We’ve now launched into our second month of social isolation at home, but for many teenagers, it might already seem like the second year in solitary confinement.  

Fun times, but we’re all in this together for the greater cause. To help you keep the teenage wolves from the door, we’ve put together a list of fun COVID-19 lockdown activities we believe will keep the older kids entertained. 

Online action - Psych! Outwit Your Friends, released a few years ago by comedian, Ellen DeGeneres, has emerged as the most popular multiplayer game for locked down teenagers. Available in Android and iOS, Psych! can be played by multiple users simultaneously, with people joining the action through a code, shared by a leader, who creates a game. In the game, a player reveals a mix of fake facts with truths. Other players must identify the bluff to win the round.

If your teenagers think they’re experts on the life and times of Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift, then online quizzes will provide hours of fun. For the budding Sheldon Coopers in the house, perhaps SwitchedOn Kids might be more to your teenager’s liking (www.switchedonkids.com.au/general-knowledge-quiz/).

Have a virtual film night with friends: Netflix Party lets your teenagers watch a film with their friends – and the upside is that there’ll be no tussles for the popcorn.

Fun workouts to keep teens active – to ensure it’s not all about movies, ice creams and popcorn, there are free online personal training resources for our teens cooped up at home. Check out Les Mills On Demand for some free workouts for teenagers and even the little ones. 

Building life skills – whether its cooking dinner, doing the laundry, mowing the lawn or washing the car, the current lockdown is a great time to help prepare your teenagers for life after mum and dad. If you’re game, even invite your teens to help with ordering the groceries online. Maybe you can agree to a payment for services rendered to encourage teenager participation – you might even find your teenagers love the extra responsibility.

Declutter and donate - ask your teen to go through their cupboard and drawers and weed out the clothes and toys they no longer need. While you may not be able to drop them off to the Vinnies or Salvos clothes bins now, this will help you declutter some of your rooms. If they make a good fist of their bedrooms, your teenagers could help declutter other rooms in the house and the garage.