Not that kind of fun…
As of this writing, nearly four million residents living along the East Coast of the United States are without power right now thanks to Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene.
NBC News showed families in North Carolina cooking on an open fire in their backyards because they were still without electricity more than 24 hours after Irene made landfall.
Despite the fact that these particular families had no power, they seemed remarkably upbeat. One mom commented that her four children were getting a bit stir crazy minus the lack of television, video games and movies.
Still, there is something to be said about forced bonding over an open fire. Yes, you can have fun cooking and playing games that don’t require power cords and flashing lights. Think:
Card games: A single pack of playing cards can yield hours of fun. Go Fish, War, Rummy and Speed are popular with kids and adults.
Puzzles: Get the entire family involved putting together a 5,000 piece puzzle. It’s a great way to bond and it can be done by candlelight.
Color: When was the last time you colored with your kids? Use a traditional coloring book or make your own by drawing outlines of favorite objects, and then color them in together.
Cooking: Like the family featured on the news, cooking is another excellent way to have fun together despite less than ideal conditions. If you don’t have power, pull out the grill and make this yummy recipe that doesn’t require a volt of electricity:
TROPICAL GRILLED TUNA
Ingredients:
3/4 cup finely diced mango
3/4 cup finely diced cantaloupe
3/4 cup finely diced pineapple
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 to 2 teaspoons seeded and finely chopped jalapeno pepper
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 fresh tuna steaks
Directions:
Mix first 5 ingredients together. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
Heat grill.
Brush tuna steaks on both sides with remaining oil and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
Grill tuna for about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer tuna to plates.
Top with fruit salsa.
Related Articles:
Summer Fun for Kids in the Great Outdoors
Super Summer Sanity Savers for Parents
Affordable Ways to Keep Kids Busy This Summer