7 Activities to Connect with Your Teenager

Are you looking for ways to connect with your teenager? Organize these activities and enjoy quality family time together.

What are the best activity programs to connect with your teenager? Those that everyone can enjoy without feeling invaded or rejected.

If you’re living the “teenage experience” with your children, you know that they need their space and their time of privacy. This doesn’t mean that you should completely disengage, but quite the opposite. You should use your ingenuity and think of different strategies in order to be always present.

Here are some suggestions for entertaining plans that you can plan in order to connect with your teenager. You’ll find options for all tastes and preferences. Take note!

Plans to connect with your teenager: Family outings

Getting out of the house is a good opportunity to connect and take advantage of the neutral and relaxed terrain, such as the following suggestions.

1. Go see a movie and dine out

This plan is a classic that can start with a family meeting to choose which movie to see at the theater.

Let your children make their choice, respect it, and accompany them with real interest. Later, when you go to dinner at a place agreed upon by all of you, discuss the movie, give them your opinion, and ask them for theirs.

2. Organize a cultural outing

When children reach adolescence, they’re already more familiar with cultural issues and many have defined tastes about them.

If your children love music, accompany them to a concert to listen to their favorite singer or band. And if they like art, a trip to a museum will be great. There are also options for those who prefer science or technology, such as fairs or exhibits.

In any case, these are activities to connect with your teen that will allow you to spend time together, while learning more about their tastes and preferences.

3. Plan a day in nature

The great outdoors offers endless opportunities for outdoor activities and sports that teens will love. Especially if they’re fond of adventure.

Some of the outdoor plans most chosen by young people are the following:

• Climbing
• Rafting
• Horseback riding
• Camping
• Cycling on nature trails
• Going to a park with rides and attractions, such as challenge courses

4. Going to an amusement park

We all have an inner child, and that’s why going to an amusement or theme park is a fun alternative at any age.

Ask your child what kind of attractions they prefer and organize this family outing to spend some quality time together.

Plans at home: Connecting through everyday things

Staying at home is another alternative. And the best part? You can schedule some of the following activities to connect with your teen in just a few minutes.

5. Prepare and share a meal

When adolescence arrives, schedules to meet as a family become more complicated. That’s why it’s good to take advantage of lunch or dinner and transform it into a special time to share.

Ask your teenagers to help you prepare the meal or make it themselves and sit down together to enjoy it. Also, work as a team to clean up!

This activity creates a great connection, encourages fun conversations, and produces a calm and relaxed atmosphere that encourages the exchange of ideas, opinions, and projects.

6. Share routines

It’s a good idea to resume some of the routines that gave your teenagers peace of mind and security when they were young. For example, saying goodnight, reading together, or talking for a while before going to bed.

Maybe they no longer let you tuck them in, but a kiss or a caress on their back is a gesture of affection and company that they value and also need.

7. Take advantage of everyday activities

Each day, you can transform everyday activities into an opportunity to connect with your teenager.

These moments are invaluable and can occur in situations as casual as walking the dog, driving to school, gardening, or training together.

Activities to connect with your teenager: How to encourage communication?

The plans we’ve shared are great, but keep in mind that they alone won’t produce a smooth connection. You also need to facilitate the communication process with teenagers, and for that, we recommend the following:

• Show attention, availability, and interest.
• Express yourself with respect and don’t minimize their emotions or feelings.
• Accept their opinions, dreams, and ideas.
• Understand how they are and accept them as they are, despite your own wishes.
• Support them unconditionally.
• Teach them to disagree with criteria.
• Offer them support in the face of their outbursts and negative emotions.

The secret is to make teens feel that you’ll be there when they need you and that they can count on you, both to solve problems and to have a fantastic time on a family outing.