Any (cheap) ideas to keep teens busy for next 6 weeks??

[Mumkey]

I always look forward to the holidays...in my head we're all floating about in Laura Ashley dresses, engaging in witty sparkling conversation or playing an elegant game of tennis or croquet on the lawn. Happy, smiling children, getting along fabulously together, and always helping of course. But it doesn't take long for me to remember that the reality is in fact taciturn grunting when finally out of bed, (half the day's gone already) followed by hours hunched over the computer, interspersed with screaming arguments and cries of "well she started it."
Any ideas of how I can engage my DS 10 and DD 14 in something a little more productive this summer? No organised activities though...they're "so over" that. it would be great if they could actually help with chores, but I fear I've left it all too late, by being a really crap parent and doing everything for them all these years! AAAgh!

Good idea...infact DD has just completed a babysitting course so perhaps I should put the word out a bit. Trying to persuade DH to start gardening project and actually let DS help him rather than just stand and watch the master at work!

Thing is there's a fair old age gap between 10 (def. still a child) and 14 (young adult). I can't think of anything they'd both really enjoy together.

Presumably your 14 yr old will be making her own arrangements to see her friends in the hols? My ds is the same age and he and his friends will be meeting up to go to the cinema, bowling, have pool parties and barbecues at each others houses, go rowing on the river, and all I have to do is work out how the hell to do the taxi driving when I'm still working pt.

Your 10 yr old - would he enjoy going to day sports camps for 1 or 2 weeks? Or could you get his friends round & they could camp in your garden, do marshmallows round the fire sort of stuff? Bike rides,actually those last 2 you could get them to do together, I guess.

ooh we have a 6 a 10 and a 14

I happen to have got the 14 a morning job lol.. yet to tell him

afternoons I'll take the other 2 out and ds1 can either join in or do his own thing..

should keep all of them happy

Thaks guys. You're right about the age gap, although sometimes when they get really bored, they actually co-oporate on a project such as making a film or something.

BCNS what job did you manage to find for your 14 yo? Seems no-one wants them under 16 round here, except maybe for paper round and I wouldn't want to be the one to kick her out of bed during the holidays!

Love the camping in the garden thing mumblechum. Funny how you forget about these simple ideas. I'm not nearly as creative with them as I used to be when they were little.

DD will do some stuff with friends, but she's not the very social type, so I may have to give her a bit of a kick up the bum as far as that is concerned!

Seeing as some people are already talking about christmas , why not get them to sort out the photos and make a book for the granparents/aunts/friends etc using blurb or something similar. nd if you use blurb you can add words , so maybe grannies recipe, my first memory, special day with whoever the book is for. Give then a chance to spend just a little time with someone other than friends, make some new memories.

Likewise for the 14yo what about some early prep work for DoE or similiar? Camping is good and dont forget if they sleepover you get to send them back ;-)

Agree with mumblechum, would think the 10yo would still be up for sports camp, all the better to beat the others in the new term.