy after a hurricane, snowstorm, or other natural disaster hits! And even though many of these ideas can be lots of fun, we can’t guarantee that you won’t get into a heated argument during a family game or hear various complaints while doing yard work. But we do hope that our tips can inspire you and your family to make the most of this time together.

When life is back to normal and your lights go back on, you and your family will have great memories of your time with no power. And you’ll have an even greater appreciation for the wonders of electricity!

What are your favorite things to do during a power outage? Let us know in the comments, or talk about it with friends and family on FamilyApp!

Similar Posts