Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What family activities do you do with your teens?

115 replies

spudjulia · 19/03/2022 17:29

Thread about the cost of activities has spurred me into asking this question as I feel lost.

When my kids were little and primary aged, family activities, days/afternoons out were a breeze. I had a couple of passes to local attractions (like a farm thing and big soft play) and we'd either do that, or go to the forest, or go out on our bikes, or organise play dates. Or on occasions do the more expensive stuff: trampoline parks, clip n climb, go ape. Just going to the supermarket or garden centre or for a walk was a fun filled activity (for them, I found the supermarket stressful).

Now my eldest is a teen and the hormones have hit him hard. He doesn't want to go on walks, finds all our usual haunts boring and for babies (his words). He's very shy and doesn't have a huge number of friends, he doesn't arrange to go out with the ones he does.

So I'd love some ideas of things you do that your teens enjoy. It could be that he's in that phase where everything is boring (go ape for example, surely that's for all ages) and I'll never be able to please him. But I agree with him that my repertoire is dated and we need some new and exciting stuff to do. Doesn't have to be free/cheap stuff, although free/cheap stuff most welcome.

OP posts:
GeneLovesJezebel · 19/03/2022 17:31

My DS played football twice a week, and would go and watch the local team with his DF. But that was it.

GeneLovesJezebel · 19/03/2022 17:33

Will he go clothes shopping with you ? And for something to eat ?
Best to do what he will do rather than ‘nag’ him to do other stuff.

MintJulia · 19/03/2022 17:34

Cycling, karate, eating pizza, watching films, doing homework. Smile

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Games
Original poster
spudjulia · 19/03/2022 17:34

@GeneLovesJezebel

My DS played football twice a week, and would go and watch the local team with his DF. But that was it.
I'd love that, but no one in our house likes football 😫
OP posts:
Original poster
spudjulia · 19/03/2022 17:36

@GeneLovesJezebel

Will he go clothes shopping with you ? And for something to eat ? Best to do what he will do rather than ‘nag’ him to do other stuff.
Not clothes shopping. He has a vague interest in clothes but doesn't want to go shopping. Although he does have a favourite food chain place, thank you for reminding me of that. Think we might just go there every week!
OP posts:
Original poster
spudjulia · 19/03/2022 17:37

@MintJulia

Cycling, karate, eating pizza, watching films, doing homework. Smile
Doing homework 😂
OP posts:
GeneLovesJezebel · 19/03/2022 17:37

All my teen DD will do is go shopping or for a coffee. That’s it, nothing else. So that’s what we do, to keep the connection.

CatRatSplat · 19/03/2022 17:38

Does he/family like any sport? What are his suggestions? Bowling, games (board and not), films, baking/cooking, rollar skating/ skateboard (not all family friendly)

SFisnotsimple · 19/03/2022 17:39

My DS (18) hasn't wanted to do anything with us for years!!! And quite right really - he should be independent. He hangs out with his mates and his girlfriend which I'm much happier with.

We will go out for a family meal to celebrate special occasions and go on holiday but really he should be spending time with his peers.

My 15 yr old DD and I otoh do a fair amount together - but again if outside the house usually with friends and sometimes with their mums too. We did a European city break with a couple of her friends and their mums this Feb half term.

Wazzzzzuuuuuuup · 19/03/2022 17:39

My three are happy to be left if we are doing something they are not interested in. Things they will sometimes engage in: a walk, a drive out, shopping, meeting family for a pint in the pub, cinema, card games/board games. Things they always engage in: trips to the beach (30 m away, always involves ice cream as a minimum), dinner out .

One DD likes to join us for boxsets- we're currently watching peaky blinders. Both DDs like theatre and we go occasionally but £££. All of them like live music and we often go to gigs together. They all like to cook and/or bake so will spend time in the kitchen.

Original poster
spudjulia · 19/03/2022 17:41

@GeneLovesJezebel

All my teen DD will do is go shopping or for a coffee. That’s it, nothing else. So that’s what we do, to keep the connection.
That's the thing! I know this won't last forever and I just need to keep that channel open for the meantime. I don't care what it is as long as we're talking. Also, as he doesn't arrange to go out himself, he wouldn't do anything unless we arrange it as a family.
OP posts:
HomeHomeInTheRange · 19/03/2022 17:41

Ours enjoyed specific museum exhibits which were more teen orientated. Variously these included the Wellcome collection, the Planetarium at Greenwich, and some features at the science museum.

Cinema.

Going out to eat, trying new types of food, Vietnamese etc. And waffle places.

Some specific gallery exhibitions.

The slide thing at the Olympic park

Camping trips: they had their own tent, building a campfire, cooking in it.

Bowling

Days out where they took their skateboards. We visited the de la Warre pavilion and the sights of Hastings while they skated the seafront prom, and the excellent skate park.

Brighton: pier, fish and chips.

Theme parks.

