“I’m bored! There’s nothing to do!!”
It is always a challenge to spark the imagination of teenagers in the summer holidays. Gone are the days when a trip to the zoo or a puppet theatre may have done the trick. But can this really be true for teenagers living in London, one of the world’s most dynamic capital cities?
With a month to go, some teenagers in the city may have exhausted all ideas and may be trailing around the house with a despondent look.
At Focus, we see families struggling with the long summer holidays and the pressures this can put on parents short on ideas, time and or money.
We have recently been directing clients to Eventbrite, the site selling tickets to all kinds of events across the capital; from games, to music events to art and plenty more
Many events are low cost or even free. For example, see the Walala X exhibition at the NOW Gallery which is free and you can book a time slot through Eventbrite. The event takes place at: Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London, SE10 0SQ View Map (nearest tube North Greenwich).
As Eventbrite explains, the artist Camille Walala has created: a labyrinthine network of corridors and enclosed spaces in a temple of wonder. A key part of this installation will be an imaginative puzzle which invites the solver to identify the inconsistencies between two otherwise identical images. WALALA x PLAY brings this concept off the page and into three- dimensional space, inviting visitors to linger and explore colour, shape and scale, contemplating formidable pattern to find the differences.
The artist has also worked her magic on a couple of ping pong tables and visitors can have a game outside after checking out the exhibition. All for free!
If nothing else, it gets the teens out of the house, off to Greenwich, with maybe a boat trip or (for those who have some birthday money to spend) a climb; a spot of urban mountaineering on the roof of the O2 Centre!
Or for those thinking about their future, why not inspire your older kids and book a ticket to The Idea
“It’s easy to have ideas – but it’s a different story when it comes to making them happen. That’s what this month’s Underground Session is here to solve. We’ve gathered together a panel of some of London’s most inspiring entrepreneurs who’ll be sharing their journeys, challenges and advice on how to get your idea out there.”
You might even get some inspiration yourself! https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/underground-session-the-idea-tickets-36448833442
There are also paid football events for kids, singing in aid of Water Aid and the Hackney Games (in aid of charity). All on Eventbrite where your teens can compete against their friends in a host of sporting events and less challenging events reminiscent of school sport’s day (think egg and spoon race!) and so on.
Challenge your teenagers (or even your children back for university holidays) to create a summer full of everything that the capital has to offer!
