There is no denying that we all want to spend more quality time with our children. Day-to-day life can be stressful and chaotic. Sometimes it’s hard to find the time to kick back and enjoy being a family. When your son was a little boy, it was easy to think of things to do together but that gets harder as they grow up. On top of all that, you may be working more hours now that your kids are older. You might not have so much time for mother and teenage son activities.
Yet the teen years can be a special time as your watch your sons grow into young adults. Spending time together in a fun way can help to create a special bond between you both. So whether it’s movie nights, a family dinner or even sharing some household chores, try to spend time with your teen every day. This helps to open the lines of communication between you both and encourage a good relationship going forward.
When it comes to mother and son activities, moms can often find themselves wondering what to do with teenage boys so that they enjoy themselves as well as their son.
I’ve been there and I’ve got your back! I’ve come up with some inspirational ideas so that whatever your likes and dislikes, you are sure to find at least one activity you can embrace together. The best part? There is no technology needed. This means there are no distractions by social media, no reason for your mind to wander, and you can genuinely enjoy fun things together with your teen boys.
So how about…
Volunteering in the local community or with a charity
A great activity to do with your teen son would be to volunteer locally or with a local charity. This might be helping out at your local animal shelter or a local food bank. It might be working closely with a charity and volunteering at fundraising events. This can be a great thing to do together as not only can it be perfect bonding time, but it also helps you to feel grateful and more appreciative for the things that you have in your life. Once you start, it might become something you do regularly. Winter and Christmas time especially can be times when local communities and charities really need you the most. Your son might even pick up a new skill – practical skills such as event planning, small business skills or social skills.
Take part in a charity event
Maybe you want to take the charity thing one step further and actually get involved in a charity event. This might be a sponsored walk or run, or a specific challenge that you have to face together. Treks in other countries, high peak challenges, or even things like sponsored bakes or cooking. There are so many ways to get involved with already organized charity events. Not only are you raising funds for a vital cause but they can also be very rewarding.
Road Trip
A road trip is a great idea and the perfect mother and son activity. You can spend time talking in the car, playing road trip games and planning your route. You can each make decisions and suggestions on where to stop and sightseeing. It can be a great way to see the country you live in and enjoy some memorable experiences along the way. In the car, there are times when you are together with little eye contact. It may be that your son finds this the best way to talk to you.
Heading to an amusement park or theme park
Amusement parks or theme parks are such a great mom and son activity to enjoy. Most amusements and theme parks are aimed at older children, and this means that you can enjoy some of the more adrenalin-fuelled rides together. You can easily spend the whole day mooching around the park, enjoying the fun activities on offer.
Cooking favorite foods together
If you want to enjoy something at home together then why not use the quality time together as a chance to teach vital life skills? All young men should be able to cook for themselves.
Cooking is often something that we are taught by our parents. Cooking together is the perfect chance for you to share your signature recipes and help your teenage son learn some basic kitchen skills.
It will certainly prove worthwhile in the future and once you have finished cooking you can enjoy a lovely meal together.
Baking
Similarly baking with your teenage son can also be a lot of fun and help them to learn some basic skills. Some people prefer baking over cooking as it can be more methodical and scientific. Thus, you you may find your teenage son enjoys baking more than cooking or vice versa.
Let them find new recipes as well as make family favorites. With baking, you know what ingredients have been used, unlike junk food which can be laden with additives. Try this strawberry spoon cake recipe – it’s yummy!
Board games
Sometimes you can’t beat good old-fashioned fun and making time to play board games can be just that. Setting at the table, getting a board game out, and playing it can bring back a lot of nostalgia for you and can be the perfect relaxing mother and teenage son activity. Board games are great and while you can stick with some of the classic and vintage options that are so well-known there are a number of new releases that you may want to try.
If you’re looking for something a bit different, try a legacy game. These games change each time you play them as they build on the previous game with additional pieces or changes to the game board. You could make this a regular thing with a weekly family games night.
Complete a jigsaw puzzle
Sitting down with a good puzzle and working on piecing it together in the living room can be relaxing. Getting one of the larger puzzles that has a good amount of pieces with it will take time, but can be an activity that you come back to and enjoy as and when you want.
