When I wrote my article Top Tips for Parenting Tweens a few months back, the first tip on my list was ‘find ways to connect’. Right now, as I parent to twin ten year old girls, this seems like one of the most important things I can do. I constantly have this overwhelming sense that I need to seize this moment now, and make an effort to do things with my tweens, to find common interests and to strengthen our bond before they grow into teenagers and young adults and spend even less time at home, and find their mother even less cool!
It is this urgency and the well-known fact that kids who are engaged in interesting activities are less likely to drive their parents insane, that has me looking for activities that my tweens will love. I am pinning ideas, saving links, and writing lists, and trying to spend lots of time with my girls doing things that we all enjoy.
If you are like me and parenting tweens, here are just some of the great ideas and activities for tweens that I have found…
23 Fun Activities for Tweens
Art and Crafts
Tweens enjoy craft projects with step by step instructions to follow as well as free form, open ended art activities. And it’s not just for girls, this list has some great ideas that should inspire both boys and girls.
1. Folded Paper Bracelets from Picklebums
2. Star Wars Tin Can Lanterns from Frugal Fun 4 Boys
3. Water Bottle Bracelets from Skip to My Lou
4. Straw Geodesic Dome from Babble Dabble Do
5. Origami Star Boxes from Picklebums
6. Glue Batik T-shirts from Kid World Citizen
7. Tiny Bow and Arrow from The Brooding Hen
Games and Group Activities
Getting together with a group of friends is great for both parents and tweens. Or declare it to be ‘family time’ and organise some games and activities for everyone to do together, outside or in!
8. DIY Lawn Yahtzee from The Pinning Mama
9. Giant Jenga from A Beautiful Mess
10. Try Geocaching from Childhood 101
11. Play some of these 40 Card Games for Kids from Delia Creates
12. Make a Nerf Shooting Range from Frugal Fun 4 Boys
13. Play Ultimate Frisbee from PBS Kids
14. Minute To Win It from Club Chica Circle
Learning Activities
Tweens love to put their skills into action and pursue their passions, and there are lots of fun activities out there to help them do just that, and maybe learn a little at the same time.
15. DIY Giant Scrabble from Constantly Lovestruck
16. Build a Lego Pinball Game from Frugal Fun 4 Boys
17. Make a Lemon Clock from Creekside Learning
18. Make a Spy Decoder from Frugal Fun 4 Boys
19. Math Art with a Mobius Strip from What We Do All Day
20. Smoky Dry Ice Bubbles from Not Just Cute
21. Ideas for Kids and Journaling from Picklebums
22. Make a Mini Robot from Red Ted Art
23. Attempt to construct a Rube Goldberg chain reaction from Childhood 101
Kate Fairlie is an early childhood educator and Mum of four who lives on a small property, 'The Pickle Farm,' in 'almost rural' Victoria. Kate blogs about all kinds of crazy things - twins, gentle parenting, gardening, trying to be a little self sufficient, activities for kids, a recipe here and anything else that pops up in her crazy life!
Read the comments or scroll down to add your own: