How to not want to run away from your family in an emergency….
We always
hear about being prepared in case of an emergency. Have emergency medical supplies, emergency
food storage, even an emergency cash fund, but what do you do when there is
nothing to do?
I thought
about this and realized how miserable an emergency situation could be with my
three kids. I’m talking no television,
electronic devises or even the hundreds of toys we own. Now imagine the type of situation where we
would be stuck in a single room together for an extended time with nothing to
do! (Even if we had television,
electronic devices and toys, they would get old fast) Now don’t get me wrong I love my family and I
enjoy spending time with them, but I would feel a lot better knowing that if we
had to spend twenty-four hours plus together I have options for
entertainment.
Steps to creating your personal family entertainment bucket
· First you need to figure out the age
and preferences for your kids. So many
of the choices I include need help and supervision and are things we can do
together.
·
You need to decide on the size of
entertainment bucket: small, medium,
extra large… why is this important? You
need to decide how much stuff your family will need. (I have a boy with ADHD so we have to have a
lot of options) You also need to consider storage space and your ability to
grab and go if necessary.
·
Look Online or ask friends for game
ideas and for the rules. Nothing is
worse than not remembering the rules for that really fun game you once played…
·
Print any rules and game ideas that you
find. Don’t just try to remember!
·
Get input from your kids. Find out their favorite games, what they like
to play or what they want to learn.
·
Figure out what to include. See the next section for ideas.
·
Make sure you have a variety. I’m not just talking about a bunch of
different coloring books, but a variety of options that engage different
senses.
·
Gather from your own home first. If you are like me you have lots of puzzles,
coloring books, extra crayons, and books.
Use these before you go shopping and save yourself time and money.
·
Practice- your kids will love
this! Practice turning off your
television and use the items from bucket.
Not only will you learn what your kids enjoy, but possibly you may look
forward to family time spent in an emergency.
Ideas to
include in your family entertainment bucket
·
Puzzles
·
Songs
·
Small toys (i.e. legos, mini dolls, cars)
·
Coloring and drawing
·
Books
·
Finger play (5 little monkeys, 5 little ducks,
head shoulders, knees and toes)
·
Play dough
·
Card games
·
Dice games
·
Other games
*(four
corners, charades, heads up seven up, simon says, mother may I, red light/green
light, murder in the dark, spaghetti bowl, etc.) This is where looking online is useful
because you can find the rules and game ideas.
Print so you have a hard copy.
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