(This third 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)
FABRIC
Fabric has become my best friend…and coupons to our arts and crafts supply stores have become my second. Utilizing those sales every chance I can on different fabrics has given me decorating options that are not only easy, but super effective. Like the poles, the fabric can be re-used as many times as you’d like, providing it fits within the theme. Fabric can be used as swags on poles to create an Arabian marketplace, harem tent or Chinese palace. Cream tulle works great as safari mosquito netting, leafy prints make for a great jungle backdrop and regal purples are good for castle court scenes. Fabric is also handy for covering up TV’s, bookcases or large furniture pieces that may break the illusion you are trying to create.
If you can sew, you have a even more options available to you. The appropriate fabric can make table runners, place mats and napkins. Long sewn banners can also look fantastic hanging vertically from the walls or from PVC poles to create a castle or palace feel.
When choosing fabric, keep in mind that you want something that is IN the theme and not ABOUT the theme. If you want an African tribal feel, don’t choose fabric with lions and giraffes on it. Find tribal prints similar to what would be found within one of the African cultures.
REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE SPACE
This idea is sometimes the most brilliant, depending on the location you are trying to create. Choose one space in your home that is large enough for your plans, and ONLY decorate that space. If you make it engaging enough, then no matter what the size, your kids will enjoy being there. Think of a tree house. They are typically small, but someplace a child will spend hours in on a Summer day.
TABLE SETTINGS
Incorporating a meal in your FAN is highly suggested and your table setting helps the overall FAN atmosphere. As mentioned before, a few yards of fabric can make great table covers, napkins and place mats. However, consider every aspect of your table when creating your atmosphere. Will there be plates? Will there be utensils? Will every item be served in small bowls and passed around or will you use one large dish in the center of the table? Thrift stores and garage sales are great places to find a few odds and ends that can be used for different themes. Also remember you don’t HAVE to eat at the table! Try the garage, outside on the floor…anywhere! Don’t ‘leave’ your location just to feel like you have to go back to the kitchen table for your meal. Eat in your FAN space, instead!
SOUND
Sound is rarely considered but we use it constantly throughout the day. Sound can tell us where we are and even the time. There are a few ways to exploit this sense.
Music from a given region. Check out ethnic selections at your local library or online. Make sure that you listen to them BEFORE your FAN. There are bands that are ‘inspired’ by different regions of the world, but when you listen to them, they might sound out of place or time. You want something that will sound appropriate for your actual location.
Try movie soundtracks, as well. Composers make money transporting moviegoers to the locations and actions of the movie. Soundtracks create a mood. In movies, music tells us when to be nervous and when to be at peace. Check online as well as libraries as many libraries have reciprocal agreements with neighboring libraries, giving you access to more titles. Look for movies that may take place in your desired setting.
Finally, consider using sound effects. They could be background sounds one would hear at a specific location, like listening to a minstrel at a castle court. But often times music isn’t the best choice. There are many resources online for different sound effects including casual conversation sounds (great for a Parisian sidewalk cafe), seagulls and lapping waves (great for a shipwreck, deserted island location) or moaning and clanging chains for a dungeon scene. When considering sound effects, make sure they serve as background only. No matter how much time and energy you spend gathering sound effects, keep the volume low enough so as not to distract from your other activities, unless the sounds ARE the activity, that is.
LIGHTING
One can actually get a college degree in theater stage lighting. For our purposes, we’ll use a few ideas to get the most out of lighting techniques without spending a lot of money.
The first idea is perhaps the simplest and the most effective…the absence of light. A lack of lighting can create a more intimate space. When we can’t see, we fill in the blanks with our imagination. Depending on your location, consider using darkness. Night time makes a Family Adventure Night easier. And, you’ll find your kids will love to use flashlights indoors!
Candles and fire. Fire is exciting. It always has been and probably always will be. Candlelight also creates a more intimate (and sometimes scary) setting. Fireplace light can also be used effectively. Safety first but…fake candles work well, also.
Colored light bulbs. I use these sparingly, but they can be super effective. You can pick up standard light bulbs with a light-blue color for polar or underwater locations. Have a temple scene or on a submarine? Use a red bulb. A cave scene? Use purple. A jungle scene? Use green. A treasure scene with a gold statue or gold coins? A yellow light bulb will make it shimmer! You can also use colored tissue paper to tint your light sources, but use them safely as tissue paper easily burns. I’ve used it, but it takes extra attention to be safe. Experiment after the kids are in bed. See what results you get when you put light sources in different places. Remember, you’re using it for effect, not necessarily as a light source.
A few final words. The question has come up on whether or not to bring your kids in on the decorating process. For me, that’s like asking your children to wrap their own birthday presents. Remember, you’re creating an illusion and you don’t want to break it. When decorating for a FAN, I sent my sons upstairs and told them to not come down until everything was ready. They would typically use that time to ‘study’ for the adventure by going over their notes…even quizzing each other about their information (more on adventures later.)
Finish decorating your FAN before you start the busy portion of your cooking. You’ll want to serve your meal hot (assuming it’s a hot meal) and simultaneous cooking and decorating doesn’t work. This, of course, is especially true if you’ll be cooking the meal WITH your kids as part of your FAN.
Remember, it’s not about using every idea listed as much as it utilizing those ideas that you feel you have the time, energy and resources to pull off. So now that you’ve set your stage, so to speak…it’s time to plan what you’ll DO during your Family Adventure Night time!
To read the next article in the series, FAMILY ADVENTURE NIGHTS – ACTIVITIES PART I, click HERE.
To read the previous article in the series, FAMILY ADVENTURE NIGHTS – ATMOSPHERE PART I, click HERE.