“Because the night belongs to us…”
Okay, I am starting this post with a fairly cheesy song lyric but it seems to fit the theme here, which is essentially that there is much family fun to be had sans lighting and minus the sun.
The good times definitely don’t need to come to a close just because the sun has decided to lay on the beach in Hawaii and pay a visit to Asia. Because the night offers so many unique and exclusive games, you may very well be tempted to close the blinds and vanquish the artificial light on a bright day, allowing your family to play these darkness-only games a bit longer!
So grab a flashlight, prep the spooky tales and try the following:
* Shadow puppets – this one is a classic. What kid or adult doesn’t love to make ducks, birds and other shadow animals using nothing but your fingers and a flashlight? Find a flat and relatively undecorated wall and project onto it the shadow of any number of critters. Or you could always pretend that your shadow is attacking your kids’ heads like a larger-than-life spider or alien!
* Keeping with the flashlight theme, press it firmly against your cheek and then open your mouth. Your kids will crack up with laughter as the inside of your mouth glows a science fiction red. Press the light against the underside of their little closed fingers and watch the red glow emanate from their skin. Always a fun time, whether your 3 or 63!
* Still with the flashlight – If you have a kitty cat, as we do, you may be able to have a blast watching that feline family member scamper about the room trying to catch the beam of light. The sound of the cat’s back claws cutting like a star running back is hilarious as he or she attempts to snag the mysterious (to them) circle of light on the rug or wall.
* For the older kids, light a few candles and have them flickering in high, safe places as you tell scary ghost stories. Also, your entire troop can gather under a big blanket with that trusty flashlight and read books or tell more spooky tales.
* Glow in the dark stuff! There is so much out there in the world that glows in the dark, be it pajamas, stickers, or light tubes. Seeing those items radiate that soft blue or yellow in the darkness is always a treat.
Keep these ideas in mind the next time the power is out in your house and you may find that your kids will start wishing it never comes back on!
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