Hurricane season is on us, as it typically begins June 1st and goes through November 30th. We've put together some resources and activity ideas for you and your family for before, during and after the storm. Take a look through, and keep in mind in the event of a hurricane warning, please follow local official sites for updates and be prepared for the worst.
Resources:
FloridaDisaster.org a Division of Emergency Management has a great resource on making a family plan here: https://www.floridadisaster.org/family-plan/
Ready.Gov also has a great family resource page for kids, teens, and for families on how to prepare: https://www.ready.gov/kids
Hurricane Activities Prior:
- Bake up a storm: No pun intended. My little guys are currently loving helping me make muffins. (Which in the event of a power outage becomes breakfast!)
- Yard Prep: Have kids help with yard cleanup ahead of time.Their sandbox toys and pool toys and patio cushions all need to be brought inside. Make it a family activity.
- Wash everything and them: Make sure little kids get a good bath, or your teens take a shower before the storm is set to arrive. In the event you lose power, or like in the case of Hurricane Irma 2017, when we lost power AND water, it will be good to be clean BEFORE everyone is sweaty from no air conditioning.
Hurricane Activities During:
- Books! In so many different ways! Libraries are typically closed during the storms but their online presence is open all the time! Head to your library's app. Our local library lets us check out ten at a time!
- YouTube different stories. Storyline Online has different celebrities reading stories and my five year old loves to follow along with his own copy.
- Ask Alexa, "Alexa, read me a story" and kids can choose from over 100 short stories in bedtime or adventure categories, in silly, family, or friends themes, or even original lego or Ripley's Believe it or Not stories.
Hurricane Activities After:
- Yard cleanup. Have a lot of fallen sticks in your yard? Pay a penny per stick and see how many dollars kids can earn cleaning up.
- Check on your elderly neighbors. Bring them some of the muffins you baked earlier.
- Repack your hurricane kid. Buy glow sticks so kids don't go through the flashlight batteries so quickly.Solar lights. Soup cans. Anything else you thought would have been useful this time around. Buy it now so you have it for next time.
Stay safe! Heed all warnings, and keep an eye out for the sunshine after the storm.