CrispsnDips · 19/03/2022 17:42

My 17 and 16 year old have enjoyed a walk up Mount Snowdon, caving in Derbyshire and and museums and art galleries in Stratford upon Avon. They enjoy staying in hotels with a spa/pool area. On an every day basis, we might be able to take them for a meal or a shopping trip, there’s not much they want to do with us at this age…

Original poster
spudjulia · 19/03/2022 17:42

@CatRatSplat

Does he/family like any sport? What are his suggestions? Bowling, games (board and not), films, baking/cooking, rollar skating/ skateboard (not all family friendly)
He doesn't have any suggestions, other than staying at home. He wants to play on his computer. I've no problem with computer games, but not for the whole weekend!
OP posts:
TheTurn0fTheScrew · 19/03/2022 17:44

occasionally a board game.
more often a spot of mario party on the wii
baking
meal out - the 15yo in particular quite likes the buzz of being in town in the evenings
cinema - it's really nice to broaden our horizons away from Disney type stuff and watch some decent dramas.
DC1 will still come to a museum or attraction if we're day tripping to a different city, but not if we're staying local

Original poster
spudjulia · 19/03/2022 17:44

@SFisnotsimple

My DS (18) hasn't wanted to do anything with us for years!!! And quite right really - he should be independent. He hangs out with his mates and his girlfriend which I'm much happier with.

We will go out for a family meal to celebrate special occasions and go on holiday but really he should be spending time with his peers.

My 15 yr old DD and I otoh do a fair amount together - but again if outside the house usually with friends and sometimes with their mums too. We did a European city break with a couple of her friends and their mums this Feb half term.

I'd really love it if he organised to go out with his mates, or invite them round. But he doesn't. I'm aiming for that fingers crossed
OP posts:
iknowimcoming · 19/03/2022 17:45

Escape room? Pricey to do very often but great fun.

Ask the dc to each come up with a list of things they'd like to do (maybe specify how many and make sure at least some of them are free/very cheap) then you pick one (taking turns so it's fair obvs) as and when you want (that way you can select based on cost/time needed/distance etc). We did this with our adult dc when on hols in the uk and the deal was everyone was allowed to pick one day out (within a reasonable distance) and you could pick whatever you want but everyone had to participate in each other's choice without complaining - it worked really well for us

Original poster
spudjulia · 19/03/2022 17:47

@HomeHomeInTheRange

Ours enjoyed specific museum exhibits which were more teen orientated. Variously these included the Wellcome collection, the Planetarium at Greenwich, and some features at the science museum.

Cinema.

Going out to eat, trying new types of food, Vietnamese etc. And waffle places.

Some specific gallery exhibitions.

The slide thing at the Olympic park

Camping trips: they had their own tent, building a campfire, cooking in it.

Bowling

Days out where they took their skateboards. We visited the de la Warre pavilion and the sights of Hastings while they skated the seafront prom, and the excellent skate park.

Brighton: pier, fish and chips.

Theme parks.

Thanks for these suggestions, and to everyone else.

He used to be a really keen skater. I spent my weekends driving him round local (and not so local) skateparks. But he's given up. He's lost interest in so much since lockdown/puberty hit.

OP posts:
NeedleNoodle3 · 19/03/2022 17:47

My DC are a bit older but things they liked doing as teens were
Merlin pass- visit to theme parks and trips to London (massive success we did it for four out of five years)
Trips to London visiting museums etc
Cinema
Bowling
Top Golf (a fun golf range tue of place with food)
Going out for meals, Toby Carvery breakfast, Pizza Hut buffet lunch.
I used to buy them a new Xbox/PlayStation/Wii game each school holiday and they enjoyed staying in playing with those. The same with a new book each.
One DC loved making Fimo mini models and cooking the other collected coins and used to spend a lot of time on this hobby.

vickibee · 19/03/2022 17:49

My son is 15 we both love footie and are season ticket holders with our local team it is z great day out even if we lose most of the time. It works out good value for £ when you buy a season ticket.

SFisnotsimple · 19/03/2022 17:51

OP - it was lockdown gave him the socialising bug! Nothing quite like not being able to...!

Jamn50 · 19/03/2022 17:55

Mine DD 15 (16 in one week) DS 13 (nearly 14) come for walks with us, go shopping we play board games go to the cinema and they do go out with there friends. We are a very close family though

ineedsun · 19/03/2022 17:58

Cinema, camping, body boarding and paddle boarding. Watching marvel films.

Cooking with the youngest (17 with SEND)

Experimenting with mobile phone photography with the oldest.

MsTSwift · 19/03/2022 17:59

Ping pong
Short sunny walk but only if a bribe involved
Ours love meals out
Cinema
Vintage kilo sales

budgiegirl · 19/03/2022 18:05

At that age, family outings were things such as driving range, mini golf, cinema, pub lunches, trips to Maccies, bowling, Nandos, very occasional trips to theme parks. I have two DS's and one DD, I sometimes go clothes shopping/coffee shop with my DD, but this never happened with my DSs unless its was to Sports Direct ! Sometimes at home we would play board games, or have a movie night.

We probably went out once every 3 weeks or so, it certainly wasn't every week as it gets quite pricy, and they didn't always want to go anyway.

Swipe left for the next trending thread