6 Actionable Tips on How to Have More Fun With Your Teenager

As teenagers begin to transition into adulthood, they become less interested in spending time with their families. They prefer to be surrounded by their friends and find little interest in partaking in family activities. While it is developmentally normal for teenagers to create and live their little world as they start to gain independence, you must invest some time and energy into maintaining a healthy relationship with your teenager. The best way to do this is by spending quality time with them regardless of the obstacles that may make it challenging. 

Let's look at a list of six engaging activities to do with your teenager to give them some quality time, all while having endless amounts of fun.

Encouraging your teen to volunteer with you at an organization that aligns with their interests and hobbies is an excellent way to give your teen a sense of accomplishment, teach them valuable life lessons and make a difference in lives, all while having an enjoyable time. 

There are plenty of opportunities to indulge in community service that are rewarding and fun. For example, if your teen is fond of animals, you may consider volunteering at the local animal shelter to look after abandoned animals in need of care and attention. Likewise, if they are passionate about becoming a doctor or a nurse, you can find many opportunities in hospitals and skilled nursing centers to assist with various duties.

Host a family game night at your place every weekend to have some fun together and give everyone a much-needed break from excessive screen time that impairs physical and mental health. 

Board games make for a great bonding experience. They can transform a dull night into long periods of fun. There are many incredible family board games that can not only yield hours of entertainment and keep your teenager occupied but also boost their brainpower, knowledge, and critical thinking skills. 

Scrabble and Monopoly are popular board games that provide an excellent way to spend some quality time with your loved ones with educational benefits that are hard to ignore.

If your teen is an adrenaline junkie, then there is little that can rival the fun of a large amusement park. With character meet and greets, entertaining shows, and above all, thrilling rides, a day out at a theme park is lots of fun and makes for a memorable experience for everyone.

Wherever you live, there will be one within driving distance. Get out there with your teen and have a blast by getting on the roller coaster and other thrilling rides and experience that stomach drop feeling. You will not forget these priceless moments and cherish them for a long time to come with your teenager.

Teach your teenager some valuable skills to unlock new avenues for creativity and help them in their future life. You can join hands in the kitchen and start experimenting with some simple, healthy recipes each week, learn how to sew, paint together, or perhaps try a hand at gardening. All these activities can help spark and foster their creative thinking and keep you both learning.

Besides, with an abundance of online resources at your disposal, you can seize the opportunity to teach your teenager a couple of new languages and some in-demand skills like learning to code in their free time.

While your teenager probably likes traditional team sports like baseball, basketball, football, or soccer, you can take things to the next level by indulging in some intense and thrilling extreme sports. 

Perhaps, one of the fastest-growing adventure sports is paintball, which has soared in popularity in recent years. As mentioned at Paintball 4 All, paintball has been around for more than half a century now. Millions of people spanning over 100 countries play the game today for the excitement and thrill it offers.

Paintball provides a healthy dose of adrenaline and adventure. As you run around the woods, hide behind inflatable bunkers, and shoot at each other, the intense game is not only fun and exciting to play but brings out your teens' competitive side and offers great exercise for the body.

Attending concerts with your teenager will allow them to see some of their favorite bands play live and make their dream come true. While you may not be the most hardcore U2 fan or can not name a single song by Coldplay, but for your teen, getting a chance to see their favorite artists in the flesh will surely be an experience they never forget. 

Music is a great therapy for the mind and soul. Going to concerts and music festivals is a great bonding experience that creates lifelong memories for you and your teenager.

It is not easy to please teenagers. They are at a stage trying to fit in with their peers and slowly and steadily drifting away from you and the family life. With a concentrated effort, they may end up in bad company, which is the last thing a parent would want. Accordingly, focus on spending more quality time with them in a way that makes them want to be around you too. Fortunately, there are tons of bonding activities you can indulge in with them to stave off boredom and have an enjoyable time.