Things to do with teenagers at home
that they’ll actually join.

The things to do with teenagers at home that work best are short, optional and partly chosen by them: cooking a dinner they pick, a game with quick rounds, a project side by side, or something they teach you. Offer two or three options, agree on a time limit and let them say no to any one of them.

1. Let them choose the format.

Instead of announcing an activity, offer a short menu: “Cards for half an hour, or cook tacos together, or pick a movie?” A choice gives your teen some control over the evening, and a clear end time makes it easier to agree. Our guide to family night ideas with teens explains why a hard stopping point helps.

2. Side-by-side ideas.

Many teens find it easier to talk while their hands are busy than across a table. These ideas keep the focus on the task:

• Cook a dinner they choose: they pick the recipe or format, you shop for it, and you cook together. If younger siblings are around, turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
• A project: repot a plant, fix a bike, assemble furniture or reorganize a shelf.
• A puzzle or a build: a jigsaw on the table that anyone can add to over a few days.

3. Ideas they can lead.

• Teach me something: a game, an app, a song, a trick or a recipe they know better than you.
• Quiz night: they write the questions about their own interests; the adults try to keep up.
• Their-pick movie night: they choose the film and the snacks, with no commentary from you.
• Playlist or room makeover: they control the music, or rearrange a shared space their way.

4. Free ideas with nothing to buy.

Most of the ideas above cost nothing. Others that need only what is already at home: looking through old family photos and videos, cooking from the pantry (our guide to dinner from what you already have shows how), a card game, or a short living-room workout one of you leads.

5. Keep it short and optional.

Agree on a time, honor it, and let them go back to their own plans afterward without guilt. Skip school questions during the activity. If one idea lands, repeat it next week rather than finding something new; a small ritual is easier to keep than a big plan.

Questions parents ask

What are some good games for teenagers?

Games with short rounds and simple rules tend to work best: card games, cooperative board games, word games and party games that take 15 to 30 minutes. See our guide to board game night with teens for how to choose.

What should a teenager do when bored at home?

Offer a short list rather than a lecture: something to make, something to learn, something to fix and something to play. Let them pick, and accept that some days they will want time alone.

How do I get my teen to spend time with the family?

Make it short, specific and partly their choice. A 30-minute card game they picked is more likely to happen than an open-ended “family night.”

Plan one evening

Choose the time you have and the kind of activity, and the family night planner suggests a short, low-pressure plan.

Short, specific and their choice: that is how most teen time together starts.