Things to do for teens

Chances are at this age your teen is far more likely to pay attention to their favourite celebrity or influencer than they are to listen to you! But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. From making their own smoothies to writing songs, recording their own make up tutorials to reviewing games, there are lots of creative activities they could try, inspired by online influencers. Without being pushy, ask them about what they’re looking at online and see if there’s anything you can do to encourage their interests.

If your teen is complaining about being both bored and skint, why not challenge them to come up with their own business idea? From dog walking to car washing, there are plenty of ways they could put their skills to good use, and make some money on the side. Get them to think about their interests and how this could translate into a business. Are they very tech savvy? They could help less technically-minded people make the most of their phones to keep in touch with their families and friends. Can they draw, bake, knit, sew or make jewellery? They could try selling their goods to friends and neighbours. They can design their own posters and flyers to advertise their services locally or even build their own website – the possibilities are endless!
 

Your teen is probably already learning a second language at school. With amazing apps like Duolingo available for free on your mobile device, this could be something you do together. You could even turn it into a competition, to see who can get through the most levels. Let’s be honest, you probably won’t be fluent before your next summer holiday, but you may have picked up a new phrase or two.

Okay, so maybe they’re not a master chef, but why not suggest that your teenager tests their skills with a little bit of home cooking? It doesn’t have to be anything fancy – here are some easy recipes to get you started. They’re more likely to enjoy this if you make them responsible for the whole meal, so let them choose the recipe, buy the ingredients and make the dishes without hovering over them too much. 

If they’re a picky eater, this may help them explore new foods and flavours. If they don’t like eating together as a family, this could encourage them to be more sociable – so make sure you’re complimentary about their cooking! 

You could even turn it into a competition, each family member taking turns to cook and the others scoring the results. Not only is this a great opportunity for your teen to learn a few new tricks, it also means they can get the dinner started while you get that last little bit of work done.
 

Doing something to help other people is a great way for teens to get out, make new friends and feel better about themselves. For example, they could take time to phone a lonely neighbour or family member, or even donate blood. You could suggest they check out the volunteering opportunities on the Volunteer Scotland website and see if anything interests them.

If it’s wet and miserable outside, how about persuading them to have a clear out? Not the most exciting activity admittedly, but the thought of making some money may encourage them to give this a go. Ask them to sort through their old toys, books, tech equipment and clothes and divide them into piles – keep, sell, donate to charity, recycle. For more on reusing and recycling, check out the tips on the Zero Waste Scotland website.

If they suddenly find themselves with nothing to do, how about revisiting an old hobby that they haven’t had time for recently? If they used to enjoy drawing or painting, why not dig out their sketchbooks and give it another go? Did they used to make or paint models, or play an instrument? Now could be a great time to start up again. It’s not about going back to things they’ve grown out of, but revisiting skills that will stay with them forever.

Lots of teens think they ‘can’t draw’ or that paint and crayons are for kids. But everyone can express themselves through art if they give it a go. Even if your teen has never shown an interest in art before, having a go at sketching, painting, model making or any other arty hobby will give them a new way of communicating that could help them if they’re struggling at the moment. There’s no need to buy expensive art supplies – they could start by doodling with a pencil or biro. 

If drawing something from scratch sees too daunting, how about colouring in? Focusing on colour and pattern can be relaxing and mindful, perfect if they’re feeling anxious or stressed. There are lots of adult colouring books available, as well as free downloadable designs, so no need for them to start with Disney characters!  

Maybe not the most exciting idea, but if your teen can’t get out as much as they’d like, reading a book can take them anywhere they can imagine! If they’re reluctant to pick up or download a book, you could suggest they revisit an author they used to like. Some children’s authors, like JK Rowling and Judy Blume also write for adults, so this could be one way in. They could also get inspiration at the Scottish Book Trust website, which lists books for teens and adults, including graphic novels and poetry.

If reading’s really not their thing, how about encouraging them to download an audiobook or podcast? With podcasts available on every topic under the sun – current events, drama, video games, music and much, much more – there’s bound to be something that interests them. The BBC’s free podcasts and TedX talks are a good place to start. And – top tip – listening to a podcast makes exercise, tidying their room, doing the washing up and many other things they don’t much like doing a lot more fun!

Here’s one you can try together – get your teen to pick a film and then settle down for a movie night, complete with low lighting, popcorn and no phones! If you’re not keen on their choice of movie, don’t ask them to pick something else: give it a go and then discuss it afterwards. What do they like about it? How could the story have turned out differently? Maybe they’ll let you pick next time – perhaps you could introduce them to a classic movie you love? Or you could set yourself a challenge of watching every film that’s won Best Picture at the Oscars, starting with this year and working your way back to 1927!  

If your teen has ever expressed an interest in learning an instrument, now could be the time to try. Many music teachers are giving lessons via Zoom, and you can also access online tutorials to get started. Or how about downloading the music studio app Garageband? 

Ever wondered what makes Wallace and Gromit come to life? The answer is stop motion animation – and all your teen needs to make their own stop motion movie is a phone, some free software like the Stop Motion Studio app and something to film. This could be their own drawings, plasticine models, Lego figures or any other objects they can lay their hands on. This YouTube video explains how to get started. National Galleries Scotland also has some good resources here.

Your kids may already be learning how to code at school, but there are lots of online resources out there to help them learn more in a fun way that won’t feel like school. CodeAcademy and Code.org offer free tutorials, including how to code your own Minecraft game or dance party, while Code Monkey offers a free trial. They could also check out Arduino – projects to try include making a 3D scanner, games and a robot!

If your teen’s into problem solving then they’ll love Brilliant, which offers fun, challenging maths, science and computer science problems that will really get them thinking.

While your teen may not be super excited at the thought of spending an afternoon in a museum, you could remind them that these spaces are indoors, warm and often free! You never know, they might even find something interesting there. Check out MuseumCrush to see what's on near you.

There are also lots of amazing attractions around the world that have opened their doors to the public virtually. This means your teen can travel to some of the world’s most famous locations without leaving the house.

• Watch the animals at Edinburgh Zoo via their webcams.
• Check in on the penguins and sea otters at the Vancouver Aquarium.
• Meet flamingos, macaques and meerkats at Paignton Zoo.
• Aim for the stars with a tour of NASA's Glenn Research Centre.
• Take a trip to Paris and visit the Louvre.
• Smithsonian in America.
• Virtually visit museums and landmarks around the world through Google’s Arts & Culture website.

Okay, not really! But online strategy games can encourage critical thinking and forward planning, and if they play them collaboratively, they can also boost communication skills and teamwork – win win! So if your teen loves online gaming, this could be for them. 

Like teenagers themselves, their bedrooms can sometimes be a strange mix of child and adult, with toys, tech, make up, clothes and sports gear lying around all over the place (and let’s not even think about what’s lurking under the bed!) Now could be a good time to encourage them to redecorate, choosing a new paint colour (or colours!) and rethinking how the room is laid out and how they store things. Showing them you trust them to redecorate (and maybe even put up a shelf or two) will encourage them to flex their DIY skills and take pride in their new room.

If your teen is struggling, it might help them to write down their feelings in a journal – or on the back of an envelope, it doesn’t really matter where! If that sounds too touchy-feely for them, how about giving them a writing prompt, for example:

• If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why? What would you do with it?
• Write about a famous person you admire.
• Pretend we’re living in 2050 – what would you tell someone in their teens about life in the 2020s?
• Start writing with ‘I wish I could…’

Budding writers can find more tips on the Scottish Book Trust website, including ideas for getting into fan fiction.