Challenges to get 16yo's out of the house

[Timetogetup0630]

Three of us are single Mums with 16 year old sons who go to school together. They all sit and play a complicated online game with each other all day, every day. They do not have holiday jobs and seemingly no hobbies or interests outside the house. Even Pokemon Go has only encouraged them to leave the house once since it was launched.
We are worried about their gaming obsession, lack of social skills development and lack of exercise and fresh air.
We are going to get them together and issue them with some challenges to get them out of the house and doing something. My challenge is to tell them to go to the nearest big city on public transport, take a photograph of themselves on a very famous landmark and get themselves back home.

Any more suggestions for getting stroppy teens out of the house ?

[SoupDragon]

Change the wifi password.

Tell them you've written it down and hidden it (long cryptic description of a place they should be able to work out).

Do this every day.

[fitzbilly]

I love that idea soupy!

[NoahVale]

how aobut pokemon go?

failing that, fruit picking?

[NoahVale]

oh sorry that failed.

do they have bikes?

[SnugglySnerd]

Have a clear out and donate some items to a charity shop.

[NoahVale]

get them to count/measure their steps, outside with a pedometer or something similar

[SoupDragon]

Thankfully, my teens have embraced Pokemon Go so I haven't had to mess with the wifi. Yet.

[OhTheRoses]

Block the internet gateway on their computers.
Book them on the teenage activity holiday thing
Drive them 20 miles away at 9am, give them a tenner each and challenge them to get home as cheaply as possible
Sports club: Tennis, squash, etc

Failing that, don't worry the computers will be replaced with snogging and you will look back fondly at this summer

[Sparklingbrook]

Is there a none of them have jobs? My 17 old was v reluctant but he got one last year to fill the long holiday after GCSEs and once the money started coming in he was much more keen.

[Sparklingbrook]

*reason

[KittyLaRoux]

I agree change the wifi password and for each activity they do in the day they receive a portion of the password.

[JennyOnAPlate]

Can you club together to buy them a basic tent and camping equipment? Definitely no wifi wild camping in the woods!

[Timetogetup0630]

Two of them have flatly refused to apply for any jobs. Mine is on standby for a job but they haven't called him in yet.

They all point blank refused to participate in The National Citizenship Scheme.

Yes we have lots of camping gear so that is an option.

They are all huge and awkward and not very attractive so girls would run a mile.........

[KittyLaRoux]

They are all huge and awkward and not very attractive so girls would run a mile.........

Aren't all teenagers

[NoahVale]

give them a football/tennis/frisbee

[WankersHacksandThieves]

The most I've got mine to do is head up to the shop every day on their Scooters to buy some crap, eat/drink it at the park and scooter home. It seems to be staving off the rickets.

[ssd]

I knew this would be about boys as soon as i saw the thread title

leave them, they'll come out on their own time

[Timetogetup0630]

Sad without a kick up the backside I can't see them coming out of the house this year....

[Poppiesway]

There seems to be two different types of teenage boys..
My sons type who lives in their room "talking" to his small group of friends online almost 24/7 (same friends he's at sixth form with all year.. Same small group of Friends he's been friends with scince reception!)

And the other type who want to go out and mix with friends / get summer / weekend jobs..

Previous yes my Sian's friends have all been to each other's house to play dungeons and dragons together but now they've discovered an online version so they don't even have to meet at someone's house now.. I worry for their future.. Only once has ds1 been out Pokemon hunting. Z

[Timetogetup0630]

Yes I agree, two types of teenage boys. These boys are all very bright. Going into sixth form at a high performing Grammar School. Due to their poor social skills and lack of experience of the world outside their bedrooms the only future I can see for them is as Government code breakers and information analysts.

[WankersHacksandThieves]

I'll add those job suggestions to the list for my DSs, so far I only had Actuary, IT code writer and general Boffin.

[NapQueen]

Can't you just adopt an "if you are in the house you must be bored" rule so if they stay in they get chores

[ssd]

I'm feeling all motherly and sorry for these awkward boys now

[dietstartsmonday]

Shame they won't do the NCS my d's did it last summer and is back this summer volunteering. Next summer he is hopi g to be an instructor and paid for it.
Otherwise he is a sit on his pc kind of lad