How To Get Your Teenager Out Of Their Room

Do you have a teenager that rarely emerges from their bedroom?

When they reach this age, they will often spend hours in their rooms.

You might only see them when they’re out to make lunch or if they need something from you.

My teen stays in his room a lot, chatting with friends and playing video games. While I miss my son terribly, I have realized that he needs his privacy.

When I was a teenager, I clearly remember needing my space as much as he does now. The need for space in tweens and teens is perfectly natural.

Why Does Your Teenager Stay In Their Room All The Time?

Dr. Peter Marshall, a child psychologist and author of “Now I Know Why Tigers Eat Their Young” says:

Privacy’s important for teens partly because they need to separate. It’s tempting to think that they’re just goofing off, but they spend a large part of their time just thinking about things, trying to figure out who they are, who they want to become. There’s a lot of work for them to do, and they need some space to do it.”

By nagging or forcing them into the living and dining room too often, you may cause division in your relationship.

As much as it looks like they don’t want to spend time with us, it is good to entice them to have a little family fun from time to time. They love how you pay attention to them and show you care about what they want to do.

How To Get Your Teenager Out Of Their Room?

It’s a common struggle for many parents: trying to get your teenager out of their room and engaged with the family. While it’s important to respect your teen’s need for privacy and independence, it’s also important to encourage healthy habits and social interaction.

So how can you motivate your teenager to step away from their screens and participate in family activities?

First, consider setting clear expectations and boundaries around screen time and social engagement. Encourage your teen to take breaks from technology and spend time outdoors, pursuing hobbies, or connecting with friends and family.

You can also try offering incentives or rewards for participation in family activities or for completing chores and responsibilities. This can help your teen feel motivated and valued, and may even foster a sense of teamwork and cooperation.

Lastly, lead by example. Show your teen that you value quality time together as a family, and make an effort to engage in activities that everyone can enjoy. With patience, persistence, and a little creativity, you can help your teenager break out of their room and engage with the world around them.

What Activities Do Teens Enjoy?

First, ask them directly about what activities they might enjoy doing with you or their friends. Then spend time together without distractions from screens, which makes it easier to connect. You should really listen and understand their feelings and emotions. When you connect with them on a deeper emotional level, then they’re more likely to try to spend time with you in the future. 

The best activities to get your teen out of their room will have one or more of the following ingredients:

• A hobby or passion – have a look at these awesome hobbies for teens: Hobbies For Teenage Girls & Hobbies For Teen Boys
• Getting outside for sun & exercise
• Doing something new & fun
• Meeting new people
• Having fun with friends
• Add an element of surprise

📢 You might also be interested in reading: Helping Your Teenager Find Their Passion (Tips & Activities)

70 Creative Ideas To Get Your Teen Out Of Their Room

Here is a list of my best ideas for activities to get your teen out of their room:

1. Go for a walk in the park, or forest, or a hike in the mountains.
2. Take them out for a special meal at a restaurant.
3. Take them out for their favorite fast food meal.
4. Make their favorite meal with them at home.
5. Plan a trip to an amusement park with their friends
6. Take them camping
7. Take them bowling
   
8. Visit a museum
9. Plan a home treasure hunt for their birthday. Hide presents around the house, each with a clue that leads to the next gift. Here are some ideas for clues.
10. Plan a trip to a festival
11. Plan an event out of town
12. Plan a sleepover with their friends
    
13. Ask if they want to go shopping with you.
14. Go to a sporting event together.
15. Ask if they want to cook dinner with you.
16. Go on a bike trip through the country.
17. Plan a virtual scavenger hunt – this is an online adventure that challenges players to find specified items or solve puzzles before the allotted time runs out. Here are 35 virtual scavenger hunt ideas.
18. Plan a pool party with their friends.
19. Take them on a trip to a different city or even another country!
20. Plan a family outing to the mall.
21. Build something with them, for example, a treehouse.
22. Involve them in travel plans, e.g., RV trip or beach vacation, ask if they want to come along.
23. Plan a party for them! Here are some fun party games for teenagers.
24. Do yoga with them.
25. Meditate with them! This meditation pillow would make the perfect gift. You can find some great meditation videos on YouTube like this one:
26. Take the dog for a walk.
27. Plan a trip away from home to a local event, like the state fair.
28. Go out on a boat together.
29. Invite company over for dinner – it’s an excellent way for your teen to know how to get along with other people and socialize with others.
30. Take them go-karting with their friends.
31. Take them to play mini-golf or putt-putt, or set up a backyard golf game at home.
32. Teach them something they want to learn.
33. Let them invite their friends over.
34. Take them rock climbing at an indoor climbing wall, or setup a DIY rock climbing wall at home
    
