When making preparations for short-term and long-term emergency situations, whether it might be a blizzard confining you to your home for a few days or a full out economic collapse, at some point you and your family might find yourselves sitting in a room, staring at each other, wondering what to do to pass time. How many parents reading this have heard their children exclaim, “I’m bored!” during something as simple as a rainy day? Imagine what it would be like if that rainy day lasted for a week, with no electricity to boot!

As part of your normal preps, consider adding a few things that will provide entertainment during down times.

• Board games
• Books
• Crafts
• Decks of cards
• Dice and dice cups
• Pens, pencils, notebooks

If you are at home during the emergency, odds are you will probably have at least some of the above available to you. However, what if you are forced to bug out to either your retreat or to an emergency shelter? It would be wise to include some of those things in your bug out kits. Board games might not be easily transported in this fashion but certainly a book or two, a couple small toys, or paper and pens could all find places in your kits.

Almost all of those items in the list above can be had cheaply at rummage sales, thrift shops, or even on Freecycle.

Another great resource would be to acquire a few old Boy Scout or Girl Scout manuals. They are full of crafts and other activities that will not only serve to pass the time but many of those projects will be useful, both in skill teaching and in practical application.

The point to be made is to have items and activities available to help alleviate boredom. Boredom can lull the brain into not thinking clearly, something ill advised during an emergency.