A blackout or power outage is an almost inevitable inconvenience, and from the perspective of a young child, it can be pretty scary. But it’s also an opportunity for creating family experiences together that will become happy memories. If you aren’t currently in an area being impacted by rolling power outages due to severe winter storms, you may still get some benefit from thinking about how you might prepare now so that a power outage or severe winter storm (if you ever experience one) isn’t quite as traumatic for the children in your household. You don’t have to have a power outage to pretend that you did! As you practice, you’ll also be preparing for the real event if it ever happens to you, and developing empathy for those who are currently suffering.
5 fun power outage activities for kids you can do in the dark:
1. Have a glow-in-the-dark treasure hunt.
You’ll need several of some kind of glow-in-the-dark object, and that could be anything from toys, to glow-in-the-dark eggs to glow sticks, to small pieces of white or fluorescent paper you light up using a hand-held black light. To craft a treasure hunt, start by hiding the “treasure” in a secure place, and then write clues, working backward. Each clue can be hidden inside of one of your glowing eggs, or marked by taping a glow stick nearby so that children have to feel around to find the real clue. The hidden treasure I recommend? a read-aloud book, a flashlight, and a cuddly blanket (See #3 below).
2. Enjoy a candlelight dinner with the whole family.
Set the table as usual, but when it’s time to eat, light candles in the center of the table and turn off the lights. In a real emergency, battery-operated flameless LED votive candles or flameless candles are safest. Older kids and spouses might enjoy the magic of real candles if they can be lit safely.
3. Build an indoor fort for reading a favorite book.
In a prolonged power outage and severe cold, it may be wise to move your family activities to a central room and keep only that room warm rather than trying to heat your entire home. For a fun blanket fort, drape a few blankets over some tall chairs to create a tent, or go all-out with couch cushions for walls and broomstick handles to hold up the ceiling. King-size bedsheets make great lightweight tent ceilings. Move plenty of blankets into your “fort” to keep children bundled up and cozy. For lighting inside of your fort, a battery-operated camp lantern is a big help. Headlamps are also a good investment. We keep one on hand for every family member, along with spare batteries.**
4. Make Homemade Kettle Corn
Photo: Darren Hester, http://500px.com/darrenhester
If you’re lucky enough to have a gas stove or a camping stove, you can make this fun treat even without electricity (NOTE: Read manufacturer’s instructions before using any camp stove indoors. Most camp stoves are for use only in an outdoor, ventilated location). You can also heat your popcorn pan on an outside BBQ grill.
Kettle Korn Recipe
2 Tablespoons coconut oil (Any vegetable oil will work. I just prefer the flavor of coconut oil with this treat).
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla powder (This is the secret ingredient, for perfect Kettle Korn, but in an emergency, you’ll have to leave it out). Purchase vanilla powder online. One jar will last for many batches of Kettle Korn.
Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the sugar, popcorn, and vanilla powder. Cover and shake the pot back and forth quickly and constantly to keep the sugar and oil from burning. Once the popping slows down (you’ll only hear a pop every 2-3 seconds), remove the pot from the heat and continue shaking until all popping stops. Empty quickly into a large bowl. Allow popcorn to cool before serving. Grandma’s Advice: I recommend a Wabash Valley Farms Sweet and Easy Snack Machine for popping popcorn. With or without a blackout.
5. Tell family stories by flashlight or firelight
Photo credit: Dianne Hope, Morguefile
If you have enough light to allow you to see photos in an old photo album, that may be a good place to start, but one thing your kids will enjoy (especially if they are in the habit of being plugged-in with some kind of device at bedtime) is the opportunity to hear you tell stories about your past. Have they ever heard about your first date, your least favorite teacher, or the time you were afraid of the dark? Now is your chance to test your storytelling skills.
If you aren’t currently experiencing a power outage:
The prospect of a blackout or a power outage won’t be nearly as disconcerting if you have done some problem-solving in advance. Emergency situations can be especially frightening for a child, but if you have planned ahead, you can build some family adaptability reserves to draw on again and again when times get tough and life is less than comfortable.
Start by thinking about issues you will confront in the event of an actual blackout:
- Will your kids feel safe?
- Do you have a reserve supply of at least one week of drinking water?
- How will you comfort children who are afraid or uncomfortable in the dark?
- Does any member of your family have special needs in the event of extreme heat or extreme cold in an emergency?
- Can you keep a 2-3 day supply of food on hand that will be easy to prepare even without a stove, microwave or refrigerator?
- If the situation becomes extreme, how will you keep your family members warm (or cool)?
** If you are thinking of making an investment in being prepared for an emergency, consider a good light source as one of your first priorities after storing extra water.