So, we’ve reached an unprecedented moment in our lifetime where we find ourselves having to opt for self-containing and staying indoors because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Millions of children and teens are out of school indefinitely to limit social contact that contributes to the spreading of the virus. Families are spending more time together indoors as a way of quarantining from the outside world.
It’s all about survival.
While it may not be the way any of us planned to spend the next several weeks, it is time to try to change a negative into a positive as much as possible. I am sharing 36 Indoor Activities for Teens During a Quarantine to encourage you to get creative while trying to make this difficult crisis as enjoyable as we can for our teens, who are going through an array of emotions right now.
Here’s my list:
1. Write letters to elderly in nursing homes
This may be one of the most important things you can do for your community while in your home. Sit down with your teen(s) and write letters to the elderly and those who are in nursing homes, unable to see their families or loved ones due to the virus.
This can help the elderly feel less isolated and will make their day.
2. Start a family book reading club
My daughter and I started a book club last year, taking turns selecting books to read together. Choose a book that you can order via iBook or Kindle and have a select amount of chapters to read each day. Then sit down together and discuss the daily chapter selections.
3. Play board games
Family game night has never been more important. Break out the Scrabble board, or Monopoly, or opt to play Uno or another card game.
4. Disney + and Chill
Frozen 2 is now on Disney +, alongside an array of films and programming that will delight your oldest and youngest children. Hulu, Netflix, and Amazon Prime are great options, too!
5. Question of the Day
Encourage each family member to create a question of the day, and have fun during mealtimes answering them.
6. Cook together
Get your teen involved in the daily meal prep by cooking with them. They make great sous chefs! For kid-friendly recipes and meal inspiration, click 8 Kid Friendly Meal Ideas for When Stuck in the House.
7. Dance party
Did you grow up during the disco era? Why not bust some moves with your teen, showing then that you can shake your groove thing just as well as they can.
8. Email family members
Create a family email address and send electronic greetings daily, allowing your teen to communicate with other family members.
9. Take a virtual trip or tour
Google Earth and the internet are a great way to see some world! Select a faraway destination and go online and share a virtual trip together. The possibilities are endless. Virtual field trips count, too!
10. Storytime
Take turns building a story. You can start if off, then have your teen continue the story alongside other family members. It can be fun seeing how the next “scene” or chapter turns out.
[ Listen to my latest podcast, Parenting Through Covid-19 ]
11. Share non-Coronavirus news and info
Make it a point to share news and information daily that is not about the pandemic.
12. Get active
Make sure that while you are binge-watching movies and TV shows that you get active and moving. Try to workout as a family while indoors (jumping jacks, jogging in place, lifting small weights, etc.)
Give incentives for the teen who has the most steps.
13. Unplug Hour
Have your teens unplug for at least one hour a day. No TV, computer, phone, gadget, etc. Use this as a reading or learning time.
14. Eat as a family
Make it a point to eat together everyday as a family.
15. Photo a Day
Take a photo of your teen each day as a reminder later as to how they survived Covid-19.
16. Indoor planting kit
Indoor planting kits are all the rage these days, and you can plant flowers, herbs, and even some veggies in the comfort of your own home. It’s a great way to teach your teen about homesteading and growing their own items.
17. Journal
Give your teen a journal for them to write down their thoughts and feelings while being indoors.
18. Word a Day
Pick an obscure word a day and have them learn the meaning. Take turns picking out the word.
19. Make a weekly menu
Allow your teen to help you come up with the weekly menu. Let them think up with dishes that they can also help you prepare.
20. Paint away
Got paper and paint? Have a painting hour together, using YouTube painting tutorials.
21. Arts and crafts
Speaking of painting, how about coming up with some group arts and crafts that you and your teens can do together.
22. Spa day
Grab some beauty essentials from around the house and have a glorified spa day.
23. Assign homework
If your teen’s school hasn’t assigned classwork to be done at home, use an online curriculum to assign homework so that they are continuing to learn while at home.
24. Create a family mission statement
Have your teen develop a family mission statement that expresses the values your family represent.
25. FaceTime friends and family
Encourage your teen to be active socially, even if it has to be done virtually.
26. Chore list
Chores for teens during a quarantine? Uh, YES!
27. Family newsletter
Wanna let your extended family know how you and your brood are doing? Create a family newsletter and assign your teen to be the editor. Have them use Canva to create it, then send it to friends and family via email.
28. Chat in real life
Have discussions with your teen daily. Keep the lines of communication open, always, but especially during these times.
29. Wish list
Have your teen write out a Wish List of activities they want to enjoy once life gets back to normal.
30. Coloring Books
Adult coloring books and help with anxiety and stress. Order a few online for you and your teen, and spend time daily coloring.
31. Tea time
Why not enjoy High Tea a few times a week?
32. Talent show
Your teens have talent—so do you! Have fun putting on a family talent show.
33. Podcasts
Sit together and listen to podcasts, Let your teen pick a few to listen to, and then you can select a few as well.
34. Family history
How about chatting about the family tree while sharing family history?
35. Play instruments
Practice makes perfect. Encourage your teen to continue playing their instruments.
36. Go live
Have some fun interacting with the outside world by going live on Facebook or Instagram. Show ’em what your quarantined life looks like.
There you have it! 36 Indoor Activities for Teens During a Quarantine. Hunker down, but make sure to make the most out of it.
All fabulous ideas! I really like the idea about taking pics of my teen during this time. Thanks for putting together…sharing!
Thank you! We’ve been trying to make the most out of it and so far, so good!
Raising teen is hard enough but then having to entertain is harder. Thank you for the ideas. You daughter look like they care about they care being a part of a family. My daughter on doesn’t like spend to much time with us.
Parent to parent how do make your daughter participate in family activities? Or care about education?
Hi Rose, thanks for commenting. I think the best way to get your teen to want to participate in family activities is to ask her what things she would like to do as a family. Get her involved in picking out activities that she cares about, and show interest in the things that she enjoys.
My daughter loves listening to K-Pop music and I don’t particularly care for it, but she likes to show us her favorite K-Pop videos every Friday, so we spend about an hour watching them with her and she looks forward to it.
As far as education, she must know that it is a priority, period. It might not be something she enjoys, but there is no way around it. And once she is done with her studies for the day, then she can get to do something that she likes to do.
Great advice! Thank you!!!
These ideas all seem interesting and cool.
Tea time! I love it. Thank you!
As a teen I think that things like high tea might be fun but not things like talent show. Bigger, more fun projects and creative cooking projects might be more Entertaining for teens and tweens.
Yeah same. As a teen I don’t want to listen to podcasts with my family (it’s a good idea though for younger children) but I’d rather listen to them on my own and do stuff at the same time.