Alternatives to video games for 15yr old during Summer Hols?

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My son (only child) is 15 and will be 16 in November. His school summer holidays have just started and after only 1 day, it has become apparent that he is expecting to be on his computer all day every day for the next 6.5 weeks. I want to nip this in the bud and offer him some (cheap/free) alternatives. Apart from a week when we are away abroad on holiday, he will be working at his dad's business one day a week and will continue going to the gym 4x a week for 1hr. I have my own business so will be around a lot to make sure he isn't on his computer too much - although not looking forward to the arguments about it - especially as I'm a single parent and will need to do this on my own!

I just need a list of things that he can do, when he complains about being bored because he's not on his computer.

So far I have the following...

Buy him new books to read
Learn a new language
Go to cinema with friends
Go swimming with friends
Go out to lunch / walk with Grandparents
Take dog for walks
Take up new sport (running?)
Teach dog new tricks
Give him tasks for my job
Study
Chores - dishwasher
Watch TV / film with me
Learn computer coding
Go camping
Learn to cook
Learn musical instrument (guitar)
Work at dads shop
Go to gym more

I know I already have a lot of ideas, but I can foresee resistance to most of them!!!

If anyone has any ideas, I would really appreciate them!

Thanks! :)

What are his interests? He could do some volunteering.....

Does he have a smartphone? Then he can download the Groundspeak app for geocaching and make walking the dog more interesting. It's free and a great way to see new places in your locale.

On the other hand, he's working one day, going to gym so I could let him enjoy his hols

My Ds is the same age and again an only child. He will spend the majority of his 8 weeks holidays on his PC, apart from two separate 10 day holidays he is luckily having. He will go out occasionally to meet friends but not on a regular basis. I just offered him a 6 week gym membership but got a no so between your dc's dog walking, gym and one day job I think your doing ok. My ds has some school holiday work to do but as I hope he's going to be working extra hard next gcse year I'm going to try and not nag but will no doubt break that rule by the end of the first week. Good luck op

16 year old DS1's plans:
Paid work (hopefully)
Volunteering at a church holiday club (1 week)
Gym
Free swimming for under 19s.

14 year old DS2's plans:
Volunteer at the library, helping with the summer reading challenge
Learn music theory up to Grade 5 level
Play dungeons and dragons with his friends
Play computer games

Thanks everyone! I know he is doing a lot - working 1 day and dog walking but his default position is at the computer playing Warcraft, minecraft etc. The evening I posted this, I had been at work all day and he told me when I got home that he had been on the computer for approx 10 hours!!!!!! I feel like this isn't good for him at all. He is very popular at school with lots of friends, but they never tend to socialise outside school. My son told me that a lot of them go to parties/houses to drink alcohol and get high and he's not interested in that. Which I am gold about!

*glad

Gym four times a week and working one day a week sounds fine to me.I can imagine his reaction to your list of worthwhile things to do but it's a battle I wouldn't fight. At 10 /11ish I think you might get away with it but I'm afraid I stopped trying to manage their time at that age.

I feel your pain!

DS is almost 15 and has been off ill for six weeks of last term and term officially finished today. He does nothing but TV/PlayStation/computer.

We go away to Florida for three weeks though so he will not have the whole holidays. He was supposed to be going to Barcelona on a school trip today but we had to pull him out due to his illness.

He says he wants to get fit so he will be exercising and he has lots of catch up work to do.

I am hoping he manages to catch up with some friends though.

I like the geocaching idea.

I could have written this but about my nearly 13year old. A couple of possibilities: design a website, photography, and go to a tip and pick up some of electrical equipment, bring home and take apart with a screwdriver. Apparently for some (?!) this is a fun thing to do.

Exact same with my 15 year old ds. If you really struggle to get him off the computer he can at least work his way (for free) through www.codeacademy.com.

Inthemorning Great Idea! Thanks!!! :)

If he's exercising (I'd ask him to give the dogs a daily walk so that he gets some exercise in the fresh air in addition to his gym routine) he'll be ok. His shop job will break things up a bit too. He could also have a short list of daily household chores. Give him the money to go into town and buy his school uniform and shoes one day, too.

i believe as long as he is studying and helping you out, doing what he enjoys in his time off is perfectly acceptable.