86 Creative Activities for Pre-Teens & Teens {Plus Printable!}
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!}
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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
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Bake cookies
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Collect leaves and rocks
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Work on a puzzle
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Study the Bible
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Practice photography
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Work on learning a new language
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Play a board game
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Memorize a Scripture verse
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Create an art journal
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Make play dough
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Create chalk drawings outside
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Pack a picnic
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Make puppets
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Work with beads
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Train a dog
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Exercise
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Ride a bike
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Try a new hairstyle
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Paint your nails
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Make a cake
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Look through a cookbook (pick out things to make and make a shopping list!)
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Play with marbles
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Water the flowers and weed the flower beds
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Draw a self-portrait
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Create a treasure hunt with clues for your parents and/or siblings
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Write in your journal (see more below about this!)
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Work on a short story or novel
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Interview a parent or sibling
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Tie-dye a shirt
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Make ice cream
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Observe objects in your microscope
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Paint rocks
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Plan a scavenger hunt
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Crochet
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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.
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Make a duct tape rose
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Have a relay race
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Play hangman
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Run through the sprinklers
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Play with bubbles
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Play with Legos
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Do a science experiment
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Sing songs with a sibling
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Play catch
Download the printable below for the full list of activities!
And more!
My Stay Home Journals Help Kids Focus on Good Things!
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.
You can find all the journals I’ve created here: Stay Home Journals
Free Stay Home Journal
https://bit.ly/
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.
You’re welcome!
Love this list! My kids are always saying they are bored, lol.
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.
My kids do, but I know every teen is different. Thank you for commenting!
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
Yeah lots of kids do it depends on the person, I do!
Great ideas! I SO needed this for my pre- teens! This will add to a great summer! Thank you!
You’re welcome!