While it can sometimes drive a girl crazy to have lights turned off behind her as she walks through the house (ask me how I know!) I can see the value in his commitment to saving energy (and money!). Teaching our children to be environmentally aware is important to us. We don’t want them to be wasteful so we try to instill good habits that save energy and don’t create too much waste.
Plan your Energy Efficient Family Fun Night
A fun way to teach our children about saving energy is to plan an evening of fun without any electricity! One hour with no power! Turn off the lights, the TV, and unplug for an hour with your family. Grab a few candles or a wind-up lantern for some light and create some memories!
Board Games
We love to play board games (ok, 3 out of 4 of us love games, dad is a bit reluctant but joins in when we ask.) Our favorites are Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride. Some of our best evenings are spent camped out around the table playing games. In this case we light a few candles or use a battery-powered or hand-cranked lantern to light up the room.
Drawing in the Dark
Have each person grab a pencil and paper and blow out the candles. Everyone draws a self portrait in the pitch black. Then light those candles or turn on the flashlights and show off your drawings. This is sure to bring on the laughter as each person displays their masterpieces. Think of other fun drawing challenges and see how hilarious it can get! You might even be impressed by some of the creations.
Light it up with glow sticks
What kid doesn’t love glow sticks. We had quite the collection of glow sticks from our time in Disney and the kids even have some fun flashing lights from a parade. Try juggling the glow sticks or make up a fun game with them. I think it would be fun to hide glow sticks around the house and have a little scavenger hunt to see who can find the most.
Have a candlelit concert
Our daughter recently received a Ukulele and loves to play and both kids have a tin whistle from our days in Ireland. Pots and pans can easily become drums and Voila! We’ve got a band. Make up some silly songs or have the kids perform their own tunes. Take turns playing a song, or singing. Not a singer, no big deal – having fun with the kids isn’t about impressing them with your vocal range, let it go and have some fun! Your kids will never forget it!
I hope you are encouraged to spend an hour with out electricity sometime soon. It not only is a great way to save some energy and teach your children about conservation, but it can really be a great way to make some fun, family memories!
What would you do with your kids for an hour if there was no power? Leave your ideas in the comments below! I’ll be sure to share some of your great ideas on my Facebook page next week.
