Entertain 14 yr old boy

[Mooboo3]

Pleeeeese help!
I’ve completely run out of ideas. I mean absolutely completely. We are east of Edinburgh but can travel. Is there anything within an hour say? Have done usual Edinburgh stuff. Any festivals/ cool museums / anything?
my brain is just imploding with boredom. The thought of the museum, princes street…he’d just drag along. Maybe it should read entertaining mum whose done this for 14 years and is sooooo over it.
is Loch Lomond worth a visit maybe? There must be LOADS going on and I just haven’t a scooby. Or where to look, I’m so rubbish.
thank you very much!

I would expect a 14 yr old to mostly be hanging out with his pals. Are there any sports clubs or organised activities he can attend?

He won’t do them unless his pals do, he won’t call his mates to organise anything..maybe he’s happy, but he does seem bored.

Tell him to look up places within an hour from home and you'll take him and a pal?

Surely at that age you're not organising his summer entirely?

What does he want to do?

In that part of Scotland, my DC would enjoy a boat trip around the Bass Rock from North Berwick, but they're keen on nature stuff..?

Have you been to Jupiter Artland? You could take him and a friend.
I get our teen to make a list at the start of the holidays of three people they want to visit; three places they want to go; three activities they want to try; three books they want to read. Then we work through it or refer back to it when we're stuck. But I also give them a lot of downtime just playing on their PS with their friends online.

he does seem bored

Let him be bored.

Give him what you might have spent on taking him out and tell him to go and do his own thing - bus rides, train rides, cafe, cinema, whatever.

A 14yo doesn't need his or her mum to be taking him or her places in the holidays. The reverse, in fact - this is the age when they should be starting to find their way about on their own.

I wouldn't go for too many organised activities, either - they really do need to learn to entertain themselves independently.

Foxlake
Bridge8 Hub on the canal
Ratho climbing wall
Fountainbridge mini golf
Mountain biking at Glentress
There's a small festival thing on in Edinburgh all through August

Ha! Thanks all. I’ll persuede him to go to small festival thing. Maybe he’s shy of calling his mates? I know I was at that age.
He ended up doing ..computer games..made frozen smoothie…oculus…and a jigsaw, which was at least off the computer.
jupitre artland sounds good - I’ve always wanted to go there anyway!
he doesn’t want to go outside at all, not even the garden. Hates boats, climbing, bikes etc etc. but thanks will do some googling from your ideas.

cooking? It’s a good skill to have. My friends teenagers like the meal kit boxes like Gusto and that’s their task to cook the recipes they choose.

Go Ape at Dalkeith
Paddlebaording/kayaking, there's a few places doing classes.
Adventure golf in Dunfermline

I'd encourage him to meet up with friends though: swimming, cinema, bowling, hanging about the park, cycling. That's why my 11yr old has been doing most of the summer.

Sorry just noticed he's not keen on outdoors! What about Glasgow Science Centre.

Thanks. Glasgow science thingy is a good idea. I’ll see if I can get them bowling or cinema. I’d love him to be out doors at least a bit!

And cooking. I nearly got him to help make tea but he did his backward walking thing ( so I can’t tell he’s leaving!) and vanished!

Definitely agree with a few PPs, it's good for them to get about on their own and find their way in summer. DS15 not interested in being with the whole family all the time, he enjoys being on his PC chatting to friends from school.

OP hopefully you find a few ideas. Clip n Climb at Ratho is great fun and my older DC love doing this.

I would choose a day a week - say Fridays, to spend together doing something - and then let him get on with it. At 14 he should be organising and planning stuff himself, with or without mates. Hopefully boredom will spur him into action. My 14 year old spends most of his time with friends. I limit his screen time (Xbox or video games or whatever) and he's not allowed to watch Tv or Netflix after 10.00am or before 6.00pm but then I'm a cruel and heartless mother

Hi darty how do you limit screen time and to what? Dd gets on phone as soon as he wakes up, then computer. I need something to entice him off!

I’d love it if he was out with mates.

A trip to a Chinese Supermarket to help with the cooking?
They are amazing and have so many weird and wonderful ingredients, plus sweets!
Overnight in Glasgow since you're in Edinburgh when you go to the science centre.
If you leave early and come back late you could also do other things in Glasgow, plus a trip out to Loch Lomond.
Street Art tour in Glasgow is free, map on your phone, wander round the west end with comic shops if he's into those.
The Necropolis is great.
I love The Riverside Museum, and Kelvingrove but from what you've said, he might not.
A boat trip on Loch Lomond is great at this time of year.

Oh god, ignore the boat thing!

I set the rules! Does he have friends locally? I know when I came home from boarding school, I didn't know the local kids but made friends doing an activity. What about a local club? I do think that at his age, his social/daily lfe shouldn't be entirely up to you. If he's introverted, maybe help things along (do you have friends with teens the same age locally) or does he have cousins the same age?

I forgot to add, I organised a place for my son to volunteer sorting for a food bank once a month. He's also very shy but he enjoys it and it gives him an insight into life and society

Thanks! John shirt!
he refuses to join any clubs at all. He might if a friend went, but won’t ask them, if I call the mums I get told off by him for interfering. Fair enough! I’d love him to be out playing but not to want to do anything at all is concerning me. It’s like he’s cutting himself off from opportunity/ doesn’t know how to do anything. He’s very bright, but won’t read. Enjoys minecraft. No, no cousins or family at all, I’m jealous of everyone here who seems to have zillions of aunties and cousins etc!
Overnight in Glasgow sounds like a plan, the necropolis may even attract sulky teen dd! Volunteering is a good idea too, I’ll give it a go. I’ll do a bit of googling all your ideas, there must be something!

Has he always been like this? If he has, I'd organise a trip out once a week and something regular to get him out the house (volunteering, dog walking at a rescue centre or even a holiday job) and then let him mooch for the rest of the time (although I'd put some limit on screen time).

If he hasn't always been like this, could there be something else going on?

Have you tried golf? Mine went yesterday and came back enthused, which is unusual. Golf range with you, or some lessons? He's still young, mine is 14 and I think the pandemic has stopped some independent development.