Planning family time when your kids are teenagers or young adults is a whole different ball game. Gone are the days of jelly and ice cream and a quick round of Snakes & Ladders before bedtime. These days, your kids might be taller than you, have better social lives and let’s face it might be a little too cool to sit around the table playing Happy Families.
Fear not! It is possible to create a family games night that doesn’t involve eye rolls, mysterious disappearances to their rooms or them suddenly remembering an urgent FaceTime with their mates. In fact, with a little planning and maybe a bribe or two you can have everyone laughing, competing and actually wanting to spend time together. Yes, even your moody 17 year old and your 22 year old who now drinks proper coffee. lol
Let them choose the games!
The fastest way to ruin the evening is insisting on playing a game you loved in 1998 that now takes four hours and has 96 complicated rules. Instead, hand over the reins and let them suggest some games. They’re way more likely to join in if they feel like they’ve had a say.
Teenagers often love fast paced or funny games like Cards Against Humanity, you can get a Family Edition, Dobble, Exploding Kittens, 5 Second Rule, What Do You Meme? or UNO Flip!! Just remember they might say they’re not fussed but the minute they start winning, it’s game on!
Snacks are important!
If you want to lure them in, feed them! No one can resist a good snack table and your teens/young adults will show up purely for the food even if they pretend it’s a coincidence. Think nachos, loaded fries, a pizza or two, pick and mix sweets or even a themed picky platter if you're feeling fancy.
Make it a tech-tolerant zone!
Hear me out. Instead of banning phones completely (which is bound to lead to sneaky scrolling under the table), why not include them? Lots of fun games are app based and easy to join in on. And if someone’s taking photos or videos of the chaos? All the better. You can create a little tradition of documenting your game nights.
Add a bit of friendly competition!
Teenagers and young adults love a bit of banter. So make it competitive. Add a leader board, create silly trophies, or even promise a prize like they get to choose the takeaway next time or skip the washing up for a week. Little stakes equals big motivation.
Keep it relaxed!
The aim is to make this feel like something fun, not an obligation. Keep the schedule light, maybe just a couple of games, let them lounge in hoodies or PJ bottoms and don’t force anything. If it ends early with everyone chatting on the sofa or arguing about what film to watch next that still counts as a win!
Make it a regular thing but not too regular!
Don’t push for weekly if everyone’s got a million things going on. A monthly games night or just whenever everyone’s home, is enough to keep it special. Make it something to actually look forward to. They might not admit it, but deep down, they’ll love it.
Do you have family games nights with older kids?
