During the teen years, peers take center stage. Parents are delegated to the sidelines. Your teen may roll their eyes and groan when you suggest family activity time. Although they might not want to admit it, a positive parent-teen bond is central to your teen’s mental health. Finding activities to enjoy together is a way to win relationship points. After a parent coaching session at Child and Teen Solutions, these are great places to help facilitate bonding with your teen while creating meaningful memories. Thankfully, the Seattle area has lots of low-cost options for teens with all kinds of interests. This list can be used to inspire your own ideas for activities that your teen can’t resist!

Arts and Crafts

Image of a young teen girl painting. Begin strengthening the bond with your teen with the support of parent coaching in Seattle, WA.

Seattle has countless options for teens who are interested in the arts. An especially unique option is Seattle Mosaic Arts, in the Fremont neighborhood. Teens ages 12 and up and work in their studio or you can purchase kits to work on at home. If your family has suffered any kind of loss, Seattle Mosaic Arts specializes in working with families on memorial mosaic projects.

For pottery, most people know about Paint the Town, which has various locations in the greater Seattle area. For options off the beaten path, Seatown Pottery in Capitol Hill and Greenlake have open studio hours and classes.

For a broader range of craft-related activities, The Works Seattle has a great selection of classes that are open to teens ages 14 and up. Wool Friends in Ballard has many choices for teens who are interested in textile-related fun.

For adventurous teens, Seattle has many glass-blowing studios that are open to the public. Blowing Sands Glass in Ballard offers lessons. Seattle Glass Blowing in downtown Seattle offers private and small group options for families. Not ready for a hands-on glassblowing experience? Check out a glassbaby “hotshop” to see the artists at work. The Glassbaby studios are also great fun for window shopping or to purchase a special gift.

Gaming / Technology

If you’re looking for activities that might be of interest to your gamer but want to take a breather from video games, check out the Pinball Museum in the International District. Play pinball with themes such as Stranger Things, Willy Wonka, and Lord of the Rings. While you're in the neighborhood, stop by Hood Famous Bakeshop, known for its ube-flavored delicacies.

For card and board game aficionados, Mox Boarding Room in Ballard and Bellevue is worth visiting. Hang out in their cozy cafe while enjoying their game selection. Blue Highway Games in Queen Anne is another local favorite.

If a big screen experience is on the agenda, Seattle’s IMAX theatre in Lower Queen Anne will guarantee some fun. For young scientists and engineers, read up on IMAX technology to add another dimension to the experience.

Fun Beverages

Illustration of pink boba tea. If you and your teen are struggle with bonding and your looking to reconnect find support with the help of a skilled parent coach in Seattle, WA.

For spur-of-the-moment outings, most teens will be on board with bubble tea or barista drinks. Top bubble tea destinations include Oasis Tea Zone (complete with an arcade), Seattle’s Best Tea, and Happy Lemon (various locations). Try the delicious Bowl of Souls at The Station in Beacon Hill, a cozy cafe that holds a social justice mission. Still a hard sell for your teen? Hello Robin (try the Macklesmore cookie!) in Capitol Hill or the University Village is hard to turn down.

For feline fans, visit one of Seattle’s cat cafes. NEKO Cat Cafe and Seattle Meowtropolitan are great options. The only danger is that you might end up adopting a kitty!

Thrift Shopping

For fashion-conscious teens, thrift shopping might be a sure bet. Go treasure hunting at Goodwill and Value Village, or check out the various thrift stores in the Capitol Hill neighborhood.

Image of a smiling mom and daughter standing on a basketball court hugging. Begin fostering healthier connections with your child, begin learning the skills to reconnect with parent coaching in Seattle, WA.

Physical Activity

Shoot hoops, kick the soccer ball around, or go for a hike. If your teen likes golf, book a tee time at Jefferson Park. For a true family bonding experience, take a class together at Cappy’s Boxing Gym. Or, try out a climbing gym such as Seattle Bouldering Project or Momentum Indoor Climbing.

Splurge Options

For special occasions, the Original Selfie Museum in downtown Seattle is great for family memory building. Parents and their teens might also enjoy indulging in one of the area's head spas for scalp massages and relaxation.

Another option that is likely to be a springboard for important discussions is the self-defense classes for mothers and daughters at Strategic Living. You can gather a group of friends and schedule a class together, or arrange for a private session. This is a great resource not just for self-defense skills, but also for raising awareness about relationship safety and how to identify relationship red flags.

Services for Teens at Child and Teen Solutions

Child and Teen Solutions offers therapy and evaluations for teens. We work with teens who are grappling with depression, anxiety, school problems, and identity issues. We also focus on working with teens who are neurodivergent (e.g., ADHD, Autism, and learning disorders).

We also offer parent coaching for parents of teenagers. Parent coaching can be a helpful choice when families feel in crisis or are looking for ways to improve their communication with their teens. Parents can also benefit from learning skills on how to respond to rule-breaking by their teens.

To learn more about whether our services are right for your family, reach out to us through our contact page and we will be in touch!

Begin Bonding With Your Teen With The Support of Parent Coaching in Seattle, WA

Parent coaching in Seattle, WA, through Child and Teen Solutions, offers practical tools to strengthen your bond with your teen and foster meaningful connections. By learning effective communication strategies and creative ways to engage with your family, you can create a more harmonious and supportive home environment. Let Child and Teen Solutions help you navigate the challenges of parenting teens with confidence and compassion. Follow these three simple steps to get started:

1. Contact us so we can gather information and answer your questions.

2. Our Client Care Coordinator will walk you through the steps for scheduling and preparing for your first appointment with a skilled CATS therapist.

3. Begin strengthening the bond with your teen!

Additional Mental Health Services Provided by Child and Teen Solutions

CATS is here to support you and your family through various services designed to address the unique needs of each family. In addition to helping you strengthen the bond with your teen with parent coaching, we also offer services to young individuals who can help with self-regulation, ADHD, autism/ PDA, emotion regulation, defiance, or anxiety. We also offer Theraplay to families of young children who are looking to have sessions together with their children. For youngsters who are interested in working directly with a therapist, we encourage you to read our child and teen service pages. In some cases, the therapist who is working with you for parenting can eventually shift to focusing on working with your child. Alternatively, it can sometimes be best to assign a separate CATS provider to the child or teen who is seeking their own therapist. We also offer neurodevelopmental evaluations when more information about a child’s or teen’s developmental and learning profile would be helpful. We work with a wide range of family constellations and identities, and all of our services are LGBTQ+ Affirming.

Looking to Bond with Your Teenager? Activities From a Parent Coach That Your Teen Can’t Resist in the Seattle Area