No Outside Space? 8 Indoor Ideas For Teens

Stuck indoors with no outside space and an antsy teenager? That's definitely not ideal. While not all of us are blessed enough to have our own gardens, that doesn't mean that you can't still enjoy the outdoors at home. There are plenty of creative ways that you can bring the outside in to you. Check out our top eight indoor ideas and activities for teens who are tired of being kept indoors.

There's no better way to bring the outdoors inside than to grow your own plants. Either in a window box or in a hanging basket, there are so many different things that teens will love planting and watching grow. From a range of colourful flowers and tasty herbs (of which you can order the seeds online), to regrowing tomatoes and lettuces by planting the leftovers - there are tons of different options to go with. Give your teens the choice of what they'd like to grow, the responsibility of watering the plants each day, and just watch how excited they get about the progress. It'll be like having your own little garden indoors.

If you've got an extra room in your house that you don't mind temporarily occupying, or even an area of space that you don't need to use for the time being - why not try turning it into your very own indoor garden? You can purchase a cheap roll of artificial grass online to be delivered, or check out your local Tesco (they currently have fake grass reduced as a table runner)! Teens and children alike will have so much fun creating their own little gardens, which they can decorate with plant pots, fairy lights, and cushions. We'd recommend doing it right by a window that you can open for the fresh air and outdoor noises. There's also no need to worry about a rainy day - the whole family will be able to relax and enjoy the garden whatever the weather!

Since you can't exactly go on a camping trip right now, why not pitch a tent in your very own living room and enjoy an indoor camping experience with your teens? Exciting, unique, and an experience that they definitely won't forget - the whole family can join in on this one. Just grab a few sleeping bags, some marshmallows to roast, and a guitar - and you've got yourself a lovely little set-up. For some added fun, why not create your own mock camp-fire with sticks you've collected on a walk, or hang some fairy lights to make it more picturesque? Your teens will love the change in pace from the repetitive routine they've gotten into - and you may just enjoy it yourself.

If you're sick of staring out of the same windows each day, encourage your teens to get creative and decorate one of them with some window art! You may have noticed the display of rainbows in neighbours windows in support of the NHS, and this is a great way to add some colour and brightness into the home. You can order window markers and window paint online, or if you'd like something a little less permanent - you could try crafting a rainbow out of cardboard or paper and sticking it up. Your teens will love the opportunity to decorate a part of their home, so let them get their aprons out and get artsy - who knows, you may love it so much you'll end up keeping it there for good.

(If you're feeling very brave, you could even let them have a go at sketching and painting a bedroom wall mural!)

While you may not have a sprawling garden that you and your teens can take your exercise mats to for some yoga, that  doesn't mean you can't still try to bring the outdoors to you whilst you're working out. All you need to do is to choose a window or balcony in your home (preferably one with the nicest view), clear some floor space, and grab a laptop, tablet or phone. There are plenty of enthusiastic and energetically lead yoga classes on Youtube that are easy for both teens and adults to follow along with - and what better way to enjoy than by staring off into the outdoors as you stretch? We recommend trying this fabulous indoor activity out in the early morning or at sunset to make classes extra special!

With a lot more free time on all of your hands, why not help your teens to give their bedroom an outdoors-themed makeover? You can pick from themes such as the forest, a jungle, or even the beach - and get creative with your decor. There are plenty of cheap props, wall stickers, and themed items that you can order online, not to forget the range of bed sets, lamp shades, and curtains that will really bring the room together. Teens will love the change of pace, and not only will the decorating take a good couple of days of boredom away but they'll feel much so happier about being cooped up at home (...at least for a while). If you're feeling extra daring, you could even whip out those paintbrushes and let your teens go wild. If you're stuck for ideas, try heading over to pinterest for some inspiration - there's plenty to see.

While this may not be the most exciting activity on the list, spending time next to an open window is a great way to connect with the outdoors whilst you're stuck inside. Whether your teen is reading a book, doing their school work, or even scrolling through their tablet - there's something about the fresh air and noise of the outdoors that makes for a relaxing experience. A fun activity for the whole family to do together is to close all of your eyes, and just listen for a minute or two. List all of the different sounds and animals you can hear, and see who can get the most - with a grand prize for the winner. The lockdown may have caused many things to shut down - but they can't shut down nature, so make the most of it and enjoy it while you can, before the hustle and bustle of life drowns out all the lovely noises.

Your teens may be getting bored of their short once a day bike ride around your local streets - so why not let them take an adventure anywhere in the world, right from your home living room? If you've got an exercise bike at home, or even simply a bike in your garage that you can tie up and stabilise to ride on the spot, let your teens go on the ride of a lifetime. All you have to do is place the stabilised bike in front of either a TV, laptop, or tablet - and look up a virtual bike ride route on YouTube. From there, your teenagers will be set to get riding wherever they want! They'll love being able to plug in some earphones with their favourite music and enjoy the ride.

This isn't necessarily just for the teens, either. This indoor activity is fun for the whole family to take part in - from kids to adults, and is really great exercise. You can even switch out the bike for a treadmill, or simply running on the spot if you don't have the equipment at home. It's a really fun way for teens to enjoy their exercise whilst feeling like they're not constantly stuck inside! And, if your teenagers decide that they want to switch it up and have had enough of the great outdoors for one day - you could even put on their favourite film or TV show to watch while they bike.

‍
 

For more great ideas and activities for you and your teens to do indoors, click here.