What are you all doing with bored teens?

[WelshRach33]

Just decided to cancel a camping holiday in France at the end of August in case it gets added to the 'doom' destinations

The teens are busy video-gaming themselves a few less brain cells all day long.

It's hard without pools & sports places open. How's everyone keeping kids busy? Tween 3 made some cupcakes this morning but I ran out of ideas so she's straight back on the DS now

Currently decorating her bedroom. She has free rein and a limited budget and is painting it and moving furniture around.
I'm aiming for 2 days a week of activity (going somewhere, to do something), she has written a list of things she will do. Other days - well she sleeps most of it, so that's mornings and early afternoon sorted.

Baking
Going out for lunch
Bike ride
Cinema
Berry picking
Country walk
Visit family
Meet their friends for lunch / shopping
Shopping trip for school supplies

Same as you, despairing of the devices but not knowing what else to do!

Mixture of boys and girls here from 11 up to 16. Our days consist of dog walks, working on the allotment, gaming, playing football out the side of the house, crafts, baking, more gaming, washing the car, sit out the front with the neighbours, more gaming, movies, and lots of tiktok. Might go to the beach with the kites tomorrow as I'm off work

It has been difficult, especially for my older DS. He kinda bounces between his phone, the laptop where he makes Roblox items, books (particularly Halo and choose your own adventure fantasy ones), and the back garden.

My DD has been doing a lot more baking and going out to the park since they've reopened.

I'm hoping we'll get into a better routine in the next week or so.

3 teens here, boys and girls They’re spending a fair bit of time chatting online with friends or watching TV, but also

• Meeting one or two friends in the park to play tennis or just hang out
• Reading- bought some new box sets
• Joining free online lectures
• Doing free courses
• Remote cadets
• Cycling
• Sports training
• Playing instruments
• Baking
• Tidying/ sorting their rooms, clothes they’ve grown out of etc
• Walking the dog
• Helping with housework when forced!

Agree with @dancemom.

Add kite flying, zoom karate classes, chess, bowling (from next week).

@BellaVida

3 teens here, boys and girls They’re spending a fair bit of time chatting online with friends or watching TV, but also

• Meeting one or two friends in the park to play tennis or just hang out
• Reading- bought some new box sets
• Joining free online lectures
• Doing free courses
• Remote cadets
• Cycling
• Sports training
• Playing instruments
• Baking
• Tidying/ sorting their rooms, clothes they’ve grown out of etc
• Walking the dog
• Helping with housework when forced!

What online lectures/classes are they doing? Zoom karate sounds good!

Teen ds is doing a lot of sleeping, playing football in the garden and a LOT of gaming. I've totally relaxed my attitude to screen time, he needs his friends and at the moment that's where they all are!

I force him out for a dog walk every few days and he'll happily come and sit in his grandparents garden for the day etc

He's no bother really, a bit grumpy during the day but he emerges in the lounge at 9ish every evening and we sit together and watch a film etc together.

mine's plugged into the matrix for most of the day as well.

the libraries in the next borough down are open, so she joined and got some fresh books. she's met with two others to go to the park. DH was off last week so they went to the beach, but we're both working this week.

I have a girl and two boys age 10 to 14.
Football and netball training is back on (would normally stop over the summer but is carrying on as they missed last term).
Also cricket training and friendly matches.
Extra (zoom) music lessons (again would normally stop over the summer) and music practice.
Over the next few weeks I've booked a total wipeout water park thing, a trip to a trampoline park and we're meeting friends at a National trust property. Looking into a sailing course too.
We've booked a few days away in the UK in Aug.

I'm doing very little whilst stressing about the hours spent in front of screens. We're going out for a walk every day and doing a fair bit of baking. I wish they'd have a lie in to be fair...it'd make the day much shorter!

We've got 2 kittens. Never seen so much of DD as I have today!

Not much to be honest. Ds is a mix of PS4 and going out with friends which seems to mostly consist of hanging out in our garden. Dd sleeps in until lunchtime and spends her time drawing, on her phone and online. I make them go for a dog walk everyday. It's hard as neither are keen to go out and we only have a short camping break booked to change things around a bit. Suggestions of family bike rides or dau trips are met with .

I just comfort myself with the thought that after months of no school and little contact with friends they will hopefully be back at school in 5 weeks.

DS1 (almost 18) has been helping his shielding DGP with the garden a lot. He also does their shopping for them. He gets a lot of homemade cake and petrol money out of the arrangement.

DS2 (16) took part in an online production with a theatre group last month and is now doing something for the local radio station. He has online music workshops next month too. He has Zoom meetings for one or other project practically every day. He is also reading his way through the recommended reading before he starts his A levels.

DD (14) has been at the stables quite a lot. She also meets up with friends one at a time to go for walks and bike rides. She's been baking a lot too, there's an online bake along that her and her friends join in with every Saturday.

They spend a fair amount of time watching Netflix too. And eating everything in the fridge.

my 13 year old is spending far too much time online..apart from the odd family visit. really need to get a bit if structure for her

2 ds’s here. 12 and 14.

They’re spending a fair bit of time online. But they need to read a bit and do some music practice once a day to get the screen time.

They’re also going out on their bikes and scooters a lot.

When the weather, tide and winds are right we’re going to the beach with our canoe and SUP.

Cricket has restarted too so that’s something else for ds1.

16yo DS will come out for a few hours walk if chips & ice cream are promised. We went to zoo other day, too.

Ds14 is out with friends a lot. We have had words about him actually engaging with the rest of the family a bit when he is in the house rather than just plugging himself in.

Ds11 is happy with Lego, the odd walk and as much time as he can manage at the skate park on his scooter. He games a bit but can take it or leave it.

We have managed a (UK) week away though so they've had a change of scenery away from the PS4 with beach, bodyboarding etc.

Can you manage a UK camping trip instead for a few days away at least?

Interminable amounts of gaming and guitar playing mostly

He's just got back into cooking and has a couple of bakes planned for the next few days as well (DH and I will be the size of houses!)

He normally goes for a walk or bike ride each day (only between 15-30 minutes but quite frankly I'll take whatever I can get by this stage)

Working but this is sporadic due to Covid.

Explorers meeting at a social distance every Tuesday which he's really enjoyed, they went kayaking this evening.

Guitar lessons once a week via Skype - his teacher deserves a knighthood As he's basically saved all our sanities during lockdown.

Thanks for all the replies. Been trying some suggestions but they're really not fussed. I want to take them somewhere active, mountain biking? Anyone know anywhere good inc hire?
They've said they want to try electric scooters aswell which will have to be on private land obviously, teens can do segways though so might be somewhere??

@Juiceey

Same as you, despairing of the devices but not knowing what else to do!

We've been going to country places we've never been to - mid Wales to the hills, the Cotswolds (avoiding the towns) and to a couple of places to see gliders and aeroplanes take off. We've done a few nights camping here and there.