Working on a puzzle helps the teenage brain in a big way. It improves connections between brain cells, helps mental speed and is an effective way to boost short-term memory. Doing puzzles increase the production of dopamine. This natural chemical that regulates memory, mood, and concentration which is good news for parents of teens.
Card games
When you are away from home, you could also play card games. Sitting around the table and playing games like Uno or Exploding Kittens could be a lot of fun. I would steer clear of card games that might encourage gambling even if you are just playing for fun.
Sporting Events
If your teenage son is a fan of a particular sport or follows a team or individual, then you may want to enjoy attending a sports event together. This could be a local event where you enjoy watching a game or a game where a particular team is playing.
You could also consider taking part in a sport together such as swimming at your local pool, archery or horseback riding.
Why not appoint your teen as your ‘personal trainer’ and challenge them to get you into shape!?
Sports really do bring people together and are a great mother and teenage son activity that you can enjoy bonding over.
Attending a comedy show or theatre show
One of the easiest ways to value a mother-son relationship is through a shared passion for theatre, dance or comedy shows. Watching a show together means you have a neutral topic to discuss over a shared ice cream in the interval.
Plus, you can spend quality time together without the need to talk for hours on end. It’s a great option if your son is more minimal when it comes to chatting. You can still both have a great time and relax in each other’s company without the expectation of keeping the conversation flowing.
Watch a concert
You may both like a particular artist or band, or perhaps you enjoy a certain genre of music like classical or jazz, then why not watch a concert together?
This is definitely one of those moments where you don’t want to use technology but, instead, be ‘in the moment’. Let your son pick the artist and go along with their choice. What better way to let them introduce you to new things?
Taking part in an amateur theatre production or concert
Have you thought about taking part in a theatre production or concert together? You could also try acting in a play, taking part in a comedy sketch, or even attending open mic events. You could even apply for a TV games show as a mother and son team!
This is a lovely mother and teenage son activity to consider as not only do you have the main event, but also the pleasure of practice and rehearsals together.
Starting a new hobby
Why not start a new hobby together? You can enjoy each other’s company whilst helping each other learn a new skill. Try outdoor pursuits such as rock climbing, orienteering or geocaching. Learn to master a craft including painting by numbers, macrame or gardening. You could even try a new hobby every few months until you find something that you both enjoy together.
Joining a choir
A choir is a great activity to do together. You can enjoy singing together with a local choir that may put on concerts in local churches or at local events.
There are different kinds of choirs including gospel choirs, rock choirs and even show choirs, in which the members sing and dance, a bit like musicals.
Choir singing isn’t for everyone, but if your teenage son is passionate about it, then it is definitely something that you could both enjoy together.
Heading for a bike ride
There is nothing quite like jumping on your bike and heading out for a bike ride on a nice warm day. This is definitely a mother and teenage son activity that you know you will both be able to get on board with.
If you can’t ride a bike, get your son to teach you and vice versa.
At the weekends you could load the car up and head to new places to ride bikes. You could even travel to a new city and hire bikes when you get there.
Not keen on bikes? Find out if you can hire a Segway instead. No screens, no gaming, just good fun outside with each other and doing something a little different.
Building a lego kit
Lego is definitely one of those relaxing activities that you can enjoy together. Some people are not fans of lego kits, and we certainly have more patience for them as we get older. But if your son has always been a fan, then getting a lego kit and setting it out on the table can be a wonderful mother and teenage son activity to enjoy. Perfect if the weather isn’t so great but you want something that you can do together.
However, lego can be costly so look for pre-loved kits on eBay and in thrift stores or ask friends if you can swap sets once you have completed them.
Escape room
Escape rooms are one of my favorite places to spend an afternoon. This can be one of the easiest activities to organize and enjoy with your teenage son. They will instantly engage with the clues and want to solve the mystery.
You can enjoy trying to figure out how to escape and can also get competitive as you try and beat your times each time you attend one.
Sometimes, you need a team, though, so this is a great choice for the whole family or you could even join up with another family. You can also recreate an escape room at home. There are kits you can buy online that can help you do this. So you could set a challenge to each set one up for each other and try and beat the time. I love the kits by Lock Paper Scissors as they are so simple to set up yet great fun to play.
