Ultimate Lockdown Bucket List For Teens

Emily Munden
Dec 12, 2023 By Emily Munden
Originally Published on May 20, 2020
Happy caring young father teaching small adorable kids son & daughter mixing flour with milk.
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Age: 13-18
Read time: 6.0 Min

Are your teens getting bored of being stuck in the house? Check out our list of activities that will make sure they're making the most of their time at home.

1 - Try Meditating

Meditating can be a great way to improve focus and combat stress. Try these 15-minute mindfulness activities with your teens to get them in the zen zone.

2 - Take A Day Off Social Media

When we're social distancing, it can be tempting to spend extra time browsing our social feeds. Taking a break will help your teens reconnect to themselves and what they want, and can help anxious teens feel calmer.

3 - Redecorate Their Bedroom

A teen's bedroom is their safe haven when they're at home with the family during lockdown, and finding ways to shake up their space gives them a fun challenge and makes their space feel like their own.

4 - Make Vision Boards

Vision boards are amazing tools to clarify and concentrate and focus on your teen's goals. Your teenage years are great for working out what you want from life, and vision boards are a fun activity you can do together.

5 - Write A Letter To A Friend

With most of our friends a text message away, handwritten letters have become things of the past. Spend an afternoon writing letters to friends and family, and post them. They'll love to get surprise post, and you might end up getting some letters back.

6 - Start A Gratitude Jar

Showing gratitude can be a brilliant way tokeep things in perspective at this time. Start a gratitude jar by writing down one thing every day that you're grateful for, and start collecting them in a jar. Soon you'll have lots of things to remember when your teen is feeling sad or lonely.

7 - Have A Home Spa

Self-care evenings can be a much-needed way to bond with your teen. Pamper yourselves with face masks, manicures and massages and you'll be feeling somemuchneededcalm.

8 - Bake Something New

Cute african american family mother and kids boy and girl smiling while reading book

Lockdown is the perfect time to attempt new challenges, and baking can be a really rewarding and good fun activity to do with your teen. Try something you've never done before like marshmallows or millionaire's shortbread for a great treat!

9 - Complete An Online Course

With school almost out, and lessons limited, there are tons of free online courses for your teens to learn about things they're really interested in. From illustration to dance to languages, there's no shortage of choice, and the sense of achievementwill be great.

10 - Binge A Netflix Series In One Day

Sometimes you're just feeling lazy, and all you want to do is stay in bed and watch tv, and that's okay. Check out our list of teen Netflix shows for some ideas your teen will love.

11 - Marie Kondo Their Wardrobe

When you're a teen, your identity and your body are constantly changing. Taking this time to have a wardrobe clear out can be good for your teen, and will help them feel like their clothes reflect who they want to be.

12 - Follow A Bob Ross Tutorial

Bob Ross tutorials are fun, easy, and will have your teen in hysterics at his wacky eighties ways.

13 - Cook A New Cuisine

Why not spend an evening cooking a meal from a country your teen has always wanted to visit?  Your teen will love the challenge of trying out something new.

14 - Try An Online Workout

Working out doesn't need to be a chore - try a fun free workout on Youtube to stay fit and healthy while in lockdown.   

15 - Find A New Hobby

With school, extra-curricular activities and hanging out with friends, hobbies can sometimes get overlooked by your teen. Try something different and use this time to learn a skill that your teen can keep outside of lockdown.

16 - Create A YouTube Channel

YouTube channels are the diaries of today, and can be a great way to get your teen feeling confident and finding a sense of their identity. Check out these great teen YouTube channels for some ideas.

17 - Watch A Film In A Different Language

Brush up on language skills by watching one of Netflix's huge range of foreign-language films for a different point of view.

18 - Explore The Podcast Universe

With so much time on their hands, your teen can learn lots of exciting things. We've put together an extensive list of teen podcasts you need to know, on a range of different subjects that may perk your teen's interest.

19 - Grow Something To Eat

It's the perfect time (and weather) for getting green-fingered, and growing your own food at home is a rewarding thing to do. Pick up some seeds on your supermarket run, and you may soon have all the fruit and veg you need!

20 - DIY Some Face Masks

Face masks are quick easy to make, and most of the time you can create them using things lying about the kitchen! Teens will love pampering with these easy recipes.

21 - Play A Zoom Board Game

Fun with friends can be tough during lockdown, but teens will have great fun with asocial distancing game with their friends over Zoom or another video sharing platform.

22 - Watch Favourite Movies

There's nothing better than bonding over a mutual favourite movie. Ask each family member their favourite film, and have a movie marathon to get to know each person a little better. You may end up with some surprise favourites!

23 - Start A Journal

Journalling is a brilliant way to touch base with your feelings, and process emotions. There's no better time than now for your teen to get started - print of this list of writing prompts for self-discovery for some ideas.

24 - Paint Kindness Rocks

Everyone needs a little boost at the moment, and painting rocks with nice messages and hiding them around town is a lovely way to put a smile on someone's face. Just remember to wear gloves when you're putting them down, or picking up others.

25 - Host A Dance Party

Dancing is good for the soul! There's no better way to spend a Saturday night than hosting a dance party! Set up a playlist, crank up the volume and dance the night away with the whole family.

26 - Do A Good Deed

Nothing makes us feel better than doing something nice for others. Give your teen the task of one act of kindness every day for someone else this May.

28 - Spring Clean Your Mobile

When we think of spring cleaning, we often forget the clutter on our electronic devices. Get rid of blurry photos, un-inspiring Instagram accounts and unused apps.

29 - Do A Handstand

Challenge your teenager to learn how to do a handstand, and watch them practice until they manage!

30 - Paint Something

Get your creative hat on, and paint something. For less creative teens, who may need some help, there are some great paint-by-numbers kits out there that will make great gifts or decor for your teen's bedroom.

31 - Make A Must-Read Book List

Dust off the kindle, and challenge your teen to read five books they've always wanted to. Check out our round-up of the 100 best books for teens to get inspired...

32 - Watch A TED Talk

Expand your teen's mind with some of these inspiring TED talks on a range of interesting subjects.

33 - Find 5 Inspiring Instagram Accounts To Follow

Social media can be a great way tostay inspired and connect with new people. Get your teen to follow five accounts of inspirational teens to keep them uplifted and motivated to be kind! Check out these inspirational young deaf Instagrammers for somewhere to start.

If you need suggestions for how to celebrate a teen's birthday in lockdown, take a look at our suggestions here. Or if your teen has to study but they find they're struggling, here are our tips on helping them revise in lockdown.
 

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Written by Emily Munden

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Emily Munden

An experienced Londoner, Emily loves to discover new and exciting places in the city, especially with her two younger brothers. She has a passion for fashion and design and is also involved in art charities that facilitate workshops for children with special needs and difficult home lives. Emily is a trained life coach and enjoys writing about general wellness, mindfulness, and healthy relationships.

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