THINGS TO DO WITH TEENAGE GRANDCHILDREN

INTRODUCTION

How wonderful, you have just received the exciting news that your teenage grandchildren will be spending a couple of days with you. But your mind starts racing and panic starts to strike because you feel that finding things to do with teenage grandchildren will be difficult, if not impossible but you do realize that it will require a little bit of work on your part.

It is so much easier to come up with ideas when your grandchildren are young, playful and are eager to learn which makes it easy to keep them entertained while they are visiting you but when they are teenagers it becomes a little more difficult to keep them interested and willing to participate in certain activities because they feel that they are all grown up and there is no need for them to do or learn anything.

You know that teenagers are funny in that way, that if they do not enjoy their stay at their grandparents and find it boring then next time when you or their parents would like them to come over and visit, they will fight and argue with everything they have not to visit and of cause you love your teenage grandchildren with all your heart and it is the last thing you want for them is to dread staying a couple days with you.

We all know that some teenagers are easier to communicate with than others and if you have a difficult teenage grandchild, the best thing to do is to come up with a plan for while they visit to work and build your relationship up with them by showing that you care and that you are there to listen to them even if they are unwilling to share but if you keep working at gaining their confidence, they will come around and start to enjoy spending time with you.

What you need to do is sit back, relax and do not worry because if you have been a part of your grandchildren’s lives which most grandparents have in some way or other then all it takes is for you to think a little about each teenage grandchild about who they are as people, what their interests are, what sports they like to play or other activities that they take part in at school.

But do remember they are teenagers and with teenagers, things change very quickly sometimes on a daily basis, the things that they liked yesterday could not be the same things that they will like tomorrow.

From their interests and the activities they take part in alone, you should be able to come up with a couple of ideas of things you could do together and if you are unsure then give them a call and ask them what would they like to do when they come and visit. They will appreciate the fact that you are asking for their input and may come up with some ideas of their own.

If they were not much help to you and the only response you received was “I don’t know”, then your next best thing is to turn to your local newspaper or search the internet as there are plenty of websites out there that can help with things to do. You can find activities that are free or inexpensive in your area.

From these ideas, make a list and when your teenage grandchildren arrive, let them take turns to choose what they would like to do each day.

It is also a great idea to make the list up with a variety of shorter activities and include meals out which could be a picnic basket for while you are out or if you are close to food courts then a pizza which always goes down very well. Then give them some downtime to relax which they would probably use to check in on their social media accounts.

Here are some ideas for you to put down on your list depending on your budget, the area you live in and your mobility abilities.

Things to do with teenage grandchildren

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THEME PARKS

Most teenage grandchildren love to go to theme parks as it is always the most popular choice, especially if you have one close to your house and obviously if you can afford to take them there.

MINIATURE GOLF

Miniature golf is one of the “golden oldies” that has been loved by many past generations from young to old. Many teenagers still love to have some fun with a round of miniature golf.

BOWLING AT THE BOWLING ALLEY

Children and adults always have a lot of fun with loads of laughs especially when they have a little competition on the go between them.

HISTORICAL SITES & MUSEUMS

Visiting historical sites and museums can be interesting and a lot of fun too if your teenage grandchildren enjoy seeing things that they have never seen before and are interested in learning a little history.

INTRODUCE THEM TO SOME GREAT CRAFTS

If you have fun with your own hobbies like painting, pottery or creating your own teddy bears there are now stores available where you can take your teenage grandchildren to learn to do these things.

SEARCH FOR EVENTS IN YOUR AREA

Find events that they would enjoy watching like dance challenges, battle of the bands, or theatre performances.

SWIMMING

If the weather is great and your teenage grandchildren love to swim and you do not have a swimming pool of your own, then find a local pool in your area to take them to.

SPORTING EVENTS

Taking your teenage grandchildren to a sporting event of their favorite sport, if you have any in your area, it would be a great idea, it could even be an event at a local sports club or local colleges that may be playing at the time of their visit.

HAVE A DAY TO TEACH THEM TO COOK OR BAKE

It does not matter if you have teenage girls or boys it is always a good and valuable lesson for them to learn a few cooking or baking tips. After all some of the world’s top chefs are male.

