10 Fun Things You Can do When the Power is Out (Besides Sex)

There’s one thing people enjoy doing when the power is out, and if you don’t believe me, just show up at the nearest hospital nine months later. There is often about a 20% increase in babies born, or in the case of  Hurricane Sandy’s baby boom, about a 30% increase.

Power outages can be a nuisance, and nothing is wrong with sex when the power is out, but what do you do with the rest of your time? (While sex is a great way to stay warm, read this post for more ways to handle the cold if a power outage happens.)

After going through our first hurricane and losing power, I quickly realized practically EVERYTHING I do requires electricity. Entertaining kids was difficult (they’re iPad addicts), I couldn’t get any work done without a computer, and even chatting with friends was not an option without cell phones working.

Since you never know when you’re going to lose power. It’s good to have a few ideas up your sleeve, so you’re not twiddling your thumbs. It gets real boring – believe me! Every day without electricity felt like 100, especially when your neighbors get power back before you do, and you can’t help but stare at them in envy!

So if you’re wondering what to do when the power goes out, read on. In this article, I’ll share a variety of activities that you can do the next time the lights go out; it’s a great opportunity to have some fun and create memories with your loved ones.

10 Fun Things You Can Do When the Power is Out

Here are 10 ideas I’ve come up with, but I would love to have you add your suggestions in the comments! The more ideas, the better!

#1 – Take a Nap

I won’t lie, this is the first thing I did when the power went out, but it’s usually what I do whenever I have some extra time. 😉 Go ahead and let yourself relax and catch up on sleep. Let’s face it, most of us could use a little more!

#2 – Meet Your Neighbors

Kudos to you if you know your neighbors already, but if you don’t, get out of your house and meet them. There really isn’t a better time to get to know your neighbors than when the power is out, and everyone is forced outside anyways.

#3 – Play Games (the old-fashioned kind)

With Wii’s, iPads, and Playstations, we sometimes forget there are games that aren’t hooked to an outlet. Find some fun games your family enjoys.

Here are a few other ideas:

• Hide-n-seek
• Board games
• Charades
• Play musical instruments
• Do a craft
• Sudoku, crossword puzzles

#4 – Write a Letter

When was the last time you wrote a letter with a pen and paper? I”m sure you can think of someone who would appreciate knowing you were thinking of them. You can also take this time to write in (or start) a journal!

#5 – Sort through Closets and Cupboards

Surely your home has at least a few closets and cupboards that are downright scary to open! There’s nothing like a day full of nothing to do to get those spaces cleaned out.

Your first step is to remove everything from the entire cupboard or closet, or, if it’s too scary, just one shelf at a time. Sort through each item and handle each only one time. Make your decisions right on the spot as to its fate: throw away, give away, sell, or keep. 

#6 – Practice Survival Skills

This is a great time to take the kids outside and teach them a thing or two about survival (or even work on a few skills yourself)! The hands-on learning experience shows them the importance of being self-sufficient and prepared for emergencies. Here’s a list of 32 skills you can print off and have ready for when the power goes out.

#7 – Read an Actual Paper Book

With Audible and e-books so popular, not as many people have a library of books in their homes. If this is the case for you, make sure you get a few paper books to read because they will become your best friend! Check out these adult books related to survival and preparedness and these books for kids of all ages.

#8 – Make a Shopping List

Chances are you’ll start to realize you don’t have everything you need – especially when the stores are closed! This is a great time to take inventory of what you have (or don’t have) and make a shopping list.

#9 – Get Outside

Go on a walk, take a bike ride, work in the garden, or even play flashlight tag once it gets dark. Sometimes we don’t appreciate the outdoors enough – I know I don’t!

#10 – Organize Your Preps

Are your disaster supplies an unholy mess? Sometimes getting organized is one of those things that keeps getting pushed down to the bottom of your to-do list! Well…when you don’t have anything else to do, take advantage and finally get it crossed off!

*** REMEMBER***

Make a printed list of all the things you can do when the power is out, because you won’t have the internet when it does! Better yet, put a box together filled with games, books, and this list for the times you’re without power. Unless you enjoy making babies, then by all means…just do that. 😉

There are more choices than boredom and sex when the power is out, and if you’re really brave, do a practice run to see if you can go a day or two without electricity! This will really give you great insight into how well your family can handle being electronic-free.

What do you do when the power is out? Share in the comments!

Originally published August 30, 2014; updated by the Survival Mom editors.