Teens Teen Life 7 Activities for Teens Who Aren't Interested in Sports By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW Facebook Twitter Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, international bestselling author and host of the The Verywell Mind Podcast. Learn about our editorial process Updated on October 24, 2022 Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr LinkedIn Twitter Rich Scherr is a seasoned journalist who has covered technology, finance, sports, and lifestyle. Learn about our editorial process Print Hero Images / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Part-Time Job Creative Hobby Alternative Sports Arts Clubs Starting a Business Volunteering How to Get Your Teen Involved If your teen isn’t interested in sports—or is unable to play for one reason or another—it’s important to keep them involved in some type of after-school activity. Teens have a lot of free time outside of school and after-school activities keep them physically, mentally, and socially active. Consider these alternatives for teens who don't want to be involved in traditional sports. A Part-Time Job A part-time job provides teens with a multitude of benefits. In addition to the money your teen will earn, a job teaches a variety of life skills. A working teen alsowill have an opportunity to gain more responsibility and to prepare for life after high school. A Creative Hobby Today's teens don't participate in hobbies as much as earlier generations did. But a teen who finds an interesting hobby won’t ever be bored and their interests often carry into adulthood. Encourage your teen to explore a variety of interests. A creative hobby could include activities like sewing, building robots, and woodworking. Alternative Sports If your teen isn’t interested in traditional sports, explore alternative ways for them to exercise. Biking, dancing, martial arts, horseback riding, and skateboarding are just a few activities that may interest a teen who isn’t interested in an organized team sport. If your teen isn't interested in joining an official activity that involves exercise, encourage them to go for a walk each day. Arts There are lots of after-school opportunities for artistic teens. Consider signing your teen up for acting classes or music lessons. If your teen is interested in painting, drawing, or sculpting, look for classes that could enhance your child’s skills. A teen who enjoys writing may be able to enter poetry contests or take community writing classes. Clubs Encourage your teen to look into after-school clubs. Most schools offer anything from chess clubs to foreign language clubs. If there aren't any school clubs that interest your teen, explore community organizations. Consider a variety of civic organizations—like Scouting and 4-H—and religious activities—like youth group—that may be of interest to your teen. Starting a Business Many successful entrepreneurs started their first business during their teen years. There are lots of part-time businesses teens can start with little or no start-up costs. Whether your teen wants to mow lawns or walk dogs, a small business can be a great opportunity for a budding entrepreneur. Small Business Ideas for Teens Volunteering There are always lots of volunteer opportunities for teens. And many of them don’t require a long-term regular commitment. Reading to children at a library, walking dogs at the shelter, or growing vegetables to donate to a soup kitchen are just a few ways many teens are choosing to make a difference. Get Your Teen Involved Create a rule that your teen needs to be involved in at least one activity. If they are not going to play sports, encourage them to find something else to keep them busy when they are not in school. Active teens are less likely to get into trouble and they can use their time to gain skills that will help them in the future, as well as to give back to their communities. How to Talk to Your Teen 2 Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Zick CD. The shifting balance of adolescent time use. Youth Soc. 2009;41(4):569-596. doi:10.1177/0044118x09338506 Anderson AL. Adolescent time use, companionship, and the relationship with development. In: Handbook of Life Course Criminology. Springer; 2012:111-127. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-5113-6_7 By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is the Editor-in-Chief of Verywell Mind. She's also a psychotherapist, an international bestselling author of books on mental strength and host of The Verywell Mind Podcast. She delivered one of the most popular TEDx talks of all time. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit