Kids love to get into trouble when the power goes out. They just want to have fun! Well, I have compiled a list of 25 entertaining ideas for you and your children to do while waiting for the power to come back on.
Some of these activities are even educational! This way, you can fill up your time with something productive until it’s safe for everyone to go outside again.
Hopefully, this article will help make your next blackout a little more bearable!
Table of Contents
Prepare the Emergency Light Sources
Preparing for a power outage is always a pain, but it’s even worse if you forget to prepare the emergency light sources.
These are the most important of your preparations because who wants to be stuck in the dark?
Some emergency light sources include candles, lanterns, and battery-powered or rechargeable lights.
Be sure to place them in areas where you’ll need them most. One option is to put one in each room.
This way, you’ll be able to see what you’re doing and not bump into furniture because you can’t see.
Create A Plan with Your Kids
You’re going to need a plan of action. You can both make a list of what toys or games you want to play.
This way, the kids will be less frustrated as they wait for the power to come back on.
It’s also important to make sure that the kids are wearing comfortable clothes.
A lot of children get distracted when they’re uncomfortable and focusing on something else will keep them calm.
Build A Comfortable Fort
Build a fort! Kids love to do stuff in a comfortable place, even when there is no power!
You can spend a lot of time creating a fort that your kids will be excited to play in.
The best part is that you can move the party into the backyard. You don’t have to sacrifice fun just because there’s no power inside!
I suggest building one with lots of blankets, sheets, and chairs!
Choose The Activity
The next step is choosing the activity from the list below. Some of these are really simple like making a shadow puppet show.
But, some others are more complex like playing dress-up and making a runway. Either way, you’ll have something to do with your kids while the power is out.
1. Draw On The Kitchen Chalkboard
If there’s a chalkboard nearby, this will be an easy activity! Kids love drawing on any surface that is available to them.
You can get creative and draw fun shapes or letters together.
2. Play Card Games
Playing card games is a great way to spend time with your kids during a blackout.
You can play a lot of different kinds of card games, but some popular ones include Charades, Solitaire, Uno, 20 Questions, and Pictionary.
3. Play Board Games
Board games can lead to many laughs and awesome memories with your kids.
Also, there are multiple different board games to play with them so you will not get bored.
Some of the best games are Settlers of Catan, Monopoly, Scrabble, and Chess.
4. Read A Good Book
Kids love to hear stories and they also love when you read the books that they can relate to.
For example, Dr. Seuss’s book Green Eggs and Ham.
This book is a favorite of many children and it will keep them entertained for hours.
You could make a shadow puppet show based on the story. It would be a lot of fun and it would allow you to use your imagination!
5. Draw and Color
Drawing and coloring with your child are great ideas during a power outage! Fun for kids of all ages.
You can do so many things: draw pictures, put different colors together, or just freestyle. This will be a fun time spent together, even without electricity!
6. Play With Your Pets
Playing with your pets can be a lot of fun and it will keep you out of boredom during the power outage.
Playing with your pets is also important because it gives them some love and attention that they deserve. You can play fetch or you could even play hide-and-seek.
7. Play Dress Up and Make A Runaway
It is a good idea during a power outage because it will keep you both entertained.
You can make a runaway for them to play on, or just use some chairs and sheets. I suggest making a fashionable runway so the kids will be more interested!
8. Have A Tea Party
It allows everyone to spend some quality time and have a lot of laughs and good memories.
Invite the brother to the tea party, if he wants, because he also deserves to have some fun. Just make sure that you make enough food and drinks for everyone!
9. Finish A Puzzle
It is a great way to spend some time together. You can work on the same puzzle or each one can complete their own puzzle.
This activity helps kids to get better at remembering things. The child can also learn how to coordinate their hands and eyes.
10. Play A Musical Instrument and Have A Concert
You can play an acoustic guitar and sing some songs with your kids. A great way to avoid boredom is by hosting a pretend concert!
Have them imagine that they are playing their instruments or singing for an audience.
You can also show your kids how to play songs on the guitar or other instruments if they are interested in doing so.
11. Play Hide and Seek
Playing hide and seek when the power is out can be a lot of fun with your kids! Hide and seek is a great way to keep boredom at bay.
You can do so many things like finding hiding spots or even doing it in the dark! All you need are some flashlights to make it more thrilling!
12. Do Origami
The best part about doing origami with kids during a power outage is that you can do it together!
There are so many different types of origami that your child will be able to pick their favorite.
Making origami can also let your child learn how to concentrate and focus on what they’re doing. Another benefit is that they will start to learn patience.
13. A Paper Airplane Contest
A paper airplane is a perfect toy to make during a power outage. Your kids can make one and compete with their sibling or even whoever else is around.
The person whose paper airplane flies the farthest deserves to be the winner!
14. Looking Through Family Photo Albums
What is more nostalgic than looking through a family photo album during a power outage?
It is such an old-fashioned idea, but it can be fun for the whole family.
Even though it is hard to remember everything about the pre-digital age, memories of this time period are some of the best ones.
It was not only because there were no phones and internet, but it was also because we had to spend a lot more time together without the distractions that smartphones and television offer today.
15. Paint Each Other Nails
One thing you can do with your child during a power outage is paint each other’s nails.
This is a really good idea because it keeps the boredom away and it helps the kids be creative.
You can use any colors that you want or just keep it simple with one color!
16. Dance The Dark Away
One way to get rid of boredom during a power outage is by dancing the dark away!
Just get the kids on their feet and start to move. You can dance silently or you can try out some of your kids’ favorite music.
17. Build Something from Lego
In the middle of a power outage, Lego is an excellent toy to keep kids entertained.
You can pick a shape and color, and allow them to start building a lego tower with you!
You can also build on their concentration skills as they try to build something without anything else distracting them.
18. Play Treasure Hunt
Another thing that you and your kids can do during a power outage is to have a treasure hunt around the house.
All you need to do is divide up the items and hide them in different places.
You can give hints to where they are or you can provide clues and a map. This will help them build their critical thinking skills.
19. Play Pretend
You can stimulate their imaginations and creativity by letting them go on adventures in the dark, with flashlights!
Pretend games are also a good opportunity to bond with your child which can be hard to do when they have so many other distractions.
20. Play Hopscotch
One idea of how to keep your kids entertained during an outage is by playing hopscotch.
All you need to do is draw a game on the ground or some other surface and you can make it as big or as small as your kids want!
21. Have A Thumb Wrestle Competition
This is a great way for siblings to compete with each other and they will have fun while doing it!
You can come up with different rules or make it into a competition between siblings by making two teams and assigning points based on who wins.
22. Play Domino
Playing dominoes is a great way to keep your kids entertained without power.
All you need are some dominoes and a flat surface where you can draw the game.
You can also play with two teams or one on one, whichever suits your kids best!
23. Have An Ice Cream party
One way to have fun during a power outage is with an ice cream party. All you need is some nice, ice cream and bowls!
Too much ice cream might not be good, so you can set a portion for each kid.
24. Invite the Neighbor Kids and Play Game
Invite your neighbor kids over and play some games for a power outage! It will make the time go faster and it will be way more entertaining than getting bored.
You can play board games or card games and there is no end to the fun that your kids can have!
25. Take A Nap or Just Sleep
It can be difficult to find anything to do. To avoid the stress and boredom of a blackout situation, you might want to let your kids go to sleep or take a nap.
This will help them get through the blackout until the power comes back on.
Conclusion
Kids can be a handful, but don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to keep them entertained when the power goes out.
You might need a few more snacks in your pantry and some games on hand for long blackouts, but you’ll have no problem keeping their boredom at bay with these 25 ideas.