Basic entertainment
Building morale and social cohesion through games, music, and storytelling
In a post-apocalyptic survival scenario, once immediate physical needs such as food, water, shelter, and safety are met, maintaining mental health and social cohesion becomes critical. Basic entertainment—encompassing games, music, and storytelling—plays a vital role in sustaining morale, fostering community bonds, and preserving cultural identity. This section provides comprehensive guidance on creating and utilizing simple forms of entertainment that require minimal resources but yield significant psychological and social benefits.
The importance of entertainment in survival settings
Entertainment is often overlooked in survival planning, yet it is essential for:
- Mental health: Reduces stress, anxiety, and depression by providing distraction and emotional release.
- Social cohesion: Encourages cooperation, trust, and communication within groups.
- Cultural preservation: Maintains traditions, history, and shared identity through storytelling and music.
- Cognitive stimulation: Keeps minds sharp and engaged, which is crucial for problem-solving and adaptability.
In survival communities, entertainment can be a tool for education, conflict resolution, and leadership development. It also helps break the monotony of daily survival tasks, preventing burnout and despair.
Games: Simple, resource-light activities for all ages
Games are structured activities with rules that promote fun, competition, or cooperation. They can be physical, mental, or social. In survival contexts, games should be easy to organize, require minimal or no equipment, and be inclusive.
Types of games suitable for survival communities
Physical games and sports
- Tag and variations: Requires no equipment; promotes physical fitness and social interaction.
- Relay races: Use natural terrain; encourage teamwork and coordination.
- Throwing games: Use stones, sticks, or improvised targets; develop hand-eye coordination.
- Jump rope or hopscotch: Can be created with rope or chalk; good for children.
Board and tabletop games
- Improvised checkers or chess: Use stones and sticks on a drawn grid.
- Card games: If a deck is available, many card games can be played; alternatively, create cards from cardboard.
- Dice games: Use small stones or carved wood pieces as dice.
Mental and word games
- Riddles and puzzles: Stimulate thinking and language skills.
- Memory games: Enhance concentration and recall.
- Story-building games: Participants add sentences to create a collaborative story.
Creating game materials from natural or salvaged resources
- Game boards: Draw on flat stones, wood slices, or dirt patches.
- Playing pieces: Use seeds, pebbles, shells, or carved wood.
- Dice: Carve small cubes from wood or bone; mark dots with charcoal or paint.
- Cards: Cut cardboard or thick paper; decorate with symbols or numbers.
Organizing game sessions
- Schedule regular game times to build routine.
- Encourage inclusive participation across age groups.
- Use games to teach survival skills subtly (e.g., navigation, counting, strategy).
- Rotate game leaders to develop leadership skills.
Music: Universal language for emotional expression and bonding
Music is a powerful form of entertainment that transcends language and culture. It can be created and enjoyed with minimal tools and serves multiple functions in survival communities:
- Emotional release: Helps process fear, grief, and joy.
- Social bonding: Group singing and rhythm unify participants.
- Communication: Signals and calls can be musical.
- Cultural continuity: Preserves traditions and stories.
Basic musical instruments for survival settings
Percussion instruments
- Drums: Use hollow logs, containers, or stretched animal skins.
- Shakers: Fill containers with seeds, stones, or beads.
- Clappers and rattles: Made from sticks or bones.
String instruments
- Simple lyres or harps: Construct frames from wood and use gut, plant fibers, or salvaged wire for strings.
- Bowed instruments: Use a curved stick and a string; bow with horsehair or plant fibers.
Wind instruments
- Flutes and whistles: Carve from bamboo, reed, or bone.
- Horn instruments: Use animal horns or hollowed wood.
Vocal music and group singing
- Teach and share songs orally.
- Use call-and-response formats to engage all participants.
- Create new songs reflecting current experiences and hopes.
Music-making techniques
- Rhythm: Use body percussion (clapping, stomping) if instruments are unavailable.
- Improvisation: Encourage creativity and emotional expression.
- Ensemble playing: Coordinate simple parts to build group cohesion.
Maintaining instruments
- Protect wooden instruments from moisture.
- Replace or repair strings and skins regularly.
- Store instruments safely to avoid damage.
Storytelling: Preserving knowledge and fostering imagination
Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of entertainment and education. It conveys history, morals, survival lessons, and cultural identity. In survival communities, storytelling can:
- Pass down essential survival knowledge.
- Teach social norms and values.
- Provide psychological comfort.
- Stimulate imagination and hope.
Types of stories to share
- Historical accounts: Document events before and after the collapse.
- Survival tales: Share experiences and lessons learned.
- Myths and legends: Preserve cultural heritage and explain natural phenomena.
- Fables and parables: Teach morals and practical wisdom.
- Humorous anecdotes: Relieve tension and build camaraderie.
Storytelling techniques
- Use vivid descriptions and expressive voices.
- Incorporate gestures and facial expressions.
- Engage listeners by asking questions or inviting participation.
- Use repetition and rhythm to aid memory.
Creating a storytelling culture
- Establish regular storytelling gatherings, such as evenings around a fire.
- Encourage all members, including children, to tell stories.
- Record stories in writing or drawings if possible for preservation.
- Combine storytelling with music or games for enhanced engagement.
Integrating entertainment into daily survival life
Entertainment should be woven into the fabric of daily life to maximize its benefits:
- Routine: Set aside specific times for games, music, and storytelling.
- Education: Use entertainment to teach survival skills and social values.
- Celebration: Mark milestones, seasonal changes, and communal achievements with festivities.
- Conflict resolution: Use games and storytelling to ease tensions and build empathy.
Tips for sustaining entertainment activities
- Adapt activities to available resources and group preferences.
- Encourage creativity and improvisation.
- Rotate leadership roles to empower community members.
- Document successful games, songs, and stories for future generations.
Conclusion
Basic entertainment through games, music, and storytelling is a cornerstone of sustainable survival. It nurtures mental health, strengthens social bonds, preserves culture, and enriches daily life. By fostering creativity and cooperation, entertainment helps communities not only survive but thrive in challenging post-collapse environments.
For more detailed guidance on growing food and managing resources to support a thriving community, see Growing basic crops and Animal husbandry.