The excitement of the holiday break from school wanes quickly for tweens and teens. Often stretching out too long, we’re left to figure out how to combat sibling squabbles and the constant lure of technology until our kids return to school. So when you sense the sibling onslaught about to begin or you watch your child head to a game console one more time, offer another suggestion.
Here are a few ideas to help:
Re-decorate or remodel their room. Cold winter days are the perfect time to rearrange furniture and/or hang new décor on bedroom walls. Take your tween or teen shopping with the cash they received for Christmas to purchase that poster he’s been eyeballing or trinket she wants to sit on her desk. Use it as a time to connect and spend time talking about their favorite movie or band at the same time.
Create a meal together. Seize the extra time to plan a special meal that your children can help prepare. Let them choose their favorite dishes and go shopping for the necessary items. Turn on their favorite tunes and enjoy a jamming session while you put the meal together. Then take everyone out for ice cream to celebrate a job well done.
Have a movie marathon night. Select movies together that are appropriate for the entire family and watch one after another. Make it a special evening by letting your tween or teen have a friend over and stay up as late as they want. Be sure to have plenty of popcorn and hot chocolate available.
Buy and take non-perishable food to the nearby food pantry. Teach your adolescent the importance of community as you give back to the needy in your hometown. Let your child choose what food items would be most appropriate to donate.
Make plans for next summer’s vacation. Brainstorm ideas about a fun family excursion. Ask your tween or teen to help you explore options on the Internet about where to stay and fun activities to do. Look for new places that they’re interested in visiting and talk about how to make it happen.
Enjoy S’mores around the fire pit or indoor fireplace. Gather the ingredients you need for this tasty treat and light the fire! Sit under the moonlight and create special memories on a cold night, naming the stars and reflecting on your holiday together.
Bring out the board games. Kids are never too old to play board games – and don’t let your tween or teen tell you they’re boring. Teen-specific board games abound that will keep them entertained for hours.
Work on a puzzle together. Conversation naturally flows when your hands are busy. Pick out a puzzle your kids will enjoy and listen to them talk about their latest challenges, hopes or frustrations while matching up pieces. Glue it together with puzzle glue when you’re finished and display it in your game room as a memoir.
Attend an event. Watch the local newspaper and search the Web for activities and events planned for leisurely days following the peak hustle of the holiday. Find a concert, sewing club or other activity you and your adolescent would enjoy together. You can also check out the Calgary’s Child online calendar on this website.
Create a scavenger hunt. Let your child invite a few friends over and help them plan a nature scavenger hunt. Keep it simple with items on the list like: one piece of man-made litter, a beautiful rock, something you consider a treasure, etc. Help your tween or teen use their imagination and create team-building skills in the process.
And for one last special treat before they return to school, allow a “no rules” day. Let your kids pick one day toward the end of their holiday break that includes no rules from the parents. Talk to them ahead of time about reasonable standards, but give them the freedom to make their own choices that day to eat what they want, play whatever they want and stay in their pajamas all day if they’d like. Celebrate a “no rules” day as a reward for participating in family activities during the holiday break.
Board games for tweens and tweens
Ticket to Ride. Our family’s favorite, this railway-themed game allows players to use strategy and creativity to create cross-country trips, racking up points in the process. Easily played by young tweens and teens, it provides for a perfect family game night.
Zobmondo!! Would You Rather? A game of mind-boggling questions meant to inspire hilarious discussion and thought-provoking conversation.
Balderdash. A classic bluffing game with real but unbelievable content about people, movies, laughable laws and other trivia. Players are challenged to call bluff on their friends as they separate the real from the imagined.
Apples to Apples: The Game of Hilarious Comparisons. A game that provides endless comparisons of unexpected items or words, creating fun and laughter in the process.
Say Anything. A lighthearted game that dispels what kids think, intended to get adolescents talking and laughing.
Cranium. Known for goofy, unpredictable activities, this game has several versions made for kids and parents both. It challenges players in creativity and trivia, and is great for playing in groups or with a family.
Reverse Charades. A twist on the classic, this game invokes a team to act out clues for a person to guess. If your child enjoys Charades, they’re sure to have fun here too.
Carcassonne. A tile-laying game that combines the elements of completing a jigsaw puzzle with the strategy of competing for territory.
Author and freelance journalist, Gayla loves playing board games with her kids on holiday break.
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