The long summer school holidays can feel never-ending—for both teens and their parents. Without the structure of school, it’s easy for boredom to set in, especially when screens become the default entertainment. But keeping teens engaged doesn’t have to be a challenge. In this post, I’ve rounded up a variety of teenage activities that are fun, safe, and help maintain a sense of purpose and wellbeing. Whether your teen loves being active, getting creative, or trying something new, these ideas are designed to keep them busy and happy throughout the summer break.
Teenage Activities to Beat Summer Boredom
In my role as a parenting expert I have been talking to the media about the summer holidays and how parents are managing to work from home at the same time. but this is primarily centered around primary school children and those even younger. Little thought has been given to managing hormonal teenagers during the summer break and the pressure that this is placing on households.
Raising teenagers is hard at the best of times, raising them during a pandemic is hard emotionally and educationally. They are not shielded from the news like younger children and therefore they are dealing with the constant news and fake news that adults are exposed to and it can impact on their wellbeing.
I have collated a huge list of teenage activities they could be doing over the summer to help both their emotional and physical wellbeing.
Physical Wellbeing Activities for Teenagers
Physical exercise is really important for releasing those happy hormones and the feel-good endorphins that keep us happy. To maintain energy and nutrient levels it’s crucial to use multivitamins suitable for teens. My eldest is a first-team hockey player, used to training most days of the week and she can usually be found in sportswear and in a gym. Therefore daily exercise is important to her wellbeing.
There are lots of online gym and fitness classes offering teenage activities if you search. We are still doing our (1) Iron Zuu workouts and keeping up our membership for this unique group training. (2) There are plenty of free online fitness sessions look at Les Mills for HIIT workouts and anything else you can think of this are suitable for teenage activities. (3) Start couch to 5K, runners have come in for a bit of negative press if they are running close to people, so go in the evenings and stick to open spaces where possible. (4) My 16-year-old has started using weights at home and is quite enjoying this new type of training.
Make sure your teen is getting some fresh air by (5) going for a walk, get them to take the dog for you, our dog has never been walked so much in her life! Another option is going for a bike ride (6). Not sure this counts as a sport but we have got a new dart board and my teens are playing together. So far my wall hasn’t taken too much of a hammering! (7) Most teens are on Tik Tok and the dancing counts as exercise and is actually quite entertaining!
There is also plenty they can help to do around the house. (8) Fences need painting, get your teen helping. Everyone is decluttering, teenagers can help send them into the (9) garage or attic to help sort things out.
Incentivize them by telling them you’ll (10) sell what you can on Facebook or eBay and share the profit. My son bought some second-hand trainers locally just before lockdown for £7, he cleaned them up and sold them for £35! That is a great entrepreneurial spirit that I am willing to support!
Teenage Activities: Learn Something New
I spotted a tweet that if you don’t leave lockdown with a new skill then you have wasted an opportunity. I’m not sure I fully agree, as suriving every day feels like an achievement and accomplishment right now but I get the sentiment. I have taken the time to brush up on some skills so I am sure your teenagers can too.
(11) Learn how to cook a few hearty family meals, this will help prepare you for university or leaving home, knowing how to cook a chilli is always useful. If baking isn’t their bag then look at (12) free first aid courses that are available online. Being able to save someone’s life is pretty impressive and when dealing with drunk friends, some basic first aid, like the recovery position, is beneficial.
My 20-year-old and I are planning to sign up to do a (13) two-hour calligraphy workshop, the material will be sent to us. I have always wanted to be able to write beautifully for cards etc.
We are enjoying (14) board games both old and new, they have great value too as encourage problem-solving and critical thinking. Our favourites currently include Cluedo and Pictionary. My lovely friend Donna is enjoying (15) card games with her teenage daughter and wrote a post titled card games for everyday
If you work from home, especially if self employed is there anything your teenager can help you with. Maybe they can look after your (16) social media channels for you.
Now is the time to pull together as a family too, I had tasked both teenagers with (17) helping their ten-year-old sister who has work set from school and needs educating and entertaining. It is boring for her if it is just me, so we have all taken a turn.
