Fun Bonding Activities To Do With Your Teenage Son

Published May 6, 2020

Raising a teenage son is not an easy task. He is at a point in his life where he’s torn between finding himself and trying to fit in. As such, trying to relate to him can be a challenge.

You cannot expect him to do the things you used to do with him as a child. But he is yet too young to do the things that most adults do. Without proper guidance, he can end up in bad company. And that’s the last thing you’d want for your son.

So what’s a parent gotta do? Spend more time with him. But do it in a way that he’ll be interested to spend time with you too. Remember, he’s still trying to fit in with his peers. So if he thinks you’re being “uncool”, he might not want to be seen with you in public.

Fortunately, there are a lot of fun things that you can do with your teenage son without him getting bored or embarrassed. Here are some parent-son bonding ideas you can try:

1. Sit down and talk about their day. The best way to get to know your teenage son more is by asking him about his day. It also helps keep the communication lines open between you two.
2. Cook and eat meals together. Teaching him how to cook his own meals helps prepare him to become more independent.
3. Walk the dog. Taking the dog for a walk around the neighborhood is also a great way to bond.
4. Play cards. Teenage boys nowadays might be more “techie” but that doesn’t mean they won’t enjoy some classic card games.
5. Involve them in intellectual discussions. Ask him about his opinions about social and political issues. This helps develop his critical thinking skills.
6. Attend a concert or music festival. If your son is into music, go to a concert of his favorite band together. You not only get to know him better but it also gives you something to talk about.
7. Go jogging. Encourage him to be more physically active so as to avoid spending too much time with his digital devices.
8. Talk about their aspirations. Ask him about his plans for the future and encourage him to pursue his dreams.
9. Start a family only book club. Let him choose a book and discuss it afterwards.
10. Play video games. Most teenage boys are obsessed with video games. Rather than telling him not to, join him. He’ll definitely appreciate the gesture.
11. Go on a weekend trip. It doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. You can go to a nearby town or a place he hasn’t been to. Just something to break the monotony of daily life.
12. Go hiking. Hiking and walking not only teaches him to appreciate nature. It’s also a great way to spend time with him without being cooped up indoors.
13. Play board games. Aside from inspiring him to be physically active, you also need to stimulate him mentally. And board games are perfect for the latter.
14. Develop a new hobby together. Whether it’s bowling or painting, sharing a hobby is a great way to bond with your teenage child.
15. Go on a bike ride. Your son will surely enjoy a friendly bike race around the neighborhood.
16. Do house chores together. Teach him how to be responsible as early as now. He can surely make use of those skills when he is older.
17. Go on a food trip. Try out different kinds of foods to instill in him an appreciation for other cultures.
18. Plan the family vacation together. Let him make suggestions for hotels and activities so he’ll enjoy it more.
19. Go on a road trip. You don’t need to have a set itinerary. Just grab the keys and drive wherever the wheels take you. Spontaneous road trips are always fun.
20. Paint a room together. It can be his room or even the whole house. It will give him a sense of achievement every time he sees the room knowing that he helped paint it.
21. Take a class together. Just make sure it’s in line with his interests. Otherwise, he’ll just get bored.
22. Participate in a community event. If your son is the shy type, this will help develop his social skills.
23. Make DIY projects together. Building something helps develop not just his creativity but also his problem-solving skills.
24. Research your family tree. There’s no better time than now to tell him about his roots. He’s still searching for his place in the world and knowing where he came from helps a lot.
25. Make social media contents. Instead of complaining that he’s spending too much time on social media, why don’t you join him? Make videos together. Pose for dope, Instagram-worthy photos (just ask him what this means). Or do internet challenges together – as long as it doesn’t harm him of course.
26. Volunteer together. It’s good to instill in him a sense of volunteerism while he’s still young. You can volunteer at a soup kitchen or the local shelter together. It will also widen his horizons and teach him about giving back.
27. Visit a museum. No matter how old they are, they will always be small boys at heart. And if they enjoyed visiting museums as a little boy, they’ll enjoy it even as a teenager.
28. Solve a puzzle. It’s always a great feeling when you finally solved a seemingly impossible puzzle. You can even frame it afterwards.
29. Play paintball. Paintball fights are always a best seller with boys, no matter their age.
30. Build a garden. If he loves digging as a little boy, you can bring him back to those moments by building a garden. Even if you don’t have a lot of outdoor space at home, there are a lot of urban gardening tutorials on the internet. Plus, you’ll have a fresh supply of herbs and vegetables if you succeed.
31. Have a picnic. You won’t have much time to do a picnic with him once he gets older or goes to college. So grab this chance while he’s still young.
32. Go out for some ice cream. If he’s had a rather long (and disappointing) day, a cone of his favorite ice cream may help brighten up his mood.
33. Learn their favorite sport. Whether he’s into baseball or basketball, showing interest in his favorite sports will surely endear you to him.
34. Go camping. It’s a good opportunity to teach your son some basic life skills.
35. Plan a “staycation”. Instead of staying at home for the weekend, try to switch things up a bit by staying in a cozy hotel room.
36. Stargaze together. You can do this while camping or during some random night drives.
37. Teach him how to drive. He’ll have to learn to drive eventually so why not make it a fun bonding activity?
38. Start a small business together. Teach him entrepreneurial skills while he’s still young. He’ll thank you for it when he gets older.
39. Visit an animal shelter. You can also foster animals from the shelter. Who knows, he might find his lifelong best friend in there.
40. Give care packs to the homeless. This will teach him empathy and compassion for others. Just grab some ready-to-eat foods from your pantry, put it in a paper bag, and give it to the homeless people you see on the street.