The ways in which teenagers play are often a source of concern or conflict within families and schools. The ways in which teenagers play include: hanging out; trying new things influenced by friends rather than family; risk taking; online activity including gaming.

The organisation Playful Childhoods has produced various resources around 'Supporting Teenagers’ with play (webpage with translation function). Top tips for supporting teenagers with play is also available to download here.

Play online games with your friends. Have a look at what is available on the app stores on your phones or go to gaming platforms such as Steam to browse multiplayer games. Kast is a good screen capture app that could be used to share your gameplay.

Go on a virtual trip together. Museums, zoos, aquariums and more are offering livestreams and virtual tours. Some links are available here and there are plenty more to be found online. Use a video chat platform to make this a group trip.

Organise a film night with your friends using Netflix Party. You can watch a programme together and join a group chat to talk. Netflix Party lets you synchronize Netflix watching across device/locations and adds chat feature between a group

DIY Science: anyone can be an engineer with Siemans who have produced quick and simple experiments that KS2 children could do simultaneously in their homes and watch how their friends are getting on at the same time/chat with each other. 

Catalyst have collated sleep hygiene tips recommended by researchers for children, teenagers and adults. They can be downloaded here. 

This resource, The Goodnight Guide for Children, explains the technicalities for a good night’s sleep in accessible language with great illustrations.

The Sleep Council has advice and support for good sleep hygiene for children and specific information for children with SEND. The Teen Sleep hub has resources for teens, parent/carer and schools. While The Sleep Foundation share comprehensive information on the importance of your child's sleep schedule, possible disruptions of sleep and tips for ensuring a good night sleep.

The Tide app contains several different features to aid sleep, a lot of which can be accessed for free. Users can choose from a selection of relaxing sleep-aid soundscapes which can be played indefinitely or for set amounts of time. Guided mindfulness and meditation activities and mini exercises such as body scans and guided breathing are available, as are short articles on topics such as “four ways to have a good sleep”. The app also allows you to track your sleep time and quality, helping you identify whether any changes need to be made to improve your sleep routine and hygiene.

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Updated 26/02/2024