For many parents, the imposed home quarantine is a chance to bond with their children, particularly their teenagers. Aside from serving as a bonding moment, you can use this time to impart some valuable life skills to your child, which can become useful once they head to college or start a family of their own.
Of course, it can be challenging to take away your teenage child from their mobile phones, particularly if they don’t see any immediate benefit that they can get from it. However, one way to “encourage” them is to teach them some cool DIY projects that they can showcase on their social media channels.
DIY Projects for Teenagers
If you are among those looking for things to teach your teenage child while spending time at home, Here are some simple DIY projects to try:
1. Leather Strap Shelf
One easy project you can do with your child is the leather strap shelf. Not only is it easy, but it also requires few tools and only minimal time. Make sure to choose good quality leather straps, a nice wood for the shelf, a leather hole puncher, screw hooks, a cordless drill, and wall plugs. You can ask them to put these leather straps on their bedroom wall while doing their TikTok dances.
2. DIY Chain Mirror
One thing that you can encourage your teenage daughter to make is a chain mirror. You can start by having her glue a pre-cut mirror to a bigger slab of wood with a similar shape. Teach her how to measure the appropriate length to place the hooks to hang the chain to the wood. Before you know it, your teenage daughter will proudly show this masterpiece to her Instagram followers.
3. Multipurpose Furniture Pieces
If there is one thing that your child will need once they head off to college, it would be functional pieces of furniture. Teach them how to create multipurpose furniture items, such as a coffee table that doubles as a storage bin. You can also teach them to build a dining table that can be converted into an office table. Once they get the hang of it, you can introduce them to making their own Murphy bed.
4. Outdoor Security Lights
Aside from teaching them carpentry skills, you should also introduce them to electrical works. You can start them by installing outdoor security lights for your lawn. Make sure that you also give them pointers on how to choose the best ones by reading up about the best outdoor security lights reviews so you can impart the right knowledge.
5. Vanity Mirror Light
If you want to combine carpentry and electrical works, you can build a vanity mirror light together. If you have a teenage son, you can teach him how to build one to serve as a gift to a younger sibling, his mother, or a special someone. All you need are planks of wood, electrical wires, bulbs, wood screws, and paint.
6. Repurposing Furniture
If you have limited supplies on hand, you can still do some DIY projects by repurposing any old furniture pieces you have at home. Suppose you still kept your child’s old crib; you can have your teenage child repurpose it into something they can use, such as a study table or a reading nook.
DIY projects are a great way to pass the time while in quarantine. It will help you and your teenage child learn some skills and also strengthen your bond as a parent and child. Set aside a time for a project each day to help you finish quickly.
