If the Power Went Out Tonight, Would Your 10–15-Year-Old Know What to Do?

The lights flicker. The Wi-Fi disappears. A phone becomes a flashlight—and the first question might be, “What are we supposed to do now?”

Would your child be bored? Probably, at least for a while. But would they know where to find a flashlight, who to check in with, or what they can safely do? That’s worth talking about before the power goes out.

This doesn’t need to become a big emergency drill. A relaxed conversation can help your child feel less caught off guard and give them a little say in how your family handles an outage.

Start with the basics

Ask your child: “If the lights went out right now, what would you do first?”

You may learn they know exactly where the flashlights are—or that they’ve never thought about it. Show them where you keep flashlights or battery-powered lanterns, and explain how your family will communicate if the power is out.

Make the safety boundaries clear, too. Your child should know to tell an adult and stay away from downed power lines, generators, grills, candles, and electrical panels. Adults should handle decisions about heat, cooking, food, and whether it’s safe to stay home. For safety guidance, the CDC and Ready.gov recommend using flashlights when possible and keeping generators and grills outdoors, away from doors and windows.

And then… what would they do?

Once everyone is safe, there may be nothing to do for a few minutes. That can feel uncomfortable, especially if your child is used to reaching for a phone or gaming device. Boredom might show up—and that doesn’t mean the plan failed.

You could put together a small “power’s-out” box with your child. Let them choose a few things they’d actually use: a deck of cards, a paperback, a sketchbook, a puzzle, or a game that doesn’t need charging. Keep it somewhere easy to find.

It can also help to ask what they’d enjoy doing together. Maybe it’s a card game, telling stories, drawing by flashlight, or sitting near a window and watching the rain. The point isn’t to plan every minute. It’s to remind them that there are options.

Give them a role that fits

A 10-year-old might like being the flashlight finder. A 15-year-old may want to help check on a younger sibling or choose a game. Keep the role simple, and make sure your child knows they aren’t responsible for managing the emergency. That’s the adults’ job.

You can try a quick family check-in:

• Where are the flashlights?

• Who should we tell if the power goes out?

• What should we stay away from?

• What’s one thing we could do if we’re bored?

A few minutes of conversation now can make an outage feel less mysterious later. Your child may still be bored. They may still ask when the Wi-Fi will be back. But they’ll have a clearer idea of what to do, what’s safe, and how your family will handle the unexpected together.

For a fuller safety checklist: Ready.gov’s power-outage guide and the CDC’s power-outage safety tips.