At-Home Family Activities for Tweens and Teens

Bond as a family without even leaving the house.

When your family is spending time at home, how do you connect with your tweens and teens? Sometimes, they rather spend time alone in their room but they are never too old to have family bonding time! Here are some fun at-home activities that even your tweens and teens will love.

Host a family game night

Why not make family game night a little more interesting by making it a tournament that can stretch out for weeks? The first person who wins 5 games can get a special prize. Here are some of our favorites to play with tween and teens: MonopolyApples to ApplesCatan and Taboo.

Find even more game options in our board game and classic game roundups.

Learn a TikTok dance

We already know that our older kids are already obsessed with the latest app, TikTok. It’s where dances like “Renegade” and “Blinding Lights” are becoming viral. Why not learn one of the dances with along them?

Sure, you might get a few eye rolls … but you all will still get a good laugh from it.

Start a book club

If you have passionate readers in your family, organize a book club. You can read the same book they’re reading for English or find a book to pair with a movie night.

Most importantly, find a book that the whole family will enjoy and be willing to discuss as soon as they’re done reading. 

Set up an obstacle course

Your tweens and teens can definitely get into some obstacle course fun. All you need are a few materials like painter’s tape, jump ropes and light weights for the challenges. Plus, you can join in to complete your daily exercise. 

Organize a themed dinner party

We all need to loosen up, so consider mixing up your normal dinner plans with a theme. You can focus on the food like “Breakfast for Dinner” or “Chinese ‘Takeout’ at Home.”

What about getting your family to dress up for a theme? They can take out their dresses and suits for a “Fancy Dinner” or have them get creative by dressing up like a Disney character. 

Make a time capsule

Those teenage years can be tough, but we know that one day we’ll look back and miss them. Why not put together a time capsule that the whole family can contribute to?

Add in photos, notes and other things you do as a family. Don’t open it for years, or better yet, save it for your grandchildren!

Work out as a family

Exercise makes us feel good, and there’s no question that it’s great for our bodies, too. Share those feel good endorphins by trying these free online workouts that the whole family can do in the living room. 

Don’t forget to add in some yoga and meditation to help with everyone’s well-being. 

Binge watch a show or movies together

Is there a show or movie series you all been wanting to watch? Now’s the time! Pop some popcorn and see what’s streaming.

Some of our picks to watch with tweens and teens include: “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (Netflix), “Onward”(Disney+), “Stranger Things” (Netflix) and “Black-ish” (Hulu)

Do a puzzle

While you’re watching your new favorite TV show or movie, add in some puzzle time. It’s a brain workout for the entire family. Don’t have a puzzle at home? We suggest shopping local to help a small business during this challenging time. 

Give back

It’s important to practice gratitude as a family. Think of ways you can give back as a family. It can be as simple as ordering takeout from a family-owned business or making some rainbow art to hang up for your neighbors. 

Play a video game

Kids don’t have be the only ones to play video games all day long. Ask them if you can play along their favorite games with them.

Here are some fun video games everyone can play: Mario KartHeads Up!Rocket League and Super Mario Party

Create a cooking or baking challenge

If your kids are obsessed with Food Network’s “Baking Championship” series or “Chopped”, then recreate some friendly competition at home.

Challenge the family to make dinner together and assign one dish for each member to make. If you’re craving sweets, bake a cake together but have the kids decorate it in a certain theme.  

Plant a garden

For those craving some fresh air, rearrange your garden with some new flowers or a few herbs. Kids can give you a hand. You can also build an indoor garden if you prefer to stay inside — we know spring in the Midwest can be a bit chilly! 

Go out on a walk (but make it fun).

It can be challenging to entice your older kids to go for a walk when they’re bored of the same daily scenery. Make family walks a bit more exciting by bringing a ball to throw around while walking, or do 10 squats for every block walked. “I Spy” is also a game that never gets old.

Host an craft night

Turn your home into an art studio and get crafty! There are countless options for getting creative with your tweens and teens. Print out some free coloring pages and use your favorite colored pencils, crayons or markers. Many local libraries offer take-home crafting kits for teens. If you really want to explore your artistic sides together, order a DIY craft kit and make everything from jewelry and mosaics to clay and resin art. 

Create a vision board

Vision boards are a fun project for all ages. Use photos, magazine clippings and other craft materials to create a board that represents your accomplishments, dreams and goals. Once the project is complete, take turn presenting your boards. Not only is this a fun, individualized craft, but you’ll learn a lot from hearing your tweens and teens explain their dreams for the future and the young adults they dream of becoming. 


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