Fun Father-Son Activities To Develop A Stronger Bond With Your Teen

Traditionally, men struggle to form close bonds with their children – particularly their sons. This can be down to any number of things. If we’re talking about traditions, then the father is likely to be the more absent parent in the relationship. Mom stays home while dad goes to work. Even these days, mothers take time off for maternity leave while dads keep working. This means that your children develop a tighter bond with their mother from a young age. 

As they grow up, it can be harder to form a strong bond with them – especially as they approach their teenage years. Bonding with a teenage son is particularly difficult, but there are things you can do to rectify the situation. More specifically, you should dedicate time to hanging out with your son and doing stuff with them. If you’re struggling to conjure up ideas, here are a few fun father-son activities that’ll strengthen your bond:

DIY

Do you have some DIY tasks to do around the house? Encourage your son to get involved too. It’s a fantastic time for bonding as it forces you to work together. Plus, your son develops some handyman skills that will help them when they’re older. 

It might be challenging trying to convince your son to do DIY as it seems like a chore. So, reward them for helping out with a bit of pocket money or a treat. Eventually, they’ll enjoy it so much they don’t need the reward.

Movie Night

Once a month, plan to see a movie with your son. Give them the freedom to choose whatever they want, and go out with them. Treat yourselves to popcorn or nachos and enjoy the film. Then, go out to dinner together. Dining with your son is a brilliant time to get to know them more. They stop seeing you as this strict parent and start viewing you as a confidant. 

Movie night will quickly become a special event that they look forward to each month. It’s one of those things that strengthens your bond, and your child will look back on with fondness when they’re older. 

Hunting/Fishing

These two activities have been grouped together as they’re somewhat similar but one is an alternative to the other. Hunting has been a popular father-son activity for years. When you’re out in a dark field with a night vision scope trying to find something to hunt, it’s a chance to spend hours of quality time with your son. Talk to them, get to know them, but also let them develop some respect for you. 

Understandably, you may not like the idea of hunting – or you lack the equipment/means. In which case, fishing is a brilliant alternative. Find a good fishing spot and pass the day with your son just chatting and talking about life. It’s exciting seeing them catch their first fish and improve their skills. They’ll be eager to keep going as they want to beat you and win Catch of The Day!

All of these activities encourage you and your son to spend quality time together. That’s the key to strengthening your bond. If you’re busy during the week because of work, actively make time for them on the weekends. Don’t be an absent father; it’ll mean your kids grow up without a father figure to look up to. 

Fun Father-Son Activities To Develop A Stronger Bond With Your Teen