If you’ve read our blog before, you know how important it is to prepare for all weather emergencies in advance. When it comes to blackouts, they can be especially unpredictable, making it even more important to always be prepared for one. Power outages can result from any natural disaster, an accident with the power lines, or even unknown reasons. Depending on where you live, a simple wind can cause your power to be knocked out. In 2017 alone, 36.7 million Americans were affected by 3526 power outages. The average outage lasted 81 minutes, but power outages can last from a few hours to a few days depending on the severity of the damage and the range of homes hit.

Imagine you’ve prepared for the blackout and it arrives, but the lights aren’t turning back on any time soon. Now you have kids at home without electronics to keep them occupied. Here are some ideas to help you keep the kids occupied for a prolonged period of time until the power comes back on.

1. Play Board Games

With such easy access to social media and video games, board games can easily fall by the wayside of household games. By sunlight or candle light, have fun the old fashioned way and choose a board game to play! From chess or checkers, Scrabble to Monopoly, there are many classic board games kids would love, and that would likely take up a lot of your time. You can even teach the kids some card games while you’re at it. 

2. Tell Old Stories

Being disconnected from technology is a great excuse to spend some family time teaching the kids about their heritage and family members. You can go through old photos and tell fun stories about when you were a kid or about family members they may not have gotten the chance to meet.

3. Build a Fort

Always a childhood favorite, you can build a fort out of blankets and pillows. This activity not only involves the kids using their imagination and problem solving skills to build the fort, but it can also double for many different reasons. Without power, you don’t have to worry about getting light into the tent or aiming it to be able to watch a movie, and you can even pretend to be camping. A fort is also a great place for kids to retreat to if the lack of power makes them uneasy or scared.

4. Play Charades

Charades are another great way to get your kids’ imaginations running. You can tailor the categories specifically to your family, picking books or movies your kids are most familiar with, and can even have fun trying to guess which family member you’re acting out. 

5. Flashlight Puppet Show

If you’re confident in your battery supply, a flashlight puppy show can provide a distraction for kids who are more so afraid of the dark and uneasy without the power on. Performing a puppet show with the flashlight provides a source of light and makes the darkness seem purposeful.

6. Talent Show

If your family is more musically inclined, you can put on a talent show and let everyone showcase their skills. Perform a family sing-a-along, create a dance routine together, or even brush off an old instrument and start teaching the kids some basic chords. If you really want to put on a production, write a play as a family, gather costumes, and perform it. 

7. Play Outside

If the power outage is the result of something other than a weather event, and it is safe to be outside, get everyone outside! Ride bikes, play tag or soccer in the yard, or have a campfire. Time will fly by for the kids, and adults too, when having fun in the great outdoors.

8. Get Cooking

If you have a generator or emergency power supply like the HomePower ONE that can keep the refrigerator running, let the kids have fun cooking their favorite dessert or snack. Get really creative by crafting a stir-fry or pasta dish, or if you can’t open the fridge, keep it traditional with some salty stove-top popcorn. 

Summary

Once you prepare your home for the event of a power outage, you need to prepare your family for spending some time without their usual luxuries like electricity and electronics. Activities like board games, talent shows, and fort-building will make the time fly by. If it’s safe to be outside, taking the fun to the backyard will keep everyone’s minds off the blackout. If you have a backup battery generator like the HomePower ONE, you can keep your fridge running to cook up something fun in the kitchen, or even keep a light or two on to read or color.

About Geneverse: Geneverse (formerly Generark) is the most reliablesolar generator and source of emergency backup power for your home and community. From theHomePower backup battery power station providing portable access to electricity, to theSolarPowersolar panels as a source for recharging, never be disconnected from what matters most to you. Learn more about how Geneverse and its industry-leading 5-year limited warranty can bring protection and security to your family ongeneverse.com. Never face a power outage alone, and power your home with a solar generator from Geneverse.