• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Tricia Goyer HomepageTricia Goyer

Living God’s Word One Step at a Time

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • About
    • My Testimony
    • Online Archives
    • My Family
    • Professional Bio
    • Adoption
    • Homeschooling
    • Mentoring
    • Speaking
    • Close
  • Blog
  • Courses
  • Books
  • Media
  • Podcast
  • Write that Book
  • Shop
  • Contact
You are here: Home / family / 86 Creative Activities for Pre-Teens & Teens {Plus Printable!}

July 2, 2015 by Tricia Goyer 9 Comments

86 Creative Activities for Pre-Teens & Teens {Plus Printable!}

86 Creative Activities for Pre-Teens & Teens {Plus Printable!}

Tricia Goyer shares 86 Creative Activities for Pre-Teens & Teens {Plus Printable!} If you're tired of hearing the words, “I'm bored" ...

 

If you’re a mom, you’ve probably already heard the words, “I’m bored.” As a mom of pre-teens and teens it’s easy to give in to electric devices to entertain kids. It’s harder to come up with creative ways for them to keep themselves occupied. Well, I’ve found lots of things kids can do to pass time and stay entertained. Here are 86 of them!

 

86 Creative Activities for Pre-Teens & Teens {Plus Printable!}

 

  • Paint with Watercolors

I recently started painting with watercolors and I love it! I’ve been experimenting with several different paints and brushes. You can find my favorites here: Tricia’s Favorite Watercolor Supplies

 

Creative Activities for Pre-Teens

  • Bake cookies

  • Collect leaves and rocks

  • Work on a puzzle

  • Study the Bible

  • Practice photography

    Creative Activities for Pre-Teens

 

  • Work on learning a new language

  • Play a board game

  • Memorize a Scripture verse

  • Create an art journal

  • Make play dough

  • Create chalk drawings outside

  • Pack a picnic

  • Make puppets

  • Work with beads

  • Train a dog

    Creative Activities for Pre-Teens

 

  • Exercise

  • Ride a bike

  • Try a new hairstyle

  • Paint your nails

  • Make a cake

  • Look through a cookbook (pick out things to make and make a shopping list!)

  • Play with marbles

  • Water the flowers and weed the flower beds

  • Draw a self-portrait

  • Create a treasure hunt with clues for your parents and/or siblings

  • Write in your journal (see more below about this!)

 

Creative Activities for Pre-Teens

 

  • Work on a short story or novel

  • Interview a parent or sibling

  • Tie-dye a shirt

  • Make ice cream

  • Observe objects in your microscope

  • Paint rocks

  • Plan a scavenger hunt

  • Crochet

  • Sew

My girls had fun learning to sew this spring. We made aprons for each of them. It was a fun activity that taught them a valuable life-skill in the process. Now they are more than capable of sewing projects on their own or even mending clothing.

 

Creative Activities for Pre-TeensCreative Activities for Pre-Teens86 Creative Activities for Pre-Teens & Teens {Plus Printable!}

 

  • Make a duct tape rose

  • Have a relay race

  • Play hangman

  • Run through the sprinklers

  • Play with bubbles

  • Play with Legos

  • Do a science experiment

  • Sing songs with a sibling

  • Play catch

The 2 words parents dread, “I’m bored!” @TriciaGoyer has a solution here:

Click To Tweet

 

 

Download the printable below for the full list of activities!

Creative Activities for Pre-Teens

 

And more!

My Stay Home Journals Help Kids Focus on Good Things!

My stayhome journal

 

Kids need a place to think, write, or draw what is going on in their hearts and minds so I created these journals to provide kids a special place to record their experiences. I like the sound of “stay home.” It’s a way to focus on the good during a hard time. It’s a great way to help your kids think about what good things may be happening during this time and what they are looking forward to when it’s “safe” for us to return to normal life.

The pages are set up so older kids can write their thoughts (writing practice!) and younger kids can draw their thoughts or have a parent write for them. Need inspiration? Check your Facebook or personal calendar to help think about what your family was doing at certain points on the timeline. I made the insides colored as well so these can be special keepsakes of this great pause in our history.
I’ve designed several styles so every child can have a journal that makes them feel special.
  My stayhome journal

You can find all the journals I’ve created here: Stay Home Journals

I even created a FREE printable version. Feel free to share with a teacher or someone who might need it.

Free Stay Home Journal

https://bit.ly/freejournalforkids

My stayhome journal

 

 

Filed Under: family, teens, Tots to Teens Tagged With: preteen activities, summer activities, teen activities, things to do in the summer, things to do with your kids


Are you new here? You might want to subscribe to my newsletter, check out my podcast, or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, or Instagram.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” Read full privacy policy here.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sadie says

    May 16, 2016 at 9:35 am

    Thank you, Tricia Goyer! I found your awesome website and this handy printable via Pinterest. The summer is coming and I want to be ready. I also think this is useful all-year-round.

    Reply
    • Tricia Goyer says

      June 3, 2016 at 10:47 am

      You’re welcome!

      Reply
  2. Thaleia from Something2Offer says

    May 17, 2016 at 4:53 pm

    Love this list! My kids are always saying they are bored, lol.

    Reply
  3. Emma says

    May 22, 2016 at 10:04 pm

    As a teen, I can say for sure that these activities are not very suitible for teens. Pre-teens, maybe, it depends on the kid. If you have an elementary kid however, this would probably be a great list. Honestly, no kid above the age of 11 is interested in playing with bubbles or studying the Bible.

    Reply
    • Tricia Goyer says

      June 3, 2016 at 10:47 am

      My kids do, but I know every teen is different. Thank you for commenting!

      Reply
    • Allison says

      January 22, 2017 at 5:20 pm

      People over the age of 11 like to study the bible I’m 14 and I still study the bike and all of my friends do too

      Reply
    • Sally says

      July 9, 2017 at 12:55 am

      Yeah lots of kids do it depends on the person, I do!

      Reply
  4. Miriam B says

    June 3, 2016 at 8:39 am

    Great ideas! I SO needed this for my pre- teens! This will add to a great summer! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Tricia Goyer says

      June 3, 2016 at 10:49 am

      You’re welcome!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

© Tricia Goyer | Privacy Policy

Made with by SA Designs