How can I help my teenager find a hobby that isn't on a screen?

The best way to help a teenager find an off-screen hobby is to let them lead. Start from what they already enjoy online, offer a few low-pressure things to try (without a long commitment), and use what’s already built for their age, like youth clubs, Scouts, local sport or the Gaisce award. Expect a few false starts. A hobby they choose and drop after a month is still a win, because it’s practice at trying things.

You’re not trying to win a fight with their phone. You’re trying to make something else easy and appealing enough that it earns a place in their week.

Why it’s worth the effort

The HSE says children and young people should be active for at least an hour a day, at a moderate to vigorous intensity, and lists hiking, skateboarding, team sports, martial arts, and walking or cycling to school as ideas for older children and teens (HSE). Its screen time advice also says to prioritise play, physical and social activities, and hobbies alongside screens (HSE).

That doesn’t mean every hobby has to be sport. Music, drama, cooking, art, volunteering or fixing bikes all count. The point is having something in the week that’s theirs, with real people, that isn’t on a screen.

Start with what they already like

Teenagers are far more likely to stick at something they picked. A good opening is curiosity rather than a plan:

1. Ask about what they do online. If they watch cooking videos, there’s a kitchen. If they play football games, there’s a local club. If they’re into Minecraft builds, there might be a woodwork, art or robotics group nearby.
2. Ask what they’d try if it was easy. “If you could learn anything, what would it be?” takes the pressure off.
3. Ask who they’d go with. Lots of teens will try something with a friend that they’d never try alone.
4. Keep it short. One chat in the car is often better than a big sit-down talk.

If they shrug, that’s fine. Drop it for a week and come back to it.

Clubs and programmes made for their age

You don’t need to invent something from scratch. Ireland has several long-running options built for young people:

• Foróige clubs. Foróige runs weekly clubs for 12 to 17-year-olds, and junior clubs for 10 to 12-year-olds, all across Ireland. Young people help run their own club nights with adult volunteers, plan trips and fundraisers, and try new things. The Foróige website has a page to find your nearest club (Foróige).
• Scouts. Scouting Ireland groups usually run Scouts for ages 12 to 15 and Venture Scouts for 15 to 17, with younger sections for Beavers and Cubs. Age bands can vary slightly between groups, so check with your local group (Dún Laoghaire Scouts).
• Gaisce, the President’s Award. This is a personal challenge award with three main areas: a personal skill (something new, or something they already do), community involvement (volunteering) and physical recreation, plus an adventure journey (Gaisce). It’s a handy structure if your teen likes a goal. Details are below.
• Local sports clubs and community classes. GAA, soccer, swimming, climbing, martial arts, dance and drama groups often take beginners at this age. Your local sports partnership or library noticeboard is a good place to look.

How Gaisce works

Gaisce suits teenagers who’d like something to show for their effort. According to Gaisce (award levels):

• Bronze is open from age 14 (or 13 if their friends or class are registering). It asks for 1 hour a week for 13 weeks in each of the three main areas, 13 more weeks in one area of their choice, and an adventure journey of at least 2 days and 1 night. Registration is €15.
• Silver starts at 15 (14 if peers are registering) and Gold at 17 (16 if peers are registering), with longer commitments.

To start, a young person connects with an organisation that runs Gaisce and works with a President’s Award Leader. If you can’t find one, Gaisce suggests asking at school, local youth centres, volunteer centres, or scouting or guides groups (Gaisce).

A nice side effect: the “personal skill” can be almost anything, from learning guitar to baking, so it gives a reason to try that thing they’ve mentioned once or twice.

Make trying things low-stakes

The biggest barrier for many teens isn’t the phone; it’s the awkwardness of being new. A few things help:

• Agree on a short trial. “Try it three times, then decide” is easier to say yes to than a whole season.
• Go with a friend, or ask whether a friend’s parent can share lifts.
• Don’t buy all the gear first. Borrow, rent or buy second-hand until you know it’s sticking.
• Let them quit without a lecture after a fair try. Then help them look for the next thing.
• Make the off-screen time easy. The HSE suggests screen-free times and keeping screens out of bedrooms, which naturally leaves more room in the evening (HSE).

And, gently, it helps if they see you doing something you enjoy too. The HSE notes that being active yourself is one of the best ways to motivate children (HSE).

What if they’re anxious or withdrawn?

Some teenagers aren’t just bored; they’re finding it hard to go out or meet new people. If your teen seems low, worried or withdrawn for a while, it’s worth talking to them gently and speaking to your GP. A hobby can help, but it isn’t a fix for everything, and you don’t have to work it out alone.

What to do next

• Have one curious chat this week: ask what they’d love to learn or try if it was easy, and just listen.
• Look up one local option together, such as the nearest Foróige club, Scout group or a beginner class, and pick a date to try it.
• If they’re 13 or older, ask their school whether it runs Gaisce, or whether their friends are signing up.
• Agree on “try it three times” so there’s no pressure to love it straight away.
• Free up one evening by agreeing a screen-free time, so there’s space in the week for something new.

Every teenager is different, and some will take longer to find their thing. Keep the door open, keep it light, and let them know you’re happy to drive.