(This final article in the seven part series continues our discussion on how to set up your own Family Adventure Nights. To learn more about what FANS are and their back story, read our Introduction to the series here: Family Adventure Nights – Introduction)
ADVENTURE JOURNALS
The Adventure Journal is a great option for maintaining memories of each FAN as you plan them. For my sons, we had one Adventure Night where we made our own Adventure journals (of course, they can also be bought.) There are any number of ways to accomplish this including the simple to the elaborate (check out some Youtube videos to see the spectrum!) At the end of each FAN, each of my sons would write out (or draw for the youngest one) different aspects of the night that they really liked, etc. Yep, a writing assignment. Years later, it proved to be a great source for memories from past FAN adventures — something that they appreciated a lot more when they got older.
MARKETPLACE
Ah, yes, the Marketplace. This component can be considered optional, but not in my house. During the adventures, our children also had the opportunity to earn In-Adventure Money. By ‘in-adventure’ I mean money that can only be used during the adventure and has absolutely no value outside of the adventure. This ‘money’ that they earn in a variety of ways would allow them to buy in-adventure perks and other things they might want. At the edge of a table I set up the Marketplace with small pieces of paper with different items written on them, along with their cost in adventure money. They might include items such as rope for climbing or tickets for a boat ride (in the event during the adventure they need to travel.) However, ALSO included in the Marketplace are things to buy like “Stay up late for an extra 30 minutes” or “Get out of one chore this week”. These are also fun for them to buy, as you can imagine. The adventures are geared such that they earn more money than they will need for the adventure so that they will have extra money to spend at the marketplace at the end. Just make sure that they don’t overspend lest they need their cash for their next adventure!
In the Marketplace they could also SELL items to earn more money. You see, along the way my sons collected all kinds of objects and treasures during the adventure (often just printed images I cut out from pieces of paper). When they wanted to sell an item, they visited the Marketplace and offered to sell different items.
As far as the availability of the Marketplace, that choice is up to you. Within the FAN adventures, there are opportunities when they can approach a Marketplace within the story, however you might choose to leave the Marketplace open for the duration of the adventure. For older children (ones that play a lot of video games or are in their teens) it’s highly advised to limit their interaction with a Marketplace until they find one in the story for two reasons. First, it helps keep the adventure illusion going. Second, it will add a degree of problem solving as they’ll need to strategize what to buy based on what they think they might need.
What you use for in-adventure money isn’t as important as long as it’s consistent.
TROPHIES
Trophies are completely optional, but a fun idea if you choose to incorporate them. Basically, the idea is centered around buying a small token, statue or souvenir for each adventure and giving it to your kids at the completion of each adventure. Then, allow them to place the trophy on a designated shelf in your home. As the trophy items accumulate, your kids will form a sense of pride as they look upon their shelf at the different adventures they completed during the different FANs. It’s also a great conversation piece when your guests and family members ask about the eclectic combination of international items you have lined up on your trophy shelf!
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
For all of you teachers, fellow homeschooling parents or parents in general who want to inject more educational aspects into the adventures, there is a way…but I mention it with caution. The adventures are very much embraced by my sons, but the excitement quickly wanes if they feel like it’s a glorified homework assignment. You want to keep the excitement level high and enable them to see that the adventures are PLAY times, not WORK times.
That having been said, there’s a simple way to introduce more learning into the equation. For example, give them a map of a specific part of the world that relates to the next or past FAN and have them memorize key aspects (cities, mountains, rivers) and then test them on it. Our sons earned some extra in-adventure cash for these actions.
As we wrap up this article series, I sincerely hope that at some point as you read you had the thought “Hey, I could do that!” Because, the truth is you can. My sons are now adults and have moved out of our home. Those times when they were young are now passed. And, although I’ve been known to occasionally plan a mini adventure night for them even now, I’m looking forward to my future grandchildren coming over to our home…and oh the grand adventures I’ll have waiting for them then!
To read the previous article in the series, FAMILY ADVENTURE NIGHTS – ADVENTURES PART I, click HERE.