If you’re like most people, then staying locked up at home during the pandemic is a crazy experience in itself. But if you have a teenager rolling around the house, attending online classes, socially distancing from friends and cousins, and instead, staying glued to their phone screens all day then by now, it is bound to be an even bigger nightmare. If you are at your wits’ end in trying to keep them happy and entertained, then read on to find out seventeen fun activities for your bored teenager to enjoy.
1. Spring Cleaning
Look, all moms need some help around the house in springtime, what with all the cleaning, dusting, scrubbing, and folding away winter clothes. Turning the annual spring clean into a full-blown activity with the teens and elders makes for a wonderful family affair that also encourages bonding with one another.
2. Cooking a family recipe
Teach your kids to cook a recipe that has been handed down the family for generations by grandmothers. It could either be a very simple entrée (think fresh, homemade pasta salad or dumplings) or a complex main like roast chicken or shepherd’s pie— or better yet, make a whole brunch or dinner spread out of it!
3. New Language
People all around the world have resorted to learning new languages as a way of spending time fruitfully. There is a wide range of free resources available for languages like French, German, Italian, Korean, or Japanese online or on apps like Duolingo and Babbel. A foreign language looks great on college applications too!
4. New Instrument
Learning to play a new instrument takes a lot of patience and time, both of which are in abundance right now. Encourage your teenager to pick up the guitar, drums, or even the madly popular ukulele and learn a few tunes to keep themselves occupied and entertain the family too!
5. Volunteering
There are loads of volunteering opportunities available online these days from fundraising to social media campaigns – all of which your children can do from the safety of the home without stepping a foot outside. Explain to them how local volunteering organizations operate and how even the littlest of actions can make a difference.
6. Reading
Reading is one of the best and most enriching hobbies that a person can pick up in their life. Hard copies, E-books, PDFs, Kindles— the possibilities are endless. To keep your teen motivated, create a reading list or a book club, or join the Goodreads Reading Challenge 2021 to discover a like-minded community that loves everything to do with books!
7. Basic Pottery
Innumerable TikToks and Instagram Reels of clay pottery seem to have taken the internet world by storm and how! Sign up your teen for pottery classes near your home or online if they find an interest in that and watch them harness their creativity to make beautiful vases and pots and mugs.
8. Gardening
Gardening is a relaxing and enjoyable way of getting in touch with nature and going back to one’s roots. Your teen could start by tending to a couple of easy to maintain plants or even create a small herb garden to grow your own fresh basil, coriander, parsley, and chilies. Maybe you’ll discover that they have a green thumb!
9. Blogging
The blogging industry is huge today in the age of the internet and also a very viable career option. If your teen has funny punchlines for every situation, or they have a skill that they’re proud of like singing, dancing, or painting, encourage them to set forth and share their talent with the world.
10. Writing
Over the centuries, pandemics have created some of the greatest writings ever seen. Now, even if your teen may not end up writing the next big thing, writing about anything that comes to their mind is a great idea. It can also help relieve a lot of pent-up negative emotions like stress, anxiety, sadness, and anger and is a great activity for quieter teens.
11. Photography
There is no dearth of good cameras since every smartphone comes fully equipped with a decent lens these days. With so much time on hand, photography is a great activity that can combine creative expression with technical expertise. If your teen is still reluctant, tell them to “do it for the ‘gram”!
12. Gaming
Playing video games over the internet using multiplayer mode or on gaming consoles is a great way for teens to reconnect with their friends whom they haven’t been able to meet. It can give them back some semblance of normalcy and also cheer them up. Just take care that they aren’t glued to the screen for ages, and get up and move around occasionally!
13. Karaoke
This activity might be a tad bit old school for most teens nowadays, but karaoke is a great way to enjoy oneself. From jamming out with friends to singing their hearts out by themselves or with siblings, this is a fun activity for music lovers and singers who miss going to live music gigs and concerts regularly.
14. Camping
A day out in the wild with little to no resources can be humbling and deeply moving for those accustomed to the comforts of modern life. Plan a camping trip or hiking trail on a weekend for the whole family and enjoy a well-deserved break that will give your teen a chance to learn a thing or two about nature and survival in remote places.
15. Movie Nights and Board Games
Ring in the old tradition of movie nights with classic films and popcorn with your teen. Alternatively, break out the Monopoly, Scrabble, or cards and let the whole family battle it out to find out the ultimate champion!
16. Baking
If you’ve perfected your recipes for banana bread and sourdough bread over the lockdown, now it is time to teach your teenager some of your tips and tricks. Bring out the flour, butter, and whisk, and let them bake cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and brownies to their heart’s content!
17. DIY
If your teen likes to create things like home décor or refurbished art, then DIY crafts are a great activity to keep them engaged. From upcycling waste like rope, bottles, and glass, to repurposing pallets and denim, there is no dearth of projects on different online blogs— the sky is the limit.