GAMES USING THEIR SMARTPHONE

Teenagers are known for their love of their phones spending all their time on them by either talking to friends, texting, taking selfies or catching up on social media. This photo scavenger hunt type game enables them to take photos of certain objects from a list of objects or words that you provide for them with a prize to be won if they manage to find all the items on the list would definitely grab their interest.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Your teenage grandchildren may love to explore nature while being outdoors and would enjoy doing things like hiking, camping or going for long walks through a nearby nature trail or wooded area.

PLAY BOARD GAMES, CARDS OR BUILD PUZZLE

When the weather is bad or for some other reason you need to stay indoors then playing boards games, cards or working together on a large jigsaw puzzle with many pieces would be a great way to spend some quality fun time in each other’s company.

MOST TEENAGERS LOVE TO SHOP

If you can afford it give each teenage grandchild a certain amount of money and take them to the mall and tell them to go find themselves some bargains of things they like in a certain amount of time, then meet them at a food court and have some fun seeing what they managed to find.

BRING OUT THE BABY PHOTOS OF THEIR MOM OR DAD

Teenage girls especially love to look at baby photos of their mom or dad and hear naughty or funny stories about what they were like as a child. A lot of kids find it difficult to imagine their parents as a kid and seeing photos and hearing stories about them make it fun and interesting for them.

Sometimes it can be difficult for grandparents to come up with things to do with their teenage grandchildren. They land up putting so much unnecessary pressure on themselves by trying to stay connected to them that they find themselves asking questions like will they be bored with the activity? Will they refuse to participate in the activity because they think that it is too juvenile for them?

Grandparents and grandchildren form a special bond with each other by spending time together, doing activities together that their teenage grandchildren have chosen themselves to do which then relaxes them to feel emotionally connected and safe that they can trust their grandparents with anything. Grandchildren are then more likely to open up to grandparents and discuss problems they may be having but find it tough to talk to their parents about.

A plan for Things to do with teenage grandchildren that are more difficult to communicate with

If you are looking to build, connect and strengthen the bond you have with your teenage grandchildren

then here are a few things you can do:

Listen to your teenage grandchildren. When teenagers open up to you and want to talk, just sit and listen to them without giving any advice until they are done talking then you can discuss what they have told you and try and help find a solution.Don’t criticize or judge them. Teenagers are under enough pressure with their peers and parents about the friends they hang out with, their appearances by the way they may dress, their hairstyle, makeup and piercings if they have any. Try to keep your opinions to yourself for their sake.Relate to them. Tell them about similar experiences you have had in your own life. This will help them feel that they are not alone and are not the only one with a certain problem.Try learning something about their world. Take an interest in one or two things about what they like to do for example a book they enjoy reading, get a copy of a book and read it then once done you can sit and discuss it with themDo not take part in parent bashing. If they come to you and start venting about their parents, just listen to them but do not add to their complaint and only once they have calmed down you can give them a positive response about good things about their parents and how much they love them.Keep your grandchildren’s secrets. Your grandchild has built up the courage to confide in you so do not destroy your relationship them by being a snitch and passing it on to their parents unless it is a serious matter involving health or safety. Let your grandchildren know that they can trust you and that you will keep the information they have shared with you confidential.Show an interest in their education as well as their extracurricular activities. Ask your teenage grandchildren about the classes they are taking and talk to them about their future plans for what they are interested in doing after high school or college and if you are fortunate enough to live close to your grandchildren, you can attend their extracurricular activities events.Let your teenage grandchildren help you. They may not show it but they enjoy helping you with things around the house like cooking meals, making desserts, running errands at the store for you because it makes them feel useful and appreciated.
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Finding things to do with your teenage grandchildren does not have to be stressful as you make it out to be even for those teenage grandchildren that are more difficult to communicate with. The main thing to remember is open your heart and be there for your grandchildren when they need you, find ways to communicate with them by talking to them, laughing with them and just enjoying your time together by while getting to know each other and building long lasting memories. Relax and Enjoy Them.

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