Whether by natural circumstance or out of a desire to provide something novel to your kids, having a “No-Power Hours” with you kids can be a fun way to spend the night. Unplug from your screens and spend some time “like they used to do in the olden days” without electricity in any form. Let’s break out the candles and have fun together.

Set Up a Campfire

If you have the space and a firepit, set up a campfire and have camp food for dinner. Roasted hot dogs for dinner and marshmallows for dessert, while staying warm and cozy in the dark. You can make this just part of your dinner or your whole evening, singing campfire songs and telling spooky stories.

Break Out the Board Games

Gather around and play board games by candlelight. Pick board games that don’t have a lot of details you need to see clearly or read small text, instead pick games that are super clear and easy to read in the low-light setting. If you’re prepared, have prizes for the winners like a toy lantern or LED candle to stay with the theme of the night.

Flashlight Scavenger Hunt:

Turn off all the lights in your home and give your kids flashlights to go on a scavenger hunt. With little pieces of paper, hide clues and items throughout the house for them to find. Keep the clues simple but clever, enough where they feel smart for figuring it out but not so tough that you need to step in. This is a great way to stimulate their problem-solving skills (and burn some energy running around) while having a great time.

Shadow Puppets:

Set up a bright candlelight or flashlight and have a puppet show! Use construction paper to create silhouettes of their character and all the set dressing they need to tell their stories. If you can, plan to do this earlier in the week so they can create their story, craft their characters, and be ready to put on a show!

Storytelling Night:

Gather your family together, get cozy, and take turns telling stories. You can even make it more exciting by using props and costumes. Or see if your kids have any stories about your life they want to hear? Maybe a funny experience from your childhood with their grandparents or something spooky that you can’t explain. Kids love to learn about their parents, especially when it presents people they know, like their grandparents, in a different perspective.

Charades:

Charades is a classic game that is perfect for a no-power night. Have everyone write down different actors, movies, or characters on pieces of paper and put them in a hat, taking turns acting them out. To spice it up you can get a timer involved and keep score, or you can just play for the fun of it and laugh as each person desperately acts out their chosen word. This is a great way to get everyone involved and have a good time.

A no-power night is a great way to spend quality time with your kids while having fun and creating lasting memories. So turn off the lights and have a fun-filled evening with your family!