Planetarium
If your son has an interest in space, then you may want to visit a planetarium. They are sometimes linked to a science museum. These are perfect if you are looking for something that is very specific and especially if your son is interested in space and astronomy.
Planetariums usually change their exhibits and shows, so you might find that you can visit one a few times a year and never get bored of it.
Keep an eye on astronomy events that might be happening such as meteor showers or an eclipse then find out more at the planetarium, Space museums are equally cool if you have one near you.
Heading to the zoo
When your son was younger, did he like a petting zoo? He might now be interested in visiting a larger zoo with bigger animals. It can be a wonderful day or afternoon out and a lovely way to spend some quality time together. Animals can actually be very calming, and it can be amazing to sit and watch them in their habitats.
Zoos also do different experiences where you can book and pay to feed the animals or even become a zoo keeper for the day. If you both love animals then this could be a great activity to enjoy with your teenage son.
Laser tag
You can’t beat laser tag and the adrenaline rush you will get will ensure you both have a good time. Have fun either being on the same team or on opposing teams and getting competitive. You can also hire out laser tag venues for exclusive use.
You could get together with other parents and their sons and make it one big friendship group event. If it is the first time you have played laser tag, you could ask your son for some winning tips before you go.
Yard sale or thrift store shopping
If you enjoy heading to yard sales, boot sales, or thrift stores, try taking your teen son along. Once they start seeking out a bargain or finding vintage items, they will be hooked!
You could turn it into a hobby as you try and find something that you can flip and sell for a profit. Perhaps set yourself a spending limit each and see what you can get for it.
Or you might want to use the time to buy things that you can donate to families who might need them. It isn’t about finding things for yourself, although that can be just as much fun.
Ghost hunt
A ghost hunt might be something that is well worth looking into. You can do organized events where you tour haunted locations and learn about the history of the place.
You could attend ghost events where spooky things happen, or even head to haunted areas yourself and just explore.
It depends on what thrill-seeking levels you have but this could be a great activity to embrace with your teenage son, especially if they are into things that are paranormal.
Geocaching
There is no doubt about it when you are looking for mother and teenage son activities to enjoy getting outside can often be one of the best things that you can do.
Geocaching is a fun activity that you can both embrace. In most cases, you can simply download an app and it will show you locations where geocaches have been hidden. Often you need to solve the clues to find them. They will have logs in them where you can record the time you found it. You can leave things as well if you wanted to.
Some are a series of geocaches that guide you on a circular walk. Others are just a little more random. It is certainly a fun activity and one that you can do anywhere. As long as you have the app, you can find the locations which are in most cities and rural locations all around the world. To get them interested, tell your teen that geocaching is essentially the same as Pokemon go!
Heading to the beach
A great thing to do on a warm and dry day is to head to the beach. It is a fun activity that you can do together and can be as relaxing or as active as you want it to be. You can utilize the time and enjoy the surroundings.
Paddle in the sea or go for a full-on swim. You could explore rockpools or play frisbee on the beach. The beach is such a great day out and not one reserved for just younger children or families. Families with older children can have just as much fun at the beach and for a mom, it can be seen as more relaxing.
Explore a different town or city
Maybe you like the idea of exploring a different town or city. Get your son to pick a location and then drive or use public transport to get there. It can add to the day by jumping on a train or bus and give you a more relaxing time frame without the hassle of driving and finding somewhere to park. In the town or city, you could enjoy historical walks or sightsee different places.
Go to a museum
A museum is a great activity you can do with your teenage son. Especially if there are exhibits that you know they will love. Heading to a museum with older children is just as interesting as it can be with younger ones. When they are older they are more intrigued by what they are looking at and experiencing. They can be educated a little more and enjoy the areas that you might like too.
Visit an Art Gallery
Finally, an art gallery can also be a great mother and teenage son activity to embrace. As your children get older they may start to appreciate different art. They might be learning about different artists and art styles, so heading to art galleries can be a lot more interesting than they may have been when they are younger. Art galleries can be local or you can head into the city to see some of the bigger displays and exhibits that will be available to view.
You could even pick an ultra-modern art exhibition and then discuss it afterward to see if you share the same views!
I hope that this has given you lots to think about when looking for mother and teenage son activities that you know you will both enjoy. Let me know which one you are going to try first.
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