8 Things Tweens and Teens Can Do INSTEAD of Social Media

Does your tween or teenager spend too much time on social media?  Do they struggle when they watch as other teens go out with friends and they are home?  Social media for developing brains and changing hormones is a bad combination.  Here are 8 things tweens and teens can do INSTEAD of social media.

Step One – Set a Good Example

As parents, be understanding because giving up or cutting back on social media isn’t easy. When you’re used to checking your smartphone constantly throughout the day, the habit can be pretty tough to break.  This is especially true if you don’t have anything else to fill the time you’d usually spend on social media.  In addition, we need to set a positive role model and put down our phones as well!

However, there’s actually a LOT of things your tween or teen could be doing besides social media. Here, you’ll discover 8 of the best alternatives ways to better spend their time.

1.) Catch Up With Friends

Instead of messaging and interacting with their friends on social media, encourage your child to go and see them or invite them over! In-person interaction is so much more rewarding than online interaction. So, suggest for them to arrange to meet up and grab an ice cream or watch a movie – they’ll enjoy it so much more!

2.) Read A Book

Reading a book can be really relaxing and more importantly, it gives their eyes a screen break. Spending too much time staring at a screen definitely isn’t good for them! So, encourage them to take a break, read a book and broaden their mind.  Not sure what titles to suggest?  Check your local library and ask.  Librarians are a huge resource when it comes to book suggestions.

3.) Meditate

Meditation is extremely beneficial for your teen’s mental health. It’s also an awesome stress reliever. They don’t need to meditate for hours. Even just 5 minutes a day can do wonders for the mind.

4.) Do A Puzzle or Play a Game

Why not get their brains working and do puzzles? You can buy puzzle books with a variety of puzzles to test the brain.  The Emoji Packet is great fun for children of all ages. It’s definitely better than wasting brain cells staring at a screen. Set the Record is a huge hit with this age range.  Gather a few friends and start seeing who can set the record for simple tasks. Try this word search for teens.

5.) Exercise

It may not sound like fun, but your teen is going to feel so much better after doing exercise. Social media is known to encourage inactivity. Encourage them to get up, get moving and help themselves to choose to be healthier and happier.

6.) Listen to Music

Music has the power to instantly lift the mood. It distracts teens from their everyday life, eases stress and can make them feel energized. Turn on their favorite tunes or discover new artists.

7.) Take A Walk

Getting out into nature is great for your teen’s well-being. It’s easy to forget about the real world around you when they’re immersed in a digital world.  They can take a walk to the local park, or even just around the block. They will feel much better afterward.

8.) Do Something Productive

Last but not least, they can use their free time to do something productive. If they constantly seem to waste so much time on social media, stop the cycle and make a list of things that need to be done. They can use the time to complete these tasks instead.

These are just 8 things tweens and teens can do instead of social media. The truth is, there are literally hundreds of alternative ways to spend their time other than browsing on a screen.

The next time you see your teen compelled to check social media account, suggest one of the ideas above (and put your own phone away too).

Learn more about teens and their habits – Fun Facts for Teens.

If you are looking for games to play check out:

Categories Games – This 42 page PDF download includes 4 category games to play with the family. You can play with one player or as a large group. Just print a recording sheet for each player. Want to play the game on the road? Print over 200 category cards and go! Use a hole punch to record words or color in the circles on the cards.

Perfect activity for family game nights. Younger children can be on a team to help come up with different words in the categories. Older children or adults can record the answers. These games are fun and challenging for all ages.

This download also includes a BONUS party pack extension with everything you will need to host a Category themed family game night. There is an invitation, food menu ideas and to do list.

Put away that smartphone and play a pen and paper game with your family and friends!