Tired of Screens? Try These Teen-Friendly Hobbies

Phones are a big part of teenage life, and it’s normal for parents to wonder if all that screen time is affecting their studies, sleep, mood, and social life.

Studies have shown that teenagers who are truly passionate about something beyond their screens are more likely to:

• Experience less anxiety and depression, even if they’re active on social media
• Manage their emotions better and maintain a steady sense of self-worth
• Feel less lonely when they have a space where they feel confident and engaged

We’ve collected a few hobby ideas that might inspire your teen and become an alternative to endless scrolling.

🎧 Music

Whether it be guitar, drums, DJing, or making tracks in BandLab, FL Studio or GarageBand, music is a way to express emotions, release tension, and feel grounded.

Even without the goal of becoming a star, music builds focus, memory, and imagination, and teaches patience and perseverance.

🎥 Video and Editing

Making stories by editing a reel or short clip is a way for teenagers to share their emotions, viewpoints, and what matters most to them.

Video work teaches planning, attention to detail, and creative thinking. Most importantly, teens create, not just consume content from others.

📸 Mobile Photography

Chasing light, playing with angles, and editing pictures all help develop appreciation, attentiveness, and curiosity.

Photography is a skill that can teach your teen to notice beauty in everyday things and offers a quiet way for them to reflect and keep memories.

🎮 Game Design

Platforms like Roblox Studio, Scratch, or even Unity turn gamers into creators of whole new worlds.

It’s logic, creativity, and storytelling all-in-one. Designing games helps with planning and problem-solving, and brings joy from building something from scratch.

🎲 Board and Role-Playing Games

Many teens love games where they can argue, strategize, or improvise. Mafia and Dungeons & Dragons, and classics like Carcassonne or Catan are great options for teenagers.

Tournaments like Magic: The Gathering or even poker build logic, math skills, and flexible thinking.

🧗‍♀️ Active Sports and Movement

Climbing, parkour, BMX-riding, dancing, skating, rollerblading—all of these help release tension and reconnect teenagers with their bodies. Sports boost energy levels, instill confidence, and give teens a sense of “I’m getting stronger.”

🎨 Art: Traditional and Digital

Drawing in Procreate, creating comics, illustrations, or animation gives teens a way to express their feelings without words.

It’s a safe space where they can make mistakes, explore, and simply be themselves with no judgment, just freedom and creativity.

How to Support Your Teen in Finding Their Thing

True interest doesn’t appear on demand—it needs time and space to develop.

To become a real source of strength, a hobby has to feel supported, not forced.

Here are some tips to help your teen find a hobby they enjoy:

• Let them try out different activities without pressure or expectations.
• Don’t dismiss their interests, even the weirdest-sounding hobbies.
• Offer support with materials, time, and space.
• Talk honestly and without judgment. A great place to start is by expressing curiosity with questions like “Is there anything new you’d like to try?” or “What brings you joy?”

A hobby isn’t just for fun. When a teen has something they love to do, it can become a foundation of inner strength and confidence—the kind that helps them deal with change and challenges for a lifetime.

References:

• Teen mental health and social media, UNICEF, 2024
• Digital Media Use and Adolescents’ Mental Health During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Frontiers in Public Health, 2022
• Digital media: Promoting healthy screen use in school-aged children and adolescents, Paediatrics & Child Health, 2019