Outings to Satisfy Stroppy Teens

Outings to satisfy stroppy teens are so important! But why?

Being a teenager can be a turbulent time emotionally, with so many big changes happening in each teen’s life. Whether that be exam stress, friends or relationship stress, and the physical changes happening every day in their brain and body, it can be a difficult time!

As a parent, you feel the brunt of those highs and lows especially and it can be a real head-scratcher trying to plan family time. So, how do we turn those frowns upside down, and satisfy those stroppy teens!

We have bundled together a wide range of fun family activities and epic outings for you to try out with your turbulent teens.

Courageous Climbing

It’s confidence-building time! What better way to crush your teenager’s blues than by a rush of endorphins!

Drown that sadness and anger with some feel-good activities and new accomplishments. Not only is it beneficial in terms of fitness, and getting your teenager out of their room, but the mental health benefits are massive too. Exercise = feeling good! This one is great for kids sitting exams, as they tend to spend a lot of their time and energy in one place studying, where they are not moving around very much.

If your child is experiencing more than just a bad mood, and it has progressed to teen depression, exercising is a crucial part of mental wellness that may help to alleviate some of their negative feelings. Feeling low can make you feel drained physically too, so keeping active even if it is only once a week will help ease your child’s low mood. Climbing is a great way to exercise and because it is such a fun activity, it won’t even feel like exercising!

Here are some great climbing centres to visit around the UK…

Parthian Centre (multiple locations) – Manchester, Hampshire, Reading, Harrogate & Southampton
Clip N Climb (multiple locations!) – Stratford-Upon-Avon, Stoke, Oldham, Exeter, Preston, Plymouth, Stockton, Cambridge, Newcastle, Dundonald, Tonbridge, & Portsmouth.
WestWay Climbing, London

Creative Workshops

A great way to satisfy your stroppy teens is by channelling their inner creativity. Because physical activity isn’t the only stress-buster. Arts and crafts are also an effective way to tackle your teen’s frustrations and restlessness!

Planning a day out at a pottery cafe could be a bonding activity for you and your teen. Its calming effects are great for kids who suffer from anxiety disorders, as you can take your time in a quiet environment to focus on one pottery piece at a time. This is also a good opportunity to spend quality time with your child and talk about what might be on their mind, over nice a cup of tea and a cake!

Here are some of the best ceramic/pottery cafes to take your teen to…

Boat Trips & Escapism

Looking for a unique but fun activity that will even make your stroppy teens smile? If your family is lucky enough to live by the sea or a decent river, why not try a boat trip?

We all feel like we need a break or a bit of escapism – without having to escape completely. Whether you are venturing out somewhere new or boating is a new experience in itself, give it a try! All aboard teens/tweens?

Here are some lovely coastal trips, tours and sea safaris around the UK…

Marvellous Mini-breaks & Super Staycations

Have a much needed weekend away with your teenage/tween-age child!

Battle those unpredictable mood swings with a unique trip away that is sure to give your moody teen an infectious smile! Check out our blog, S uper Staycations: 13 unique Airbnbs to visit in the UK, for some of the UK’s quirkiest and must-visit Airbnbs. From sharing an apartment with Basil the horse, a TreeTop Glamping Pod in Somerset, a Hobbit hideaway in Scotland, and so much more!

Technology Time-outs & Wonderful Walks

Strip everything back with some good old “Nature Therapy” – AKA taking a trip to your local woods, hills, parks, gardens and rivers. If you are feeling extremely adventurous, head to your local mountains!

We spend a lot of time looking at our phones or laptop screens, and sometimes we need a break. This is often the case for our teenagers too. Too much screen time for our kids can produce an army of lethargic, unsatisfied and stroppy teens!

When we stay in one place for too long looking at screens all day we can begin to feel a lack of energy and lack motivation to do things. Which can attribute to low mood and depressive disorders in our teens.

So, rather than looking down, it’s time to start looking up! Get up, get some fresh air and embrace your surroundings. Check out our latest blogs, Free Family Days Out and Best Family Walks for some outdoor inspiration!

Cave Exploration

Maybe stroppy teens are a little more tetchy than usual because they are simply BORED. Bored of their school work, bored of going to local shopping centres and bored of going to their local park. So, why not take them somewhere out of the ordinary? It’s not every day you take the kids to explore an ancient Cave… *gulps*.

