Help me occupy the teens!!

[cakeallday]

What can I divert my 12 and 14 yr old DSs with, that:

a) isn't Xbox?
b) isn't expensive?

Just want to have a bit of fun with them in the holidays and have a change of scenery!

They don't particularly want to bother going out with their friends. Their friends are all on Xbox which is where the socialising takes place. Or so they claim...!

Hit me with your wisdom please what do
you all get up to with teens/preteens?

Walks, bike rides, swimming, cinema.
It's hard tbh especially my 13 yo DS who would stay on his PS4 all day if I let him.

@Pigwitch same! They'd quite happily stay there with the curtains closed for the duration!

Cinema, bowling, get them to plan a meal and cook it themselves (and tidy up!), skateboarding/roller blading, ice skating, tidy up their rooms and sell stuff they don't want on eBay, go to a professional football or rugby match.

@Leeds2 I like the meal one. Could drag that out for hours if they have to shop for ingredients too!

My 14 year old ds will plan and make us all tea. It takes every pan and all afternoon, but is always yum. As will oldest dd. The three of them 11,14 and 15 walk to me at my workshop, about 7 miles with the dogs. We like a drive out to the seaside for a run on the beach and a paddle. To be honest, most of the stuff we do that drags ds away from his controller tends to involve walking boots and a Kelly kettle.

Lots of outdoors stuff - walks, bike rides, park with a football and tennis rackets.
Swimming
Day trip somewhere (we do quite a few of those.)

Definitely bowling 🎳

Dh got ds (12) painting warhammer figures in Feb half term and taught him how to play Star Wars Risk. He always enjoys the trampoline park, but not on his own so we have to take his sister (if she can find room in her schedule!) or a friend. Ditto ice skating but these aren’t cheap options. ‘Rock Up’ is good too and he can do it on his own as it’s one wall per person.

Also, like others said, cinema is good. And walking/out on his bike or out with a football.