Teenagers need I say more. The last thing they want is to go anywhere with their parents unless there is something in it for them. My teenager barely speaks to me unless he wants something, like food or money. Teenage years are when the attitude starts to get worse and as parents, we are trying to not feed into the attitude. It is also when our kids start going out with friends and doing less with parents.
However, they still live under our roof and I am okay with bribery if it gets my son to spend some quality time with the family.
This is a time when your kids are exploring their independence, but as moms we still want them to do fun family activities. This is why I put together a list of activities that your teenager is sure to love and if not tell them they lose their phone if they don’t go!
Golf
Top Golf, the golf range, or playing a course can be fun in the summer. In the winter there are indoor simulations where you can play on a virtual course. Typically these places charge by the hour and you have to plan ahead of time to reserve a space.
Go-Carts
Another fun activity that can be done during the winter or summer months. Find a track and make a fun family challenge out of the race.
Baseball/Soccer/Football/Hockey Game
Head out to a game and cheer on your local sports team is always a good time. My son always loves going to baseball games in the summer. You can also lookup special events that may be going on too. For example, at our baseball stadium, they often have soccer games.
Starbucks Run
Sometimes you just need to steal a few minutes of your teenager’s time and check-in. When I need to find out how life is going for my son, I take him to get a drink at Starbucks. I am able to ask him questions about how school is going and he tells me fun stories.
Amusement Park
Ferris Wheel, Roller Coasters, and bumper cars yes! Although your teenagers may want to bring friends, this is always a good time!
Family 5K
Take a look at what 5Ks are happening in your location and pick one as a family. These can be fun and bonus you can select one where you get free swag.
Board Game
I love a good Board Game. Below are some of my favorites and you can have a family game night. To make it more enticing, you can buy prizes for the winner.
Hiking/Rock-Climbing
Find a fun hiking trail and go exploring. You can have challenges to see who can find the most unique rock. If it is winter find an indoor rock climbing location.
Concert
See if any bands are coming to town that you and your teenager like.
Road Trip
We love a good road trip. It could be a family vacation for a week or a short weekend getaway. We have taken the kids to the Grand Canyon, Florida, and Gulf Shores Alabama.
Bowling
I loved bowling when I was a teenager. Some locations have glow bowling and you can create a challenge and prize for the top score.
Movies
We love heading to the movies with the kids. See if there are any movies you kids would love to see and plan a date.
Community Service
Teaching our kids to give back should be a definite must in every household. Contact your local food pantry and see if they need help or there are typically local non-profits you can see if they need help.
Dinner Date
Take your teenager to their favorite place to eat. Teenagers love to eat, I know mine does!
National Park
Visit a National Park for the day if you have one close by. When you visit a National Park you can get a passport book and get a stamp for every park you visit. We recently went to Mammoth Cave in Kentucky and had a blast.
Paintball
We have played as a family and also had the teenagers play by themselves. This is always a blast and you can probably find a coupon on Groupon.
Local Attractions
Lookup cool places to visit in your city. I live close to St. Louis so we have a ton of cool stuff like the Selfie Room, City Museum, Zoo, and plenty of restaurants.
Let your teenager decide
Have your teenager plan the day for the family. Sometimes teenagers are more receptive to joining in on the fun when they can make the plans. Who knows what new things you will discover!
Spend as much time with your children because you never know when life will end.
Tell me about the fun things you do with your teenager.
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