Tweens or Preteens! It’s the term for when our little ones become too big to be children but haven’t quite made it to being teenagers.
It can be easy to focus on the Teenager years that are on the way, and not realise the importance of the tween stage.
This is a time of huge change for kids as they become more aware of their own thoughts and those of others – in-other-words: at this stage, a little person who has previously been completely uninhibited may suddenly care what other kids think of them! They want to fit in, worry about feeling left out, and start comparing themselves to their peers.
They may also start to experience mood swings and try on different personalities as they ‘try out’ which one fits for them. Independence is also more and more important during this time as they move towards being more in tune with their peers and identify less with their families.
Oh Tweens! That’s a big transition don’t you think. I’m sure we all remember it – I sure do.
So, you’ve got yourself a preteen or a Tween (8-12 years)? What to do with them…….
Although this stage might present as our young men and women not needing us at much, the reality is quite the opposite, they REALLY need us. That is a huge amount to navigate and its understandable why Tweens can become overwhelmed.
Family activities that don’t overwhelm and allow some easy time spent together are a great option during this time.
Things like Family Game night work well, but now they are old enough for you to add some extra dimensions to game night and make it even more interesting. You might do this by adding things like a tournament that can run over a series of nights. Make your own score sheet to decide how the tournament winner is decided and then provide a small prize for the winner.
One thing we’ve loved learning about through The Toy Wagon, is that a lot of families like to make up their own rules for a game, so they fit their own family. Maybe it’s time your Tween added their own set of rules for their unique take on a beloved family game.
Or maybe puzzle family time is the key! Puzzles have several benefits for brain activity and provide a great ‘destress’. Our tweens really do benefit from supportive destressing moments.
Whatever it is your Tween needs from you at this stage, or however they like to spend their time, we hope you find what you are looking for from our range of toys, games, and puzzles.