Teaching Your Teenagers Life Skills
While your teenagers have time (18) write or update a CV, especially if they plan to look for a summer job after all this. Both of mine will need summer jobs as neither will be going back to sixth form or Uni until Sept, yet they will want money.
If your teen is (19) planning to go to university or college in the next few years start researching courses and what the entry requirements are, it varies massively depending on which university they are interested in. This can also be a good motivator for (20) doing some school work. Preparing a personal statement takes time so use these tips to get a head start.
There are also a whole host of (21) distance learning courses that can be done in their own time. Check out my recent post Why Now is a Great Opportunity for Distance Learning
When my daughter started university, not only did I get calls about cooking, I had phone calls and texts asking how to wash her clothes without ruining them, now is the time to learn ( 22) how to use a washing machine and what setting to put an iron on for looking after their favourite designer clothes ( 23). Now is the time to nail these essential teenage activities that help them prepare for adulthood.
Learn about (24) banking, I have always said that financial literacy is not well taught at schools. Now is the time to sort out (25) student bank accounts, or switch their accounts about to online banking. I wish I had understood how ISA’s and investments worked from a younger age.
If your teen has spare money in their current account, ( 26) task them with finding better returns and looking at their options. Mine like premium bonds as they have the chance of ‘winning money’. My 16-year-old can now take charge of his ( 27) child trust fund so he is sorting that out too. Many people have forgotten all about these and your 16-year-old could have £1000 waiting for them! Read this for more information on tracing your account.
Our eldest has had a go at painting a geometric wall art in her bedroom. Plus Dylan has now mastered the BBQ!
Emotional Wellbeing & Supporting Teenagers
We are in the middle of a crisis right now and our teens, like us, will be feeling it. Keeping busy undoubtedly helps as does the exercise I have mentions. However, it doesn’t detract from the fear and anxiety many of us are feeling. I am a pretty grounded person but have had wobbles where I’ve cried and need to take stock. I am worried about friends and family, those that might get ill, those that work on the frontline and those I have lost contact with but am suddenly thinking of.
Our teens will be the same so (28) keep talking to them. Ask how their day is, we might be living in each other’s pockets but we don’t know what is going on in their head.
Journalling (29) or keeping a diary is a great way to let out your emotions. It will also be amazing to look back on in the future when grandkids ask what it was like when schools and society shut down to deal with Covid 19. For some teenagers too many empty pages is overwhelming, so have a look at the (30) teenage self-help book, Be Happy Be You by Becky Goddard Hill it is full of ideas and practical solutions.
I am late to (31) podcasts but now love listening to them, either for some escapism or for learning new things. I wrote a post on podcasts I recommend for teenagers. There are plenty to choose from and people like Fearne Cotton have great well-being chats.
If you need to chill, get making some (32) homemade bath bombs or lavender soap which will have you relaxed within minutes. Set up a home spa, we are all missing our beauty treatments, so do your nails or something as self-care is still important and often makes us feel better.
Talk to friends, my teens have had (33) online quizzes with friends and this is a great way to stay connected with those who matter to you. You can use free printables including my scattergories quiz or make your own.
Finally the Teen calm box is a subscription box designed to encourage self-care, lift spirits, build confidence, and bring a rainbow of colour to your teen’s life. This makes for a wonderful treat at this time.
This huge list for Keeping Teens Busy, Safe and Happy During Lockdown is just the start, you know your teenagers best please use this time with them in mind too, they need you just as much as younger children. I will keep adding to this list and please share it widely with those caring and parenting teenagers in this time of crisis. If we scratch the surface we will be able to find teenage activities that are purposeful.
2 Responses
Thank you so much for all the tips I have 3 teenagers at times it’s been challenging( .I’m also a single mum ) I try take time with each my kids so we can talk about anything so hoping through this troubled time s they will learn s new skill also rreflexon this time as being a positive one .
Thank you again a great post for teenagers Likily we have made a gym in garden, played board games, did some garden. Cooking , fixed broken things , had a sortout ,,watched movies , my next task is teaching them to put washing on , iron own clothes as a great life sill ,