50 Fantastic Bonding Activities for Moms and Their Teenage Sons

On any given weekend, my husband and teenage son spend hours watching sports together. It might be football, hockey or golf. You name it, they watch it. They cheer, clap, and endlessly discuss things like trades, uniforms, and salaries. 

If I’m honest, I’m a bit jealous. While I like sports, I’m not quite as enthusiastic about the topic as they are. And seeing them bond over sports makes me feel like such moments are harder to come by for me and my teenage son. It’s not like when he was little and we hunted for worms in the backyard or he sat on my lap while I read him a book.

When I stop to think about it, though, I realize I’m mistaken. That’s because there are dozens of moments each day when my son and I share an activity, hang out, or exist comfortably in the same room. Just yesterday we went on a bike ride, talked about a new recipe, and played with our cats. 

These moments prove that I have no reason to mourn the loss of time to connect with my son. Neither should you, Moms! There are so many events, both big and small, over which we can bond with our young men. Here are 50 activities to inspire the next bonding moment with your teenage son:

1. Cook together.
2. Take a walk around the neighborhood.
3. Stay up late when he stays up.
4. Get ice cream.
5. Go jogging or run a 5k.
6. Play backyard games like ladder ball or corn hole. 
7. Take him bowling.
8. Text him. Send him funny memes, motivational quotes, or anything that will make him smile. 
9. Play golf or mini golf.
10. Find a genre of movies or shows you both like to stream. 
11. Or go to the movies or live theater.
12. Attend a local sporting event.
13. Run errands. It sounds weird, but my son will often come with me to chat and ask me to swing through the drive thru for a snack. 
14. Play video games. 
15. Hit the hiking trails.
16. Go to a concert.
17. Laugh at his jokes. Yes, even the ones about bodily functions! 
18. Take a class together.
19. Bond over your pets. Walk the dog or feed the guinea pig.
20. Go on a day trip. 
21. Or take a longer weekend trip.
22. Spend time teaching him something he needs to know. Does he know how to do his laundry or make a bed with hospital corners?
23. Listen to the same podcast.
24. Attend a boat, car, or home improvement show.
25. Take him out to lunch or dinner. Just the two of you.
26. Go fishing.
27. Spend the afternoon boating or sailing.
28. Watch a sunset together. 
29. Head to the zoo or aquarium.
30. Show up for his meets, games, concerts, and other activities. Tell him how much you love watching him.
31. Ride horses.
32. Ride bikes. 
33. Share an inside joke. Tell it for years to come.
34. Make crafts.
35. Plant and tend a garden.
36. Spend a relaxing day at the beach.
37. Buy his favorite snacks (in large quantities!) and enjoy watching him eat them. 
38. Build or fix something together.
39. Play cards or board games. 
40. Do a jigsaw puzzle.
41. Join the same gym and work out together. 
42. Play paintball or laser tag.
43. Volunteer together. There are tons of causes in which you can serve alongside each other, such as food pantries or animal shelters.
44. Play tennis or pickleball.
45. Hug him–and celebrate if he hugs you back!
46. Embrace boredom and do nothing. You’ll be surprised how much you simply treasure being in the same room with him.
47. Read the same book and talk about it.
48. Tell him you love him. Every day. 
49. Cherish every time he says, “Love you, too.”
50. Watch football, basketball, hockey or any other sport he loves. Even if you don’t know the players’ names, salaries, or statistics. Just be with him.

This list shows that just about anything we do with our teenage sons can turn into a time of connection, whether it lasts just a few minutes or a lot longer. Keep your eyes and hearts open, Mamas. Here’s to bonding with our big boys!