Monthly teen social events

[Faithr]

The teen support group around here has been getting lamer and lamer. Apparently just before I had a teen old enough to join, it was great and really active, but since we've been involved hardly anything goes on. Well, that's not true, they have a ski trip every winter (but my kids don't ski!) and they plan a prom. The trouble is the prom is awkward because often the kids don't even really know each other as they haven't jelled as a group. There will be certain subsets of kids who know each other and they hang out with each other. It's all very awkward. The group does try to get one or two swing dances together before the prom, but for us that event this year occurred on a night we couldn't make it, so forget that one opportunity!

 

So for next year, I'm trying to come up with a monthly fun events the teens could do. I feel motivated to do this because when my oldest dd was involved, she was very extroverted and had no problem mixing with others. My next teen truly didn't care, but my 15 yo is really shy and is going to need more opportunities to warm up and get acquainted with other kids before he can relax and make friends. This year he's lived in a shell! He doesn't ski and he'd rather be boiled in oil before going to a formal dance!!!! So there's no opportunity at all for him.

 

I'm thinking of the following: September - putt putt golfing, October - bike hike (I'd have to get a dad/mom to lead. I don't seem to do biking anymore!), November - cookout/campfire at nearby state park, December - some kind of service project (ideas???), January - movie night, February - laser tag, March-service project (ideas??), April - bowling, May - scavenger hunt or maybe putt putt golfing again, June - swimming party or maybe another bike hike?

 

I also want to do this same sort of thing with my 'tween' but on a different day of the month. Or do you think it would be okay to do this together?

 

My 15 yo also wants to have wii tournaments. They do that at our local library on the first Monday evening of the month. I don't know how they set them up but he doesn't like the arbitrary rules they use so he's designed his own way of setting up a tournament.

 

So any ideas? What do your homeschool teens groups do for fun social time? What are some fun group service projects?

 

Thanks!

[mooooom]

Night time Capture the Flag at a local park

Rented out the heated pool at a local hotel for a couple of hours (we live in New England and did this in the middle of the winter)

Snow Tubing (again - in the winter)

Meet at the Beach day (siblings allowed)

Laser Tag night

 

We have an awesome woman that organizes this - she is super creative. She has also done Game Nights - she takes board games and abbreviates the rules so they take about 15min, the kids separate into groups and rotate tables - keeping score cards w/ them - the winners get little prizes.

 

She also has done a Christmas party w/ a penny auction that has been a lot of fun.

 

She almost always includes a few ice breaker games - that don't single kids out (noone has to stand up and talk in front of anyone), and sometimes organizes them for the parents too, after the kids have started.

[ncmom2dawters]

How about getting the teens involved in the planning process and asking them what they'd like to do?

[Brindee]

Where we live we'd ahve to do indoor stuff starting in October. It's usually cooler and rains more by then. It must be different there! We'd do the indoor stuff from October to March-ish--The game night, bowling, movie night, etc. The camping we'd probably do in September or May.

 

Service Project ideas:

 

We had a youth group we did stuff with when my boys were that age. They wanted to do a community service project, and asked the kids to look for something they might be able to do. We have a neighbor lady whose family had just moved away. They'd helped her clear the weeds and things in her yard, mow, etc., and now she needed some work done, and they weren't there anymore. My boys asked her if it would be okay if their group came and helped her out. She consented, and the group adopted the project. They had a great time, really, and laughed and joked a lot, but got a lot of work done. Our neighbor lady was thrilled, and called them the "Happy Helpers"! :D Maybe your group can look for a project like that?

 

Often places like the Humane Society have projects that they need volunteers for. They couldn't walk dogs, as they need to take classes first, but sometimes they need a room painted, or something like that. OR, they could send out a letter to raise funds or items to donate to the local shelter. Usually the Shelters have lists of things they need. That could be shared in the kids' neighborhoods, then have a pick-up date to go around and pick up the donated items. My dd did that for her 10th B-day: She wrote up a letter that she was asking for donations for the local Shelter and we printed it on bright-colored paper. We also included the list of items needed. In the letter she put a date for them to leave it out on their porch in the bag provided (we stapled the letter to a grocery bag), and that we'd pick it up between these certain hours. We handed those out in our neighborhood, and had a very good response! She also had a Bday party with some friends, and asked them to bring donations for the Shelter also. They had the party (dog and cat themed), then a sleepover, then the next day we gathered up everything and all the girls helped take it to the shelter. The people there were thrilled! Just sayin'---some of those places REALLY need donations of items like that, so it'd be a great community service project!

 

Oh, another possibility: Do they have "adopt a highway/road" programs there? If so, you could contact the organization that does a stretch of road near you and ask if you can help them one day.

 

There are also womens/homeless shelters that need help. The womens shelter for abused women often need packets made up---packets include washcloth, soap, toothbrush, etc. OFten there are children there, so they may need toy donations as well. Homeless shelters/churches that do "soup kitchens" may need volunteers to help make/serveclean up meals during non-holiday times (non-holiday times because they usually get lots of volunteers during holidays).

Edited May 2, 2010 by Brindee