What to Do When You’re Grounded: 14 Fun Activities

Tips for staying busy and coping with your parents

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: March 19, 2023

Without Electronics

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With Electronics

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Coping With Your Parents

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Getting grounded by your parents is not fun. However, if you're stuck at home for the course of your punishment, there are lots of ways you can make the most of your time. Even if your parents have confiscated your devices and electronics, there are still plenty of ways you can have fun. Use your imagination, and look around you. If you find a fun way to occupy your time, the grounding will seem to pass much faster.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Without Electronics

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Read a book.^{[1]
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Research source} If your parents saw fit to confiscate all your electronics, reading a book is usually your best option. Although you may find books less exciting than video games or TV at first, becoming immersed in a good book is incredibly enjoyable. Provided you choose the right book, the time can shoot past like nothing at all. Reading a book can also help you with getting better at reading and also can help you with school.
- Lying down on your bed and reading is a relaxing way to go about this. Sometimes it can take your mind off being grounded
- Young adult fiction usually comes in the form of series. This can be handy if you have a lot of downtime to work with.
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Do something creative. Paint a picture. Write a story.^{[2]
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Research source} Creative things can sometimes feel like work, but the truth is that they're incredibly enjoyable ways to pass the time. If you are given an amount of time being grounded, you should think about doing something creative by the end of it. That way, you can turn something negative like being grounding into a positive thing.

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Spend time with siblings. If you have any siblings, the company of family members besides your parents can be a great comfort. Depending on the sort of relationship you have with brothers or sisters, you can share a variety of activities together. In some cases, you might even be able to do things with them that you would otherwise be banned from, like video games and movies. In general however, it's recommended that you simply try to talk to them. Conversation can be very enjoyable on its own when it's with the right people.
- Board games are an enjoyable, disconnected way to spend time. You will need other players to play however. If you have siblings, you should try to enlist them in a game or two.
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Try on different outfits. You probably don't think of your wardrobe as a potential source of fun. All the same, the down time you have available to you can be used as an opportunity to see what sets of clothing match best with others. This is easiest if you already have a body mirror in your bedroom. If you're usually the sort of person who throws a random outfit together, this can be your chance to get some skill in fashion.
- Boy or girl, you can experiment with different hairstyles and makeup as well. ^{[3]
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Reorganize your room.^{[4]
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Research source} Reorganizing your room sounds like work at a glance, but it can become a form of creative expression if you really get into it. Moving around furniture or redecorating your bulletin board can have a big effect on the atmosphere of your bedroom. Once you get started with organizing, it can be difficult to stop!

Method 2

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With Electronics

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Surf the internet. Surfing the internet takes up hours of people's time without them even realizing it. The internet has a virtually unlimited stream of information. Try