Family Fun: Things to Do When the Power Goes Out

If you have children in your home, it is always a good thing to prepare for the unexpected. If you have plans for what to do, you can immediately deal with the fussing that comes when your child cannot watch their favorite television show because the power went out.

Parents can get bored during extended power outages too, so here are some ideas of what to do that would be fun for all ages.

Hide and Seek With Flashlights

Admit it or not, adults like to play childhood games too. Playing hide and seek in the dark with your children adds a bit of mystery and excitement. Your children will enjoy this quality time spent with you and it will help pass the time while you wait for the power company to fix the situation.

The child who is "It" goes into their bedroom and counts to twenty-five. The rest of the family rushes to hide somewhere in the house. When the child who is "It" gets to twenty-five, they turn on their flashlight and yells "Here I come!"

When they find someone, they shine the flashlight on them and yell "I got you!" so that the others know someone has been found. They continue until they have found everyone. If the child is having difficulty, they are allowed to pick one person they have already found to help them find the rest of the family. The person who was found first is the next "It," or you can choose to take turns by age.

If there are rooms or places that could be dangerous for your child to hide in during a power outage, such as Dad's workshop, make that room off-limits to everyone.

You may find your children disappointed when the power comes back on. You can easily extend the fun by going through the house and turning all the lights off.

Take a Walk

With the rush of life, many families no longer take walks together in the evenings. A power outage would be a great time to take advantage of being forced to stop your regular activities and take a walk with your family.

Conversation and fresh air work wonders on stress levels. Not only will your children enjoy this time spent with your undivided attention, but you will enjoy the break.