Three Activities Guaranteed to Solicit More Than an Eye-roll From Your Teen

The teen years are incredible – you get to watch your favorite kids grow into the people they are becoming while also learning to navigate an entirely new language that is 70% non-verbal communication and 30% what sounds remarkably close to word salad. Pair that with a constantly shifting emotional landscape and it makes planning the illusive itinerary for quality time a bit like a scavenger hunt while blindfolded. Fear not – I’ve got three time-tested activities guaranteed to foster connection, actually engage them and ultimately remind them that quality time is still peak (which means cool… I think).

Remind them you can do cool things with a Sandland Adventures dune buggy ride

Every once in a while, it’s important to remind your favorite teen that you are, in fact, fun to be around. This keeps them on their toes – tricking them into forgetting, if only for a moment, that you’ve been annoyingly asking them questions about their day, reminding them about homework, and suggesting that they eat dinner without screens. I can think of no better place to provide this full system shock than Sandland Adventures. Their dune buggy tours are the best place to start – somehow providing the perfect balance of adrenaline-fueled discovery with hidden educational highlights.

After you check-in at the Sandland tours spot you’ll drive your teen(s) down a thickly wooded road and pull off into a dirt parking lot that hides the dune buggies. At this point, they may still be trying desperately to hold on to the idea that this is like “whatever” but soon they will have sand in their teeth from non-stop grinning as they fly over the tops of the dunes with reckless abandon. Be warned that when the tour wraps up and they wobble as their feet hit the solid ground again, they may suggest you invest in ATVs and having relived the momentary thrill of adventure, you may even consider it.

Take them to lunch at PLAY Eugene – it’s a vibe.

We decided to take advantage of a no school day with lunch at PLAY. At 7:30 am, I woke to the sound of my teen emptying his piggy bank on the dining room table in search of quarters – for me, seeing him up at so early on a no-school day by choice is testament enough. While he filled his pockets with quarters to feed the pinball machines, I was overcome with gratitude that a place like PLAY, where you can just hang out, exists. They somehow balance fun and chill in a way that makes it easy to want to stay there and eliminates any pressure for your teen to engage in forced family fun.

The experience of PLAY starts the moment you open your car door. The smells of Paper Plate BBQ, one of the several resident foot trucks, wafts through you all the way from the parking lot. It takes just about five seconds after you open the door to realize you’re about to have a blast. It’s in the atmosphere. The décor is cool, vibrant and inviting, and the ding of old school pin balls machines, rattle of basketballs slicing through a hoop and the smack of ball meeting bat add to the feel.
With several spaces inside and out, there is a spot for everyone. They have a cocktail lounge with darts for the adults, a play area for the littles, and a range of places to sit in small groups or large. With a complete range of games from VR Golf, batting cages, basketball games, to shuffle board and classic pinball there is so much to do. Outback you’ll find a patio surrounded by food trucks that will make it nearly impossible to decide on only one thing for lunch. Be sure to check their event calendar before you go – there is always something fun coming up for DJ’s spinning vinyl to Dungeons and Dragons games. When they say they are a temple of amusement – they mean it.

Get the kids in the car, let them pick the tunes and watch what happens

We call it car hiking and it’s been one of our favorite traditions. The thing is, there is something almost magical about a teen in a car with zero pressure for eye contact, the DJ privileges for the stereo and a drive through the scenic roads of Lane County. Fill up the car with gas, plan some options for scenic drives and head out on an adventure. Typically, it takes about two songs before all of the sudden they will actually talk to you, unprompted.

Our favorite drive is the loop around Fall Creek, especially when it’s lit by a full moon. I can’t count the number of times that we’ve been so deep in conversation that we’ve pulled off at the Lowell Covered Bridge to stare out at Dexter Lake and continue to talk. It sounds so simple but hands down it’s been one of the best things we do to not only appreciate the beauty of Lane County but our time together. By the time you end the drive and put the car in park you’ll know something new about your teen, have fostered legit connection and even gotten your steps in.

Author’s note: I read this article out loud to my teen, in an effort to ensure these suggestions were sound. The only thing that actually got me an eye roll was my use of the word “peak”. “Take that out, mom. You’re not that cool.” So, while the language may be an issue the activities hit the mark. Go forth and adventure – you’ll be glad you did.