What do teens do for fun these days?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are new to the area and my social teen DS is suffering because he cannot find anyone to hang out with on weekends. They are either doing their HW or being homebodies. We moved here from Europe, teens are everywhere, hanging out in coffee shops, dance clubs for teens, arcades...It's so weird here...

Yes, he joined clubs at his HS but it's not the same.

This area is the absolute worst for socialization. I’m sorry OP. My teen went to Denmark for a semester and loved the clubs, museums, libraries, pubs, coffee shops, and her absolute fav was a board game bar.

[Anonymous]

My daughter does friend Fridays twice a month and the group agrees to an activity and no phones. She says they have so much fun because no one is scared to be embarrassed or a friend will post them online etc…

Phones have ruined this generation.

[Anonymous]

Sometimes they go to the Pentagon City mall, sometimes to Del Ray or Old Town, sometimes play pickup sports, lots of online gaming.

[Anonymous]

My teen son doesn't have that much down time. His robotics club meets on Saturdays (in addition to after school), so sometimes he will get food with people after that. On Sundays he works. On Friday night he goes to the Y to work out with a friend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are new to the area and my social teen DS is suffering because he cannot find anyone to hang out with on weekends. They are either doing their HW or being homebodies. We moved here from Europe, teens are everywhere, hanging out in coffee shops, dance clubs for teens, arcades...It's so weird here...

Yes, he joined clubs at his HS but it's not the same.

This area is the absolute worst for socialization. I’m sorry OP. My teen went to Denmark for a semester and loved the clubs, museums, libraries, pubs, coffee shops, and her absolute fav was a board game bar.

I'm sure you know that the DC area actually has all of those things. Of course, the board game bars are generally for adults aged 21 and up, given our drinking age rules. But your teen has plenty of other choices.

[Anonymous]

I have teenage daughters and they like to go to the mall with their friends, hangout at friend’s houses, get lunch and go to Starbucks with their friends. They also play sports on the weekends so that takes up some of their time.

[Anonymous]

What is up with the whole "going to the mall" thing? Are they shopping? Or just oggling?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter does friend Fridays twice a month and the group agrees to an activity and no phones. She says they have so much fun because no one is scared to be embarrassed or a friend will post them online etc…

Phones have ruined this generation.

True: phones and social media have ruined this generation.

[Anonymous]

I think it can be tough because some places you would not expect will turn randomly turn teens away unless there is an adult there. My 16 year old daughter (who looks her age and not older) and her best friend have been turned away from a cat cafe and a bowling alley, of all places.

[Anonymous]

I haven’t read all the replies. On weeknights, my kid is practicing his sport, as are many high school kids. He has lots of friends through the sport and from marching band. I think the main way kids end up hanging out a lot is via shared activities (going to eat before or after, for example).

On weekends, the main ways my son hangs out with friends is either inviting friends over to play board games, or meeting up for some activity like laser tag, a climbing gym, riding bikes somewhere, hiking, etc. But he doesn’t do that every weekend. He’s 15.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is up with the whole "going to the mall" thing? Are they shopping? Or just oggling?

You’re not Gen X, are you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are new to the area and my social teen DS is suffering because he cannot find anyone to hang out with on weekends. They are either doing their HW or being homebodies. We moved here from Europe, teens are everywhere, hanging out in coffee shops, dance clubs for teens, arcades...It's so weird here...

Yes, he joined clubs at his HS but it's not the same.

This area is the absolute worst for socialization. I’m sorry OP. My teen went to Denmark for a semester and loved the clubs, museums, libraries, pubs, coffee shops, and her absolute fav was a board game bar.

I'm sure you know that the DC area actually has all of those things. Of course, the board game bars are generally for adults aged 21 and up, given our drinking age rules. But your teen has plenty of other choices.

ok name them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are new to the area and my social teen DS is suffering because he cannot find anyone to hang out with on weekends. They are either doing their HW or being homebodies. We moved here from Europe, teens are everywhere, hanging out in coffee shops, dance clubs for teens, arcades...It's so weird here...

Yes, he joined clubs at his HS but it's not the same.

This area is the absolute worst for socialization. I’m sorry OP. My teen went to Denmark for a semester and loved the clubs, museums, libraries, pubs, coffee shops, and her absolute fav was a board game bar.

I'm sure you know that the DC area actually has all of those things. Of course, the board game bars are generally for adults aged 21 and up, given our drinking age rules. But your teen has plenty of other choices.

ok name them

Uh, the board game bars? Like Board Room in Dupont Circle? Or the museums, libraries, coffee shops, dance clubs, etc...?

[Anonymous]

Have you considered joining Scouts? It is a little nerdy but kids can join in high school and they do a lot of activities in the evenings and weekends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are new to the area and my social teen DS is suffering because he cannot find anyone to hang out with on weekends. They are either doing their HW or being homebodies. We moved here from Europe, teens are everywhere, hanging out in coffee shops, dance clubs for teens, arcades...It's so weird here...

Yes, he joined clubs at his HS but it's not the same.

This area is the absolute worst for socialization. I’m sorry OP. My teen went to Denmark for a semester and loved the clubs, museums, libraries, pubs, coffee shops, and her absolute fav was a board game bar.

I'm sure you know that the DC area actually has all of those things. Of course, the board game bars are generally for adults aged 21 and up, given our drinking age rules. But your teen has plenty of other choices.

ok name them

Uh, the board game bars? Like Board Room in Dupont Circle? Or the museums, libraries, coffee shops, dance clubs, etc...?

No all the things teens can do. You said there were plenty