Help your tweens and teens zero in on their skills, learn something new, or even find ways to make money. These boredom busters will help your kids find something they love and will actually have fun doing. Buh bye, screens!
Teens can turn into total tv or phone zombies when they're bored. (Ummm let's be honest, we all can turn into those zombies!) They don't have anything to do? *Click* The tv is on. *Whistle* Now they're on their phone doing who knows what. When and how will this end?!
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Help them out and give them some options to unplug. These boredom busters for tweens and teens are a great way to refocus them. Help them find something else that gets them moving, gets them thinking, or gets them doing. Honestly, these ideas are great for the whole family!
INTELLECTUAL BOREDOM BUSTERS
Get those brains going! Teens are so smart, whether they want to acknowledge that or not. Help them out by encouraging them to let some of their creativity come out on paper.
- Write a Book – Have a teen with a large imagination? Have them write a book!
- Play an Instrument – YouTube has lots of videos to teach your teen how to play an instrument. There are also some great music apps they can use for at-home lessons.
- Write a Comic Book – Have a teen who loves to draw? Have them create a comic book!
- Make a Stop Motion Film – If your teen has a lot of patience, then find some tutorials on YouTube and have them go to town making a stop motion film.
- Write Poetry – Let their creativity flow by writing poetry. Take it a step further by having a family poetry night where everybody reads their poems. Snaps all around when each person is done reading!
- Write a Song – Have a songwriting contest! Either give everybody the same topic to write about or pick a genre.
- Learn a New Language – Whether they're already learning this language in school or it's brand new to them, let them pick a language that they want to learn and get crackin'.
- Read a Book – You can't go wrong with this boredom buster! Have them find a new book to read, or re-read an old series. Harry Potter, anyone?
- Give Music Lessons to Younger Kids – Have a teen who can rock out on the guitar or piano? Have them turn their skills into a way to make some extra money! They can give lessons to younger kids who are wanting to learn. They could also teach their younger siblings (for free, of course!).
- Serve Younger Siblings – It's always great to see the sibling bond develop, especially if there's an age gap between the two. Have your tween or teen take them time to focus on their younger siblings. Help them with their homework, teach them how to play a game, just focus on them and talk about their day. They'll be so grateful for the stronger bond that this creates!
Those sound so nice! Who else wants to do those alongside their teens?
HEAD TO THE KITCHEN
These may or may not be our favorite boredom busters! They're a great way to connect with your teens while you're having fun together and also teaching them some important skills in the kitchen.
- Learn How to Cook – Have a teen who loves to eat? It's time for them to learn how to cook! Get in the kitchen with them get them prepared for the real world.
- Get Baking – Pretty much every teen loves chocolate chip cookies and cake, so have them make some goodies for the whole family!
- Chopped, Home Edition – Has your family ever watched the show Chopped? Have your own challenge at home! Give them a few ingredients they have to use and let them create a masterpiece.
- Bake Bread – You can never have too much bread at home! Teach them how to bake bread and they'll never have to worry about being able to find some at the store again.
- Meal Plan for the Week – Is your teen on the pickier side of life when it comes to eating? Let them look over your kitchen inventory list and have them plan your meals for the week.
- Meal Prep Lunches – Do your teens take sandwiches to school? Have them prep their sandwiches ahead of time to make school mornings less stressful!
- Plant a Window Garden – If your teen has a green thumb, have them plant a window garden with fresh herbs for you to use in the kitchen.
- Have a Bake Sale – For those teens who love to bake, have them host a bake sale! They can keep a portion of the profits and donate the rest to their charity of choice.
Do you already do some of that with your teens? If not, you totally should!
GET ARTS AND CRAFTSY
Here are some great boredom busters for a rainy day when they're stuck inside and need something to do. You an even do it together as a family and make some great memories!
- Draw a Picture – Grab a sketchbook and pencils and have them go to town! If they don't know how to draw, YouTube is full of great resources. Just make sure you supervise any time on the tube!
- Adult Coloring Books – If they love to color but want a bit more of a challenge, get them an adult coloring book and some colored pencils and have them go to town. It's really therapeutic!
