With the hot and humid summer months right around the corner, so comes the possibility of thunderstorms and power outages. And since kids today live in a high-powered world, it may seem daunting to have to entertain them without the use of a computer or television. The next time your family encounters a power outage, try these projects to help pass the time until the electricity is restored.



Storytelling

If your kids are a bit older, or enjoy a good scare, a power outage is the perfect opportunity to gather around in a circle with candles and a flashlight, and take turns telling your favorite ghost story. Give each person the chance to tell a story, and maybe have a contest to see who can tell the scariest one.

Kids who might be too young for ghost stories might like to hear common fairytales or stories about when you were a kid. Tell them about your crazy Uncle Bob or what you did when you got into the worst trouble with your parents. Keep it light, and the laughs will continue until the lights come back on.

Card Games

Have you always wanted to teach your kids how to play fun card games? A power outage may prove a great time to do so. Have the kids sit at the dining room table. Light some candles and grab a deck of cards.

Teach them Go Fish, Euchre or Rummy—whatever game is appropriate for their ages. No matter how gadget savvy your kids are, old-fashioned card games continue to be popular.

Or, try to build a house out of cards. See who can construct the tallest one, the widest one or the smallest one. A great trick for younger kids is to place a kitchen towel on the table first, then build a card house. This will help keep the cards from sliding.

Blind Them with Science

Most kids love science experiments—and the chance to get messy. With common household products, you can spend hours creating potions and concoctions that are kid friendly.

Remember the volcano you made for the fourth-grade science fair? Modify that with this quick version.

Fill the kitchen sink half way with water. Have the kids stand over the kitchen sink. Give each one a Styrofoam cup to hold over the sink (which makes for easy cleanup). Tell the kids that their cups are active volcanoes in the middle of the ocean (the water in the sink). To make it more fun, create a story about the volcanoes, informing them that they’re due for an eruption.

Place a tablespoon of baking soda in each cup. Have the kids start to jiggle about, making sure that the baking soda remains in the cups. Tell them that the volcanoes are starting to rumble with activity.

Next, tell the kids that you think the volcanoes are about to explode and tell them to get ready! Pour about a cup of vinegar into the Styrofoam cups, and watch as the “lava" oozes out of the “volcanoes" and into the ocean.

So, the next time a storm knocks out the power in your home, you’ll have a few ways to keep the kids happy—and busy!