Boy-Friendly Ideas for Chol Hamoed

Boys, and teenage boys especially, are notoriously hard to entertain when it’s family time.

Last midwinter, we rounded up some great ideas for both out-of-the-house and at-home activities that older kids/tweens/teens might enjoy in this post (check it out!). We admitted then, that entertaining little kids is relatively easy. It gets harder when the kids are older, and it gets particularly hard to decide on an activity that the whole family would enjoy when you have teenage boys.

And while we have the same struggles brainstorming ideas as you do, we came up with a few more that have worked for our friends and family. Yes, some do entail some coordinating and advance planning.

But mostly, we want to hear from you–let us know what activities your boys have enjoyed this Chol Hamoed.

*Escape Rooms are particularly enjoyed by older kids and boys. Note that while they can get pricey and they don’t take up so much time in the day, many escape rooms will let you bring in the younger kids for free (they know they’re not contributing much in helping to solve the puzzle, but they will still feel the excitement). 

*Organize a bochorim volleyball/football/baseball game. You just need to get the word out and they will come! There’s nothing like a game, as long as you can get a crowd together. Post it on a neighborhood chat if you have one. 

*Hiking is a great one. Find a local trail and put on your sneakers. Everyone feels good after getting moving in the wilderness for a bit. 

*Make that hike a complete day day bringing along a portable barbecue and grilling on location!

*Organize an extended family get together. Often, even simple activities are just more fun when there’s more people around. If the weather is nice, this summer activity accommodates a wide variety of ages. 

*Laser Tag–an outdoor forest laser tag in particular for a fun, invigorating day. In Central Location, Fireball Mountain can be booked for groups of 20 or more. 

*If the family is going to an amusement park or another kiddie activity, and the boys don’t want to come along, some boys really enjoy an hour or two in a Judaica store. Give them a budget (after all, you’re not buying them that amusement park ticket) and let them shop. 

*Look out for advertisements for Mens-Only events (waterparks, concerts) that are going on.

*As far as winter sports, Vermont sometimes gets late snows and some ski ranges are open if you have time for a drive (this year, Chol Hamoed is too short for that).

See these posts for more Chol Hamoed ideas.

Please share what you plan for your boys this Chol Hamoed (and what they’ve enjoyed) below!