- Paint – Pull up Bob Ross on Netflix and have them paint “happy little trees.” They'll learn how to paint while also getting some positivity in their life.
- Learn Calligraphy – Have a teen who is really into calligraphy? Get them a hand lettering book or pull up videos on YouTube.
- Learn How to Knit – Knitting is so fun! They can also learn how to crochet or sew if that's more up their alley. Regardless if you have a son or daughter, it's always important for them to learn how to sew a button on a shirt.
- Make Jewelry – This is a fun one! It really allows their creativity to come out and they end up with some pretty jewelry to wear when they're done. They could also sell their jewelry to their friends at school.
- Build Something – Get some wood and nails and let them build something with their hands. You can find lots of free blueprints online for different projects.
- Make a Scrapbook – Let them make a digital scrapbook online like a Chatbook. You could also let them go old school and create a physical scrapbook. Cute paper, pictures, and stickers can go a long way!
Does that bring you back to when you were younger?
BOREDOM BUSTERS TO GET PHYSICAL
Nobody likes a couch potato! Get them off that couch or out of bed so they can get moving.
- Make an Obstacle Course – Do they love the show American Ninja Warrior? Have them make their own obstacle course, then see how quickly they can go through it.
- Play Sports – Have a basketball hoop or volleyball net outside? Get them playing! If you don't have anything at your house, then go to a local park.
- Choreograph a Music Video – This is always a fun one! Have them practice and then record the video for you to watch together.
- Play Ultimate Frisbee – This is such a fun activity! Grab a frisbee and play together as a family or have them get some friends together. They can play in your backyard or at a local park.
- Get Active – Have a teen who needs to get moving to get some energy out? They can play Just Dance on Xbox, do yoga, go for a run, lift weights, or workout at home to really get moving.
- Play Croquet – Introduce your teens to this fun game and they'll love it!
- Become a Referee – Have a teen who's passionate about sports and can't get enough? Refereeing is a great way for them to get more of that sport and also get paid!
So fun, right? Those boredom busters are some great ways to exert some energy and will help them to stay active and healthy.
OTHER BOREDOM BUSTERS
Alright, on to the last group of fun ideas for your teens!
- Play Games – Cards and board games are always great boredom busters for tweens and teens.
- Learn a New Hairstyle – Teach your daughter how to curl her hair herself, or how to fix it a certain way. YouTube has great videos for this!
- Do a Puzzle – Puzzles are so fun and they take so much concentration! Let them choose a new puzzle to work on. 3D puzzles are really fun and are so cool once they're put together!
- Make a Bucket List – Have your teen start thinking about their life and what they want to do with it. A bucket list is a great way for them to come up with some goals, whether they're for now or in the future!
- Create with Legos – You know you still have some Legos stashed away somewhere! Let your teen get creative with them and see what they can build.
- Organize and Clean the Bedroom – When was the last time your teen went through their bedroom and got rid of things they no longer needed? Have them do some major cleaning and organizing and donate the unused items to your local shelter. Just make sure you look through anything they're donating first. You don't want them to get rid of a favorite lovey they'll want back one day!
- Redecorate Their Room – Once they clean and organize, let them redecorate! Have them come up with a new paint color, or help them switch out their decor to match their new tastes.
- Make Some Money – Teens are notorious for always needing money. Have them come up with a plan to get a job and make some money! A lemonade stand, selling unused items, lawn care, dog walker or groomer, and detailing cars are all great ideas.
Whew, there you have it! Over 30 fun boredom busters for your tweens and teens that will get them off their phones, away from the tv, and doing things they love to do. Would you add anything to the list? Let us know in the comments!
Looking for more great ideas?
- Have younger kids who are stuck at home and need some new ideas? Then you're in luck, these indoor activities are sure to keep them entertained!
- Looking for a Sunday dinner that the whole family will love? Then you've got to try out our favorite ham dinner!
- We've got some cheap birthday party ideas for your next bash!
Enjoy some screen-free fun with your teens!
cool thanks so much for this website
Thanks I’ll try some of these.