TEENS: RESTLESS
Ideas to help teens manage social distancing
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- For juniors, suggest they check out virtual tours of colleges,and visit Kahn Academy for some SAT prep.
- For seniors, have them make a slideshow of photos to play at the graduation partythat WILL happen some day in the future.
- Let them pick where to order take-out from.
- Remind them how much they used to enjoy playing an instrument, then put out that guitar, ukulele, flute, or book of piano music.
- Put out a set of oil or watercolor paints, and text them a link to a free online painting lesson.
- Put out a couple of yoga mats and invite them to join you for an engaging online yoga class.
- Invite them on a hike or a walk, or encourage them to meet friends for one (at a safe distance.)
- Teach them how to cook a favorite meal. If lacking inspiration, follow a chef online.
- Ask them to bake something with you, or on their own, if they would prefer.
- Ask them to pick a film and plan a movie night.
- Suggest a series to binge-watch together, or ask them to pick one.
- Find a really interesting documentary and invite them to join you.
- Invite them to family board game night.
- Ask them if they’d like help organizing, cleaning out, or rearranging their bedroom.
- Suggest they separate out clothes they no longer wear, and prep them for donation.
- Offer them opportunities to do housework or yardwork and earn money.
- Loan them a good camera and suggest they go outside and do some nature photography.
- Suggest they use YouTube to learn a new hobby.
- Have them pick out a comedian they like, or suggest one, and watch a stand-up act.
- Ask them to learn a new way to braid hair, with a sibling, or with you as the guinea pig.
- Suggest they put on their favorite playlist and take a bubble bath, suggest a deep conditioning and face mask to go with the bath.
- Invite them to an afternoon of spa treatments. Give each other manicures, pedicures, foot rubs, and facials.
- Start an intricate puzzle and ask them to help work on it.
- Suggest an engaging novel to read.
- See if they are interested in making a family tree.
- Suggest they make a bucket list of all the things they’d like to do together as a family before they move out.