Heating a Partially Finished Basement?

I have an 11 year old, fairly well insulated 2 story home (1700 Sq ft). I am planning to install a pellet stove soon. I have a forced hot air system (heat and A/C). My basement is "semi-finished" meaning I'm in the process of insulating the cement walls. My kids sometimes hang out down there and play games or watch TV. I have two ducts I've cut into the duct work that can be opened to supply heat to the basement.

My plan is to install a second thermostat that will only control the furnace fan (equivalent to "fan on" on the upstairs thermostat). I will be setting this thermostat to perhaps 50 degrees or so. When the basement gets down to that temperature, the furnace blower will kick on and circulate air warmed by the pellet stove throughout the house and basement. This is assuming the "normal" furnace operation has not taken place.

When the kids want to hang out down there, I can manually turn on the furnace fan on the upstairs thermostat to circulate warm air into the basement (or turn the furnace itself on).

My question:
Does this sound like a practical plan? The 50 degree basement setting would be at a height of approximately 5 feet off the floor. The basement will be mostly insulated. The basement ceiling (floor of 1st floor) is insulated. The furnace and hot water heater (both propane) reside in the basement.

By Brian M.