What are your young teens up to over half term

[Eastereggmadness]

DD (13) is climbing the walls. Friends not able to meet up (strict parents so not allowed out or on holiday). I have taken her out a bit but due to her younger brother not being very well it has been pretty limited - walks/short trip to town kind of thing.

She is not able/confident to go out on her own (she is autistic and struggles with this) and getting very bored and lonely stuck at home. What are your kids up to and any suggestions on how to help DD occupy herself.

I have an autistic 13 year old too!

She's very into baking and guinea pigs so will spend a significant amount of time on that. She also paints, and has spent the day today playing with her siblings and having a very lengthy bath.

She does also enjoy the odd walk and she will go to the gym or out for a bike ride on her own. Does your local council run gym have a Junior Gym session for teenagers?

Well also be watching the Olivia Rodrigo Guts tour when it comes on Disney+ tomorrow. I'll get some snacks in for us.

I'm afraid I can't really help! My 13yo DS is watching crap on telly so far, but we have a few appointments and meeting up with his friend on Weds. I used to love browsing in shops when I was a teen girl. I collected stickers and there were several shops I could go to in my home town which sold them. Does she like reading? What about puzzles, jigsaws, word searches, Lego?

My daughter is 15 and these are her plans as far as I know so far…

Friday - Sleepover with friends
Saturday - Spent the day with friends
Sunday - We went to the cinema and for food

Monday - She’s in town with her friends for food/shopping/hanging out

Tuesday - Her friends are coming over at 12 to get ready for a Halloween party at one of their houses. It lasts until 10pm.

Wednesday - I hope she spares me some time so we can do something together 😂

Thursday - There’s another Halloween house party so a repeat of Tuesday.

Friday - Her youth club are having a Halloween evening.

I would try to widen her social circle. My DD has friends from all over and recently met a new group of them by joining a youth club once a week.

Are there any activities being run by your local council she may be interested in?

Does she have any hobbies or interests she could do, or previous interests you may be able to build on.

Are there any local activities on - may be more difficult if your younger child is not well but a local pottery often has workshops in the holidays, there is a local cooking class that does holiday sessions too.

Does she like baking, art/craft, jigsaws, things in the garden etc that you could work out an activity for? ( depending on her specific abilities).

This probably isn't helpful but I have 2 15 year olds who are both just revising for their mock exams unfortunately! They did just have a Halloween party which they loved and they are going to trick or treat with their younger siblings on Thursday. Also going to the library with friends for revision and having a break on one or two days by going to the cinema or going shopping

15 Yr old is autistic and doesn't want to do anything except game. Is also doing a but of revision.

13 year old wants to sleep! I'm taking her shopping tomorrow, we have baking and pumpkin carving to do together, she's got a planned Halloween sleepover with a friend. We're all a bit knackered, really!

13 year old with autism here too (Ds). We’ve done a few local walks, been to the cinema to watch Venom (it’s a 15 but he loved it 🙈🤣), today we went to a nature reserve and had a cake and a smoothie in the cafe after a walk. He’s played a lot of Xbox online with his friends from school - they all chat to each other. Tomorrow he’s got a hair cut - which oddly enough he actually really likes, he likes chatting to the barber. And then later in the week we’ve got a trip to Norwich planned to have a look at the castle. His main issue is with toddlers / babies / screaming kids so we have to try and avoid typically kid friendly half term places and go to everything quite early. He needs a lot of down time at home too. It’s hard to get the balance right sometimes.

My son is a bit younger (just 11, still Y6) so may not be too helpful.

We went to MOSI Manchester on Sunday which was nice and met up with my auntie for lunch today (he absolutely adores her!).

Carved his pumpkin.

A friend is coming with their kids tomorrow so he will play with them a bit.

Wednesday- not sure yet. Maybe a local walk.

Probably watched a bit too much TV/games but the weather hasn't been great so far.

He's going with my parents Thur-Sun in their caravan so I am lucky this time!

15 year old mostly revising for mocks, but had a day out in London with friends today. I will take him out for brunch on Thursday but thats it really.

Thanks for the suggestions. Hoping to do some Halloween type stuff tomorrow. Hopefully that will occupy her for a while.

Are her friends not allowed to come over or her go to their homes? That's quite unusual.
My 15 yo is meant to be revising. He takes himself to the gym and then plays FIFA and eats.
I'm working with a day off on Thursday to go to London for the day.
I give him a list of chores life skills to do.

Get her to do some chores, that will stop her being bored.

Same problem. My DD is 12 and autistic and struggling to entertain herself. Arguing with siblings. We have childcare the next couple of days so cinema and swimming, but they were Def a bit bored today.

I have an autistic 13 year old with a fortnight’s holiday. She did 1 day of school catch up, 1 day with pumpkin picking, 1 day of nothing, 1 day out with my parents to get craft supplies, we’ve been away for a long weekend and will head home tomorrow. That leaves Wed to finish her Halloween costume, Thur to carve pumpkins and decorate, Friday for her art project for school. Been very busy for her. She needs a lot of down time!

Today was baking cookies, tomorrow a trip into the City with me, Wednesday will be a friends house, Halloween fun on Thursday then Fireworks Friday evening, family stuff at the weekend. That’s about it ….the week will fly by..

Mine are doing sports - football and bmx racing at local track. Scouts and Explorer groups are doing a day trip and sleep over.

Is there any youth centres nearby. I am in lreland but our local youth centre runs extra activities over midterm. They also have ongoing activities specifically geared to youth with autism. Those who attend absolutely love it as they make like minded friends and it becomes their thing. Also some local churches around here seem to do extra one off stuff at holidays. You don't need to be attending church to participate.