5 fun activities to bond with your teens

It can sometimes be hard to connect with your teens. However, a shared activity that will pass the ‘cool test’, and that they really enjoy, can make all the difference. Here’s a list of 5 fun activities to bond with your teens; we hope they inspire you to plan some fun this autumn.

1. Escape room

In case you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard about the sensation that is escape rooms, they’re games in which players find clues and solve puzzles to complete tasks to escape the room (or rooms) in a set amount of time. The goal is to escape! They’re hugely popular for a reason – they’re incredibly fun for all ages, and are intellectually stimulating in the best way (in other words, they’re not seen as “nerdy”, but fun and exciting).

A top activity for families and parents to do with teenagers and a brilliant way to encourage everyone to listen and work as a team. Check out reviews and round ups of the best venues, such as Time Out’s list of the best escape rooms in London. And don’t be put off by the fact that the first question that comes up in the “People also ask” box of a Google search on ‘escape room’ is “has anyone died in an escape room” ??

2. Movie night

But a proper one… Not just getting whichever members of the family are around and watching something that nobody’s that bothered about. Set a proper date in the calendar. Order some great food – takeaway, some proper pick’n’mix or other sweet treats, popcorn, and so on – and pre-select the film or films. It’s a good idea to rent a new movie to make it extra special. If you choose together, your teen/s will love the night, and it’s great family bonding time.  A relatively cheap option, too – bonus!

3. Campfire night

They might be past the age where camping in the garden seems like an amazing idea (or possibly not!), but a campfire night goes down brilliantly for any age group. Get some fun snacks that you can roast on the fire – a quick Google will show you that there’s plenty more than just marshmallows. Maybe think of some fun games (20 Questions, Would you Rather and 2 Truths 1 Lie would all work well). Or get everyone to contribute to a playlist.

Some teens might be a bit grumpy about this at first, but something about the outdoors and the campfire smokes just makes it all so much fun than usual. Another cheaper option, and one that could be a brilliant bonding moment.

4. Theme park

Unlike when they’re little, they’re actually tall enough to go on the rides without problems! Theme parks are literally designed to be fun for all ages, so why not take advantage of it? Time in the queues mean that you can chat away, too. You might get them to open up a bit more about their lives than they would do at home at the dinner table…

5. Go out to eat somewhere unique

“Unique” is the important word here. Restaurants are always a treat, but if you can find somewhere particularly cool to go, the experience will do all the work for you. Great for making memories, having conversations, and general bonding. Who wouldn’t want to eat in a treehouse, experience edible cinema or eat in the dark?!

It might be more expensive than other options. But it’s totally worth it for the fact that your teens will be just as excited to go as you are!

So there you have it – 5 fun activities to bond with your teens. And if you’re looking for more ideas, check out our previous post on outdoor activities to do with your teens.

Leave us a comment to let us know what you think or to suggest some additions to the list.

Louise & Anna x