I may not have kids over the age of two, but it wasn’t so long ago (or okay, I should say it doesn’t seem that long ago…) that I was an awkward 12-year-old not quite old enough to plan and do things independently with my friends, but sooo old enough where spending quality time with my family wasn’t really at the top of my priority list. Many times, planned family activities incurred eyerolls (yeah mom, I’m talking about that nature hike…), but some activities I still have great memories of, to this day.
Between technology and entertainment and social media, the pre-and-early teen years are difficult. This stage seems like a ticking time bomb before friends, school, jobs, and extracurriculars become their sole purpose in life. Tweens don’t always want to admit to hanging out with their parents, but at the same time, it’s one of the most important times for bonding. They need that time to build confidence, connect, and start to learn how their relationship with you as their parent changes as they get older. Activities that foster that environment can be tricky. Below are a few tips, tricks, and ideas to get you started in the right direction!
TIP: Don’t completely take away technology during family events. After all, you don’t want it to feel like a punishment. Technology isn’t going anywhere, so try to plan activities around their social media feeds.
Five Ideas for Tween-Approved Family Fun
Rock Climbing
With two indoor rock climbing facilities in Rochester, it’s never been so easy to try something new. Both Roca Climbing and Fitness and Prairie Walls Climbing are youth friendly and have courses for all levels. If nothing else and there prove to be no climbers in the family, I’m sure there will be a few moments of comedy.
Tubing, Canoeing or Paddleboarding
This is a great option because water and technology don’t mix: an instant attention diversion! Try renting tubes or canoes and spend a lazy afternoon on the Root River in Lanesboro. For activities a little closer to home, Chester Woods and Silver Lake both have options for a variety of water rentals.
Pre-and-Early Teen Friendly Local Events
Get them involved early in local initiatives and events. A few Rochester local ideas are: A Honkers baseball game, Bounce World’s Tween Night, the Rochester Library has tons of art events for tweens, or an outdoor movie at Movies in the Park.
Geocaching
If you’ve never heard of geocaching before, think of it as one big, public treasure hunt. Using GPS coordinates to find small tokens hid by other geocachers, it’s a completely self-sustaining treasure hunt. This is a great resource to get you started – there, you’ll also find all sorts of local hunts sorted by length and skill level.
The Escape Room Challenge
Fun for families or get a group of their friends to join, this is a great challenge for tweens over the age of 1o. Using provided and found clues, your only goal is to escape the room!
If all else fails, just try to play to their interests. If they like trying new things and being active, encourage them to do something outdoors. If being creative is more their vibe, challenge them to come up with a menu for dinner one night (themes encouraged) and help them prepare the meal. It’s all about encouraging them to come up with ideas on what they want to do and how they want to spend time with you.
What are some fun activities you do with your tween?