Here are some fascinating and hair-raising caves you should visit:

Royston Cave, Hertfordshire – 13th Century Cave in the shape of a beehive, with remarkable ancient human wall carvings!
Hellfire Caves, Buckinghamshire – A quarter of a mile underground its narrow passages take you into various chambers such as Franklin’s Cave, Miners Cave and the Banqueting Hall finally ending up at the Inner Temple.
Aillwee Cave, County Clare, Republic of Ireland – One of the oldest caves in Ireland, Aillwee Cave was formed by glacial meltwaters of an early ice age that created a river running deep underneath Aillwee mountain.
Ingleborough Cave, North Yorkshire – This cave is millions of years old and dates back to the Ice Age! You’ll see stalagmites, flowstones, scallops, fossils, pools and so much more.

Cool Places To Go With Friends

Colourful, cool, and quirky, these must-visit places are completely Instagrammable & Tiktok friendly. Each one of these funky hotspots is an extremely memorable place where your stroppy teens can plan to visit to spend time with friends too, or might be good for their teenage parties!

Let the fun begin at…

The Beatles Museum, Liverpool – Vibrant and interesting collection of art, history & memorabilia of the Beatles. Located in the heart of Liverpool, why not make a whole day or weekend of fun? The Cavern Club is located next to the museum as well as a Beatles themed hotel ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ just up the road!
Bunker 51, London – Save the world from nuclear disaster at this family-friendly laser tag arena!
Zipworld Tower, Cardiff – Take a daredevil spin on the record-breaking ‘Phoenix’, which is the fastest seated zipline in the world as well as the steepest!
R – cade, Glasgow – Play Japanese style gaming with over 50 years worth of retro video games and machines! You can also snack on Japanese sweets and refreshments as it is a gaming cafe!
The Dog Bowl, Manchester – This American themed bowling alley, has delicious diner-inspired food and is a stylish and classy approach to bowling.
Airbox Bounce, Northumberland – This trampoline park is a great place to supervise your teens and tweens with their friends. They can bounce to the high heavens while you sit down in the park’s cafe!
Grand Prix Karting, West Midlands – One of the best family outings to experience is go-karting! Vroom around the racecourse with the wind in your hair – unless you are dad!

Crazy Golf

Crazy golf courses are no longer just outdoor spaces on fairgrounds, where you have to stand in the drizzly British rain. Lots of crazy/mini-golf courses are indoor with high-tech designs and super cool themes. Crazy Golf is a trending place to visit, amongst adults too! Teens will love this activity, whether that be with friends or family.

It’s a great place to consider when booking teen parties! Say goodbye to your stroppy teens and hello to smiles all round!

Here are some of the coolest crazy golf attractions…

Feel free to check out our Crazy Golf blog too for our more thorough crazy golf top picks!

Escape Rooms

Get your adrenaline pumping and blood rushing with escape rooms! Search for clues, crack puzzles on the clock and make sure to listen in to each story being told – can you debunk each room’s mystery?

Teens will be in their zone trying to beat the game. It’s a great way to get your kid’s brains buzzing as they work towards the ultimate goal … FREEDOM! Check out our list of the best family-friendly escape rooms in the UK.

Furry Friends

Animals = adorable, right?

Get up close and personal with all different kinds of animals and minibeasts around the UK & Ireland. Whether you are thinking of going on a Llama walk in Northampton, swimming with horses in Penzance, or being enchanted by a magical butterfly house in Wales. There is so much to discover!

It’s a great way to cure the moodiness of a stroppy teen, after all, how can you be moody when you are petting a miniature horse in Devon?

Here is a list of weirdly wonderful animal attractions, sanctuaries and farms in the UK & Ireland…

Found somewhere amazing to take your stroppy teen? Hopefully, we have provided you with some remedies for all of your teenager’s highs and lows!

Looking for more inspo? Here are some of our other related blogs you might find helpful…

Have you got your Days Out+ membership? Save big on top attractions when you plan your next outing with your stroppy teen! Find out more on our membership blog or head straight over to our membership! Psst, your first month only costs £1! Bargain right?