11 Ideas How to Spend Quality Time with Family

I love hanging out with my kids. Especially now that they are teenagers. But there is always this question, how to spend quality time with family. They rather are hanging out with their friends or doing their own thing. I get that, and it’s only natural. So we need to make the best of the time we have with them as long as they still are living under our roofs.

We don’t just want to Uber them around. We want to do fun things with our teens, am I right? I read in an article that when you spend more time with your teens “they develop better social skills and have higher self-esteem”. Isn’t that what we want for them? All Pro Dad said teenagers “love to laugh, play, experience adventure, and be heard”

Spending quality time with family

So let’s see what we can do as a family to spend quality time together with our teens.

1. Play board games

Usually, there is a lot of laughter involved here. My kids love to play board games and it’s a way to get a bit competitive too. Plus I don’t have to let them win anymore!

2. Talk to them

Sit down together and talk about things they wanna talk about. Let them lead the conversation. And really listen to what they have to say. They have their own opinions now. By listening, you really get to know your teen.

3. Go hiking or take a walk

My oldest loves to go for walks together. It’s an excellent bonding activity since you are busy and the phones stay in your pockets. You get out, you are together, and you are exercising. What more do you want?

4. Movie-night

You could go to the movie theater or just stay home and make it cozy. Provide for snacks and beverages and let them choose the movie. Make it a movie marathon. A while ago we saw all of the Potter films together. If you prefer reading books before you watch the movies, here’s a list of all the Harry Potter books in order to get you started, provided by my good friend Becki.

5. Go to a concert together

This could be a little tricky to do with the whole family. Usually, teens have their own music preference, so it would be better to do this as a one-on-one activity. But when the whole family likes the same music, going to a concert together will be a blast!

6. Go out for a burger or ice cream

You don’t always have to go out to dinner to have a good time. A simple burger or eating ice cream is often enough time for your teen to get involved in some family time.

7. Visit a museum

Let your teens pick out a cool museum or planetarium. An art museum or aquarium. We visited a great aquarium once in the UK and a Nature Museum in the Netherlands. When they pick out the museum themselves, chances are they are more involved in the experience.

8. Go bowling

This is always a fun activity you can do with the whole family. It already starts with the funny shoes you get to wear. Cheer each other on to get those strikes and have fun with the bowling balls rolling down the gutter.

9. Project time

What is more fun than building something together? It could be a home decor item or together painting their room.  What about making a silhouette with this step by step guide by my friend Andrea?

10. Baking goodies

I love the smell of cookies in the oven. Or a nice carrot cake. Yum yum!! Baking goodies is also a great way to spend quality time with your teenager.

11. Learn something new

Whether you teach your teen a skill you already have or you learn it together, it’s always fun to learning something new and be proud of yourself. I taught my youngest how to sew and she made herself a skirt and bag, among other items. She was proud of herself and so was I.

Another fun idea

You can even spend an evening or afternoon together, filling an idea jar with fun things to do with teenagers. Write on little notes ideas from all members of the family and once it’s time to pick out an activity, draw one from the jar. Oh, and agree to participate, all of you, without whining about it. 

Whatever you do it doesn’t really matter, right? As long as you do it together and having fun.

Hope you have a lot of fun together!

Other posts you might like to read:

• Family Goals – Why They’re Important & How to Set Them
• 17 Fun Activities for Your Bored Teenagers to Enjoy
• 5 (+10 extra) Date Ideas for You and Your Husband