There are different reasons why teen children may be stuck indoors during the day and not engage in any outdoor activities. Maybe they are snowed in or it is a rainy day. Maybe it is too hot or cold outside. Or maybe they have a cold and cannot go outside to play. This can cause the day to become boring and maybe even frustrating, as your bored teenager wants to go outside to play, but can’t.
But have no fear, there are boredom busters and fun things you can do to keep your older kids and every family member entertained while still staying indoors.
The Best At Home Activities for Teens
There is plenty that can be done at home if you just stop and think. I love having a house full of teens and treasure that they want to be here still. It is important to me to engage with them at this point as I know that they will be spreading their wings sooner than I’d truly want! It is also really important to get kids and teens off screens for a while and doing something else.
Arts And Crafts Are Fun Activities
Arts and crafts can be a great way to keep your child happy and busy. Try to give them a variety of crafts to choose from for you both to do together. Arts and crafts activities can include coloring, drawing, making animals, building a house or boat out of popsicle sticks, making paper flowers, and much more! We have some great resources in this 20 Magical Harry Potter Crafts Round Up or 20 Incredible DIY Crafts for Teen Girls to Beat Boredom When you are done, you and your teenager can show off your work!
Create a Games Room
This probably isn’t one that you can rustle up in a few minutes but look at what you have available to entertain your kids at home. We have converted the garage into a games room for our young people. This was a huge project but so worthwhile and now they always invite their friends over to chill at ours which I love.
Watching A Movie Together Is A Fun Way To Spend The Evening
This is a great way to relax in the evening and after the family dinner. Let your teenager pick out their favourite movie, settle on the couch or in bed, and watch it together. Snuggle under the covers and if you would like, prepare a snack to munch on as you both enjoy some family time. Again we have you covered with Inspirational Movies Based on True Stories for Tweens and Teens.
Reading A Few Great Books Is Great For Kids Of All Ages
This is the perfect opportunity for when it is time to settle down. Let your child pick out their favorite book (or two if the book is short). Depending on their age, read to them, let them read to you, or take turns reading to each other!
Podcasts are also hugely popular with teens of all ages and this list of 10 Exceptionally Good Podcasts for Teens to Inspire and Entertain Them is sure to have something to interest even the most hard-to-please young adults!
Living Room Camping In The Comfort Of Your Own Home
Recreate your summer activities by setting up a tent in the living room. Either use a small pop-up version of the real thing or make your own with blankets and chairs. Stock your tent with flashlights or lanterns and sleeping bags. Spend an afternoon reading and playing card games with children by flashlight. Smaller kids will even readily embrace naptime if they get to “camp out” for it.
Indoor Picnics Are Always Fun Family Activities
What better accompaniment to camping indoors than to have a picnic inside as well? Spread a blanket on the floor, use paper plates, and plastic utensils, and prepare typical picnic foods, like fried chicken and potato salad or hamburgers and coleslaw. Teens and even younger children love these informal mealtimes and a 19 Guilt-Free Healthy Snacks for Teenagers is a great starting place.
Balloon Badminton For A Good Time
You would risk your windows and breakables if you attempted to bring most summer sports indoors. However, you can play a harmless game of badminton or tennis with your children inside using a balloon and new fly swatters. Both can be inexpensively purchased, and neither can wreak too much damage on your house.
Make Something With Your Own Hands – A New Hobby For Your Teen
Today there are youtube videos, social media and so much screen time that our teens forgot how to make something with their hands. So many people lose the great life skills of past generations. Kitting, woodworking, and sewing, all of these are skills that could serve you well in the future. Spend some time of your summer vacation learning one of these skills of yesteryear and you will not regret it. This is also a great opportunity to spend time with your grandparents, who better show you a new skill than those who actually did these things in the old days. Besides supply and time, this is one cheap activity for your summer with teenagers at home.
Board Games For Family Game Night Are The Best Indoor Activities
Getting a teenager to play a board game can be as challenging as eating soup with a fork. Teens are very particular about what they consider too boring, too babyish, and even too much effort but there are some great board games out there that all teenagers and their group of friends will enjoy. Our current favourites are Corks and Wheels or Doors.
I’ve Never Is So Much Fun
This is a younger version of the adult drinking game which uses sensible, harmless questions which are suitable for teenagers in different ways. No alcohol is needed for this one, just a few snacks, and soft drinks. It will be a hit at sleepovers with questions like ‘Have you ever had a crush on a teacher’? – the only thing parents will need to worry about is the loudness of the players’ laughter.
Scene It Is Great For The Whole Family
Scene It interactive DVD games really are fun for all the family. There are many different versions, including Harry Potter, Twilight, Disney, Sports, and The Simpsons. The gameplay involves answering trivia questions from cards or clips from the special DVD. There is a lot of fun to be had from watching teens’ excitement on correctly answering their questions or seeing their favorite movie or TV moments on screen during gameplay. Scene It is a hit with everyone.
Nintendo Monopoly
If you can’t get your gaming-obsessed teens to turn off their console long enough to play a board game, you should be able to win them over with this Special Edition Nintendo version of Monopoly. Instead of the normal playing pieces, the hat, car, dog, etc, this version comes with pewter pieces of classic Nintendo-related items. Instead of buying hotels, you purchase Nintendo game characters from video games which will sound a lot more like a fun activity to do.
Game Of Life Is Filled With Cool Things
Before you present this one to your teens, scratch the 8+ label on the front or they will instantly dismiss it. For young teens, the Game of Life is engaging and gets them thinking about money budgeting and making the right choices in a way that won’t bore them senseless. Once they get addicted to the game though, you may be begging them for a break!
Cranium For Some Friendly Competition
There is no better way to stimulate your teenagers’ brains without them realizing it than with a game of Cranium. This board game is played by having to complete different activities from spelling, drawing, memory games, and even sculpting with clay. It encourages creativity and healthy competition, and also brings a whole heap of fun.
Become a Star Gazer
Summertime is a great time for star gazing. Depending on your location, you can see some beautiful constellations and in some places even planets. Star Gazing guides can be printed from Skymaps.com and tailored to your hemisphere. Google “stargazing clubs” and you can usually find a group in your area that would be happy to teach you the tricks of star gazing. Don’t buy yourself a telescope right away. Joining a stargazing club is the best way for you to learn about the sky and figure out what equipment you need to success.
A Winter Garden
Entertain your dirt-loving teenager with an indoor garden. Various herb and flower kits are available at most discount and lawn and garden stores. And in late winter or early spring, you can even let start seeds for a summer garden. Seeds begin to show up in stores in late winter or you can order them online.
There are many activities you can consider when entertaining your teens indoors, and this list is just a few of them!
