Okay, here is my sharing about indoor activities for teens:
So, I’ve got these teens at home, right? And they’re always glued to their phones or complaining about being bored. I was pulling my hair out trying to figure out how to keep them entertained indoors, especially on those rainy days or when it’s just too hot to go outside. Then it hit me – why not try a bunch of different stuff and see what sticks? Here’s what I did:
First Round: Creative Stuff
First off, I gathered some art supplies – you know, paper, markers, colored pencils, and some old comic books we had lying around. I figured, maybe they’d want to draw or create their own comics. I laid everything out on the kitchen table and just left it there. No pressure, just an option.
- Result: My youngest actually got into drawing some pretty cool fantasy characters. The older one, not so much – he flipped through the comics but then went back to his phone.
Second Round: Movie Making
Next, I remembered reading something about kids making their own movies or plays. I thought, “Why not?” I told them they could use their phones to film whatever they wanted. I even offered to help write a script if they wanted. They seemed interested, at least at first.
- Result: They started brainstorming ideas, and for a while, it looked like they were going to make a short horror film. They even started writing a script and planned out some scenes. But then they got sidetracked arguing about who would direct and who would be the main star, and the whole thing fizzled out.
Third Round: Scary Movie Night
Okay, this one was a bit of a wild card. I suggested a “scream-a-thon” – basically, a sleepover with scary movies. I picked out a few classics, made some popcorn, and set up the living room with blankets and pillows.
- Result: This was the biggest hit! They invited a couple of friends over, and they all had a blast. They screamed, they laughed, they jumped – it was great to see them having so much fun. They were talking about it for days after.
What I Learned
So, after all this, what did I learn? Well, first, not everything is going to work. Some things will be a total flop, and that’s okay. Second, sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. A scary movie night might not seem like much, but it ended up being the most fun they had. And finally, it’s all about giving them options and letting them choose what they want to do. No pressure, just fun. After this experience I will try more things in the future, such as playing musical instruments. I will keep you all posted.