35. Take them to a water park, or set up a water slide in your backyard
36. Take them to the zoo.
37. Organize a family board game night. Here are some of the best board games for teens.
38. Plan a day at the beach.
39. Plan a trip to the botanical gardens.
40. Plan a picnic for them & surprise them with a treat.
41. Take them to watch a movie of their choice.
42. Plan a DIY weekend where you buy plants and gardening tools, then start a garden together.
    
43. Plan a challenging treasure hunt suitable for teens (and adults) with the present(s) hidden like a treasure trove at the hunt’s end. Follow this link for instructions and 18 printable clues/riddles.
44. If they love Disney, plan a trip to Disney World or Disneyland.
45. Plan a day at the spa.
46. If they love cars, take them out to car shows or give them a day with their friends to work on their vehicles. You can also teach them How To Change A Tire
47. Plan a family tea party. You could even bake some cookies to have with your tea.
48. Plan a “Yes Day” where you agree to all their requests
    1. Keep it special & unique, i.e., once a year only
    2. Break the rules but not the law
    3. Define a budget for the day that they cannot break
    4. Plan activities ahead of time so that you can make bookings or buy tickets if required
49. Build an obstacle course in the garden (with prizes!) that the whole family must complete.
50. Organize a food challenge for them to come up with creative dishes for you to judge.
    
51. Plan and plant a vegetable patch at home.
52. Plan a karaoke night with their favorite songs.
53. Host a movie night for them and their friends and have their favorite snacks available.
54. Look for new recipes with them and cook something delicious.
55. Plan a murder mystery evening – encourage collaboration and creativity while enjoying the thrill of solving new cases.
56. Take them out for ice cream or donuts.
57. Take them out to a stand-up comedy show.
58. Plan a family brain teaser night with prizes!
59. Plan a family trivia night with prizes! You could create a custom quiz based on your teen’s hobbies and interests.
60. Give your teen a surprise gift for no reason.
61. Liven up their bedroom – paint their walls, rearrange the furniture, try out different lighting or add posters and bedding to make it feel cozy or bright.
62. Take them ice skating.
63. Take them on a train, bus, or subway ride.
    
64. Take them on a car trip with no planned destination or ending time.
65. Take them along to things you do, like going to work or taking a client out for lunch.
66. Ask them to teach you about one of their favorite activities, e.g., playing video games.
67.  Invite them to brainstorm activities they want to do as a family.
68. Leave out a jigsaw puzzle that the whole family can complete whenever they feel like it.
69. Organize a home pizza night and plan the toppings together.
70. Create a “Boredom Buster” activity jar together. Some ideas include:
    1. Go geocaching
       
    2. Make tea, or biscuits for the family
    3. Make slime or gloop
    4. Make a YouTube video of your own
    5. Facetime a friend you haven’t seen in a while – here are some things you can do on FaceTime
    6. Make something you find on Pinterest
    7. Message all your friends and go somewhere
    8. Rearrange your bedroom
    9. Write a poem
    10. Sleep in a tent in the garden
    11. Go on a photo walk
    12. Sort your wardrobe out and make some new outfits from what you have
    13. Customize a piece of clothing
    14. Play Swingball
    15. Make a smoothie
    16. Start your own blog
    17. Start your own journal
    18. Plan your dream holiday
    19. Go through the cupboards and find some things to donate
    20. Make pop corn and watch a movie
    21. Read a book