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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Activities for a 13year old

11 replies

Thairhio · 09/08/2025 19:06

Our granddaughter is coming to stay with us next week and it's a bit tricky trying to plan things now that she's 13. You know how it is, trying to get them off their phones or computers! We were thinking of taking her go-karting or maybe bowling since she loves doing active stuff. Do you have any other ideas? I'd love to hear what you think!

OP posts:
TartanMammy · 09/08/2025 19:42

Bowling or go karting with your grandparents at 13yrs old is probably not her idea of fun, but ask her what she'd like. It very much depends on personality, my ds would be embarrassed to be seen places like that with parents/grandparents as most others would be with friends.

Cinema could be a good option.

My teenager like to go out for food, they also enjoy shopping and Top Golf. There's other stuff they love but it would be with friends not grandparents.

Mumontheedge1249 · 09/08/2025 20:25

Out for lunch or dinner would be nice. My 13 year old loved pottery painting at that age. Cinema?
ask her some ideas what she would like to do.

LadyQuackBeth · 09/08/2025 20:27

It sounds like you live away from her peers and school, so she's not going to be embarrassed as she might be on home turf.

It depends what she's like, my DD would like both these things. Could you put a list together and have her choose. Are you more rural or city than her normal? Aim things that way, shops if more city and outdoorsy if more rural.

She's lucky to have you, my DH still talks fondly about spending summer with his grandparents and all he did was play Scrabble and learn to knit!

SilenceNotGolden · 09/08/2025 22:15

My dd would like go karting. She was crazy excited about going on a “walk an alpaca” experience at a local petting zoo so maybe see if there’s something quirky like that around (depending on her interests).

My dd would also enjoy her gp taking her to a NT property - just because that’s their thing they’ve always done together and she has some nostalgia for it.

Cooking together. Drawing out the family tree. Helping with small diy jobs. All popular.

My gran used to take me to the cemetery to see grandad’s grave and then we’d often stop off on the way home to scrump wild sloes, elderflowers or blackberries or gather some of the wild water cress that grew locally. We would then go home and make things - I remember helping with her wine production process! Don’t discount weird things that your gd won’t have tried before.

distinctpossibility · 09/08/2025 22:20

My 13 year old likes going blackberrying and making jam / crumble with her grandma. They also go geocaching (there is an app, its good fun) and play board games like Labyrinth. She also likes going to Primark with her grandma who will usually buy her some tat! Oh and they've been to a couple of the Hobbycraft day courses

Donotpanicoknowpanic · 09/08/2025 22:47

One thing I find with my kids

Pick one activity a day and ideally tell them the day before what we are doing

It can be an all day activity, maybe it's my teens but they don't seem to like doing something then on the way back I say let's do this as well

There minds don't seem to like it

But maybe that's just my kids

ShaunaSadeki · 09/08/2025 22:49

I think go karting and bowling sounds fun! Agree that the cinema is always a good shout too.

ohisay · 09/08/2025 23:08

My boy just turned 14, the other day we went to a climbing centre (assuming you're younger grandparents with the suggestion of go carting) We always enjoy crazy golf too!

Original poster
Thairhio · 09/08/2025 23:47

Thank you everyone for the great ideas! I really appreciate the suggestions.
My granddaughter has always been comfortable staying with us. We looked after her when she was a baby and she's continued to come for weekends and holidays. Since we live in the country, she doesn't have her peers around, so she's always been happy to spend time with us.
Lately though, she's become completely glued to her phone. We do a lot of walking and she loves our dogs, but I'm hoping to find some more active things for us to do together. She really enjoys things like Go Ape and swimming, but we've done those a few times now so you're suggestions are gratefully received
Thanks again for all your help!

OP posts:
EliEllie · 10/08/2025 07:18

You sound like a lovely grandparent. My dc, with teens, would not be embarrassed if/when they are seen with GP by their peers and it sounds like you have an amazing bond with your GD. Yes to crazy golf, bowling, cinema, shopping at the mall, going for a meal, try out horse riding if you have a place nearby, indoor rock climbing, pottery painting, teach her board or card games, Make you own pizza. Look at some old photo albums that show her mum or dad when they were teens 😆

CheesePlantFeet · 10/08/2025 11:14

You could always embrace the phone... Tell her to make a video diary of all the fun stuff you're doing together and send you the final edit when she gets home.

Great ideas here already, I'll add: board game cafes, theatre trip, have a evening Bbq then stay up late chatting in the garden, with hot chocolate and blankets. Use the last heat on the Bbq for marshmallows and toast. And stargaze - phone apps can tell you what you're looking at

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