Is Your Teen Bored With You? We Have Ideas

Teens grow fast, and their interests change just as quickly. What used to bring joy — family walks, board games, weekends together — may now feel boring or not their thing.

But the need for closeness doesn’t disappear. It just changes shape. Instead of hugs, it shows up in shared activities, conversations, and common interests.

Here are ideas that can help you feel like a team again.

How to Choose the Right Activity

Your best guide is your teen’s interests. What can they talk about for hours? What movies or shows do they watch? What music do they listen to? What do they discuss with friends?

You might be surprised to find common ground — maybe a favorite band, a game, or a new anime show you can watch together.

It’s important that you are genuinely interested too. Teens are very sensitive to fake enthusiasm. If an adult is bored, they notice it right away.

Research shows that shared family activities strengthen trust and help teens feel heard and understood. When parents and teens do something together, even something simple like a walk or a movie night, tension and conflict tend to decrease, and the feeling of “we’re in this together” grows stronger.
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Experts also note that regular shared activities create an atmosphere of support and open communication. This is the foundation of trust during the teenage years.

If it feels like you don’t have anything in common yet, try looking for it together. Sometimes that’s exactly how a new family tradition begins.

Things to Do With Your Teen

Now let’s get practical. Here are some ideas you can try together to have fun and reconnect.

Active Fun

Scooters, rollerblades, skateboards, climbing gyms, or go-karting — choose what fits your family best.

If you want something less usual, try fencing or even axe throwing at a sports club.

Many cities have skate parks, sports centers, and indoor arenas where you can rent equipment and try something new without a big commitment.

Unusual Museums

You don’t have to go to a classic art gallery. Look for something more unexpected — a retro arcade museum, a comic book museum, a vintage car collection, or an interactive science space with experiments and Tesla shows.

Some museums also offer workshops and talks. These can be interesting for both teens and adults.

Movie Screenings

Movies aren’t only shown in big theaters. Screenings often happen in museums, libraries, or even coffee shops. This is a great way to watch a favorite anime or a cult director’s films on a big screen.

Following local venues on social media makes it easier to spot events. You can choose together where to go.

Creative Activities

If your teen enjoys creativity, try making a mosaic, creating a collage from magazines, or signing up for a workshop — clay modeling, photography, or jewelry making.

Doing something with your hands often makes conversations flow more naturally.

Video Games Together

Talk with your teen about what they’d like to try — exploring a world together, completing quests, or a friendly competition.

You can start with games like It Takes Two, Human: Fall Flat, Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance, or Split Fiction.

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There’s also a classic option many parents remember from childhood: one person plays, the other watches, comments, and helps make decisions. This works especially well in story-driven games and gives you something to discuss, like a favorite book or TV show.

References

• 50 Fun Things To Do With Your Teenager, Parents, 2025
• Strengthening Family Bonds: A Systematic Review of Global Evidence on Family Cohesion, MDPI Social Sciences, 2024
• Staying connected with pre-teens and teenagers, Raising Children Network, 2023
• Associations between Family Routines, Family Relationships, and Children’s Behavior, Journal of Child and Family Studies, 2023
• 11 tips for communicating with your teen, UNICEF