Screen time is not an unusual activity for teenagers on weekends after a long week at school. Instead of relying on television or the Internet, here are five quick ideas to spend quality time together away from screens.
Go Hiking
Even people who live in the heart of a big city can find a nice place for a family hike and picnic. Nature also offers a place where cell phone signals aren’t the strongest, so it’s even more of an excuse to leave the phones behind.
Build Something
A building project is a wonderful way to bond with your children and teach them new skills. Whether it’s putting in a treehouse or fixing up an old automobile, you can keep these projects affordable by purchasing used pickup truck beds, scrapped construction lumber, and junkyard parts and tools. Finding the proper materials may be most of the fun.
Play Games
Family board games teach problem solving and can be character building. Purchase a few classics to teach your children how to win and lose graciously, while improving other skills, like budgeting, spelling, and even drawing.
Throw a Ball
Simply taking your teen outside can help them forget about their cell phone. Do something with them as simple as throwing a football, playing corn hole (or bags as it’s known in some places), or going to the pool.
Teach Them to Drive
If your child is the appropriate age and maturity level, you can easily distract them from their screens by offering to let them practice their driving. Driving is a necessary skill, and one most teenagers long to learn, so tempt them by letting them drive you around town, completing errands no less.
Weekends during the school year often mean relaxation, but you can create special memories without screen time if you plan ahead.