Have you scheduled some family day activities with your teens recently? If you (or they) are rolling your eyes at the thought of forcing time to bond with your 13-18 year old, you haven’t found the right reasons, or the right activities, to motivate you yet. Sure, everyone knows that spending time together as a family is a good idea. From reducing behavioral problems to encouraging teamwork and improving communication, family day activities can have a big impact in the lives of your children. You and your teen just don’t want it to feel cheesy or forced.
We get that. So instead of bombarding you with the latest studies about the value of eating together or talking about your day, we thought we’d give you some other reasons to book family day activities with your teen. Here are 4 non-cheesy, totally legitimate reasons to hit up a fun activities venue with your entire family, teens included.
Embrace family day activities with your teen because you want to be part of their world.
What really goes on behind the headphones and constant texting that define so many teens’ lives at home? If you aren’t sure and really want to know, it might be time to schedule family day activities with your teen. A day of fun can go a long way toward getting your teen away from the screen and engaged with you. Just don’t forget: Your teen will have more fun if you take the time to enter their world as well.
How can you do that with family day activities? Consider hitting the video game arcade and letting your teen pick the games you play. Yes, Halo might not be your speed, but we are pretty sure your teen will have fun teaching you the ropes, or at least have fun making fun of you as you learn the ropes. Let them embrace their inner child with a shame-free run on the bumper cars. Or maybe encourage them to come out of their shells with a totally unforgettable game on our 16-person foosball table. Whatever you decide, let them take the lead, teach you the ropes, and loosen up in a place that is entirely fun and judgment-free. We are willing to bet the glimpses you get of their inner world will be worth it.
Embrace family day activities with your teen because you want to have fun together.
In the midst of bonding with your teen, don’t forget the first quality that any family day activity should possess: Fun. If you and your teens can’t enjoy your time together, it isn’t likely that any of the other good stuff will follow. Unless of course you can manage to bond over total boredom. In which case, we salute you, superhuman ones.
When it comes to fun, what counts? Should you embrace indoor adventure games like the laser tag arena? Take advantage of a from-scratch restaurant and fun twists on classic food? Or delve into a video game arcade loaded with more than 150 games? The decision, of course, is yours. Fun is as individual as your teen (and sometimes just as strange). So build your family day activities around what you and your teen will really enjoy.
Just remember: At PINSTACK, we offer so many different activities that you would be hard pressed not to have fun at our facilities. And we totally don’t judge if you choose to chase pretend aliens around the laser tag arena or turn our indoor rock climbing wall into a race to the top of Kilimanjaro. The more fun you have, and the more creative it is, the better for you and your family. Embrace your quirky, awesome selves.
Embrace family day activities with your teen because you want to share a unique experience together.
There doesn’t have to be an underlying philosophical reason for spending time with your child. In fact, if the only reason you want to spend family day activities with your teen is to teach them teamwork or get them to talk about their day, we can pretty much guarantee that your teen will pick up on your ulterior motives. And you know how your teen is likely to react to that sensation.
Avoid the awkward silences and thinly veiled resentment and choose family day activities that you want to enjoy with your teen for their own sakes. Ideally, you will choose a unique experience, maybe something new that you both might enjoy. For example, have either of you ever tried gourmet food based on classic American fare? Would you like to dive deep into a plate of party appetizers? Or would you like to challenge yourselves with an attempt on an indoor rock climbing wall? No experience required: Just a desire to try something new with one of your favorite people.
Embrace family day activities with your teen because you want to be closer to them.
The proof is in: Family day activities help family bonding. Any quality time you enjoy together will contribute toward a relationship that you hope will last long beyond the teen years. Cheesy? No. A great reason to plan some family day activities with your teen? Absolutely. The next time you want to bond with your teen in a meaningful way, consider finding some indoor adventure games or incredible food to create time with your teen that will bring you closer together.
Just remember: Quality time together does not have to be forced. Have a lot to talk about? Let the conversation flow. Finding yourself a little bit short on the conversation end? Allow the activity itself to guide your conversation. There is never a bad way to enjoy family day activities, as long as your goal is to enjoy your teen. The relationship will build naturally from there.
Family day activities allow you to have fun together, enter their world, share new experiences, and strengthen your relationship. PINSTACK offers an incredible way to enjoy family day activities with your teen and the rest of your family. The next time you want to spend time with them, consider our fun activities venue. With hundreds of video games in our arcade, delicious dishes crafted by our skilled chefs, and indoor adventure games designed for all ages, you can find any number of ways to build a relationship with your teen around activities that you enjoy.
