Things to do while hunkered down – Orlando Sentinel

As the effects of Hurricane Ian are felt in Orlando and the Florida peninsula, families are hunkered down inside, ready with snacks, bottled water, and perhaps paperback books to read.

Amid school and business closures, it might seem tricky to keep adults and children entertained, but there are plenty of ways to make the time pass while staying safe inside. Here are a few ideas.

[ Hurricane season 2022: What do you do with your kids during a hurricane? ]

As long as the power holds, it’s possible to have a movie marathon while riding out the storm at home. (EmirMemedovski / E+ via Getty Images)

As long as the power stays on, it should be possible to have a great movie marathon. Pop a bowl of popcorn and queue up a good Halloween flick or two.

For a fun twist, challenge your children to act out their own version of the previews before a film starts, coming up with movie ideas of their own. Grab a blanket and settle in for a cozy, almost theater-esque experience in your own living room.

Storm have you bored? Break out a jigsaw puzzle! (Phovoir/Shutterstock)

Put the smartphone down and find some old-fashioned mental stimulation through working on a puzzle, especially with family. Whether it has 200, 500 or 1,000 pieces, finding a good puzzle of the New York skyline or an Irish landscape can soothe the mind and prevent boredom.

Finding a compelling read can help make time go faster while riding out a storm such as Hurricane Ian. Amanda Kondolojy, a Sentinel content editor, is working on this Stephen King title. (Amanda Kondolojy)

Even if the power goes out, a book can come in handy for passing the time — and doesn’t require a charge. Even Kindle devices have a long battery life and should last for a few days when at full capacity.

Orlando Sentinel content editor Amanda Kondolojy is working on Stephen King’s “Fairy Tale” and expects to have the book finished by the time Hurricane Ian passes.

If you’ve got kids, then building a fort is something every parent should do in their lifetime, and why wait? Making a fort can be a family activity and a fun way to pass the time. (mavo/Shutterstock)

There are few things that can get the imagination going quite like making a pillow fort. Remove cushions and blankets from the couch or pillows from the bed, then get to work on building a new Camelot in your living room or bedroom. Bring flashlights under the covers at night for an in-house slumber party or use the opportunity to tell spooky ghost stories.

[ Funyuns & Fireball: Orlando snackers prepare for Hurricane Ian ]

During a hurricane, playing board games can help pass the time. (Amanda Kondolojy)

It’s easy to engage the whole family away from screens when having a game night. With just a deck of cards, teach young ones how to play “Go Fish” or Blackjack. Or break out classics like Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders and Clue. Other fun options include Life, Apples to Apples, Sorry!, Hungry, Hungry Hippos, Hedbanz, Scrabble, Yahtzee and Jenga.

Spending time writing and practicing storytelling can be a fun way to flex those creative muscles and kill time during a bad storm like Hurricane Ian. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)

Everybody has some amount of creativity, like a muscle that can be dormant and needs to be worked out to strengthen. With extra time in the next few days, why not work on writing and storytelling? Light some candles and inventor tales, or take a pen to paper and do it the old-fashioned way.

This is an idea from the Orlando Sentinel’s Trevor Fraser:

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“If you have multiple people in your house, try the game Exquisite Corpse. Invented by surrealist artists in the early 1900s, the game has each collaborator write a paragraph on a portion of a sheet of paper. Then fold it so the next collaborator can only see the last line of the first writer, then has to carry on with what they think the story is. Read the story allowed once everyone has added to it. (Note: This can also be done with drawing.)”

During a hurricane, hunker down with arts and crafts to keep everyone entertained. (Amanda Kondolojy)

Finding a creative project to work on with your children can be a fulfilling and engaging way of killing some time. Try a T-shirt project with a tie-dye kit. Decorate bookmarks, do some finger painting or make jellyfish out of paper bowls and yarn.

Break out the painting supplies or seek out a Halloween-themed project. The possibilities are endless with a little imagination.

Any weather event that has families stuck inside can be a good opportunity to dream of future vacation plans. (Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS)

When it is not possible to travel outside, make use of the time by dreaming of future vacation plans, putting that wanderlust to work.

Research flight prices and far away destinations, then plan financial goals to make that big, bucket-list trip possible. Now is a great time to start planning time off and vacations for 2023.

Faith, an 11-year-old cat, is one pet sheltering during Hurricane Ian at Lyman High School in Longwood. For pets and families at home, spend extra time together while waiting for Hurricane Ian to subside. (Patrick Connolly/Orlando Sentinel)

Children and adults alike can enjoy more time with family pets while sheltering at home. Golden Retrievers and Chihuahuas alike might be wondering why their humans are at home on what should be a work day, but they’ll love it. Cats might not care. Either way, this could be a good opportunity to finally train your pooch how to shake paws or break out that new kitty toy.

Find me @PConnPie on Twitter and Instagram or send me to email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com. For more fun things, follow @fun.things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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