How To Do Cosy Things With Your Teens
Last Updated on: 21st February 2025, 07:12 pm
The February chill has settled in! If your house is anything like mine, you might find yourself dealing with teenagers who are glued to their phones. And complaining about the endless grey days. As a mum who’s struggled these winter months with a teen, I admit it’s hard. You are stuck indoors with your teen, who is hormonal and stroppy. Overtime I’ve learned that this time of year actually presents a unique opportunity to strengthen family bonds – if you approach it right. I am here to help you with some cosy things to do this winter.
After years of trial and error, I’ve discovered some fantastic indoor activities that even the most reluctant teenagers actually enjoy. These aren’t your typical suggestions of “just play a board game”. These are tried-and-tested activities that have brought genuine smiles and memorable moments to family gatherings or cosy things to do on a one to one basis with your teens.
Spend A Day Exploring Photography
First up, we’ve turned our living room into a photography studio more times than I can count. This activity stemmed from being a blogger. But now with Tilly’s GCSE photography studies, it’s become a family favourite. We use simple bedsheets as backdrops, play with natural light from windows, and experiment with household lamps for dramatic effects. The best part? Teens can direct their own photoshoots, perfect for those Instagram-worthy shots they’re always after. They can get their friends involved and you can all have a giggle at the photos you take. Maybe you have a budding influencer in your household
Have A Fake Away With Everyone Involved
How about trying a “Family Takeaway Challenge.” Instead of ordering in, we attempt to recreate our favourite restaurant meals. Make your own pizza from scratch, and while the shapes weren’t exactly perfect, the laughter and flour-covered faces made it worthwhile. It’s amazing how cooking brings out conversations that might not happen otherwise. Get all of the ingredients you need, in advance and talk about it beforehand, to build the excitement. You can make any kind of take away or fake away from home. You can turn it into a competition too, kind of like Bake Off.
Movie Nights Are Cosy Things To Do In Winter
Movie nights have evolved in our house too. We’ve moved beyond simply watching films to creating full-blown movie festivals. Each family member gets to choose a film in turn and then we watch them. It is awesome to see how your child’s movie choice has changed as they turn into an adult. Add a twist to the movie night by getting everyone to do a movie snack plate or snack box to go with the movie they chose. For example, if they chose ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ then get them to bring southern fried chicken, spicy popcorn or crisps. For any Christmas movies, bring red and green food. These evenings allow you to snuggle up together under a duvet or blanket on the sofa.
Spa Days From Home Can Be Cosy Things To Do Together
You can transform the living room into a zen space with fairy lights and relaxing music. Grab some face masks, nail polish, and hair treatments next time you pop into Superdrug or Boots. It might sound simple, but these spa days from home can create perfect moments for those heart-to-heart talks. Especially when teens sometimes struggle to initiate them in the first place. Even better, everyone feels pampered and refreshed afterwards. To make it better, you can experiment with making your own pamper products.
Complete the new look with a special piece of jewellery for teens. Something perfect for her age. A piece of jewellery that can grow with her and something that will remind her of the time you spent together. All teens are different, so look for something that suits her personality.
Play Games Together As A Family
Game tournaments have taken on a life of their own in our household. We’ve moved beyond traditional board games to create championship series that span several days. We mix video games with classic card games, keeping a running scorecard on our kitchen whiteboard. The competitive spirit gets everyone involved, and the winner gets to choose the next family takeaway – a prize worth fighting for! The best video games that we play on the Xbox are Trivial Pursuit and Jackbox. Jackbox is the funniest of games and it makes you laugh. You all use your mobile phone, so there are no worries about the lack of controllers.
Be Active In Your House
For more active days, You can design sophisticated scavenger hunts. Using QR codes hidden around the house that lead to the next clue, incorporating riddles about family memories. Try adding photo challenges which makes it engaging for tech-savvy teens. The hunt has everyone racing through the house, solving puzzles that lead to a hidden stash of their favourite treats or even a cash prize.
Creative Cosy Things To Do With Your Teen
Creative workshops can become a Sunday afternoon tradition with your teen. You can explore resin art, try your hands at tie-dying old clothes, and even attempt pottery with air-dry clay. These sessions will usually start with groans of “do we have to?” but inevitably end with proud displays of finished artwork and requests for more supplies. If you have a Cricut machine, get your teen to design some t-shirts
Make A Time Capsule
When you make a time capsule, you can add so many different things. You can write letters to your future selves, include current photos. You can make predictions about where you will be in five years. And you can include a letter about your dreams and aspirations. Your teen can open the capsule in a few years, maybe when she has a teen of her own.
Cosy Things To Do By Starting A Family Book Club
Lastly, start a family book club, choosing novels that spark discussions about topics teens care about. You can pair your book discussions with themed snacks and activities. Making it more than just a reading assignment. It can open up conversations about everything from social justice to relationships in a natural, pressure-free way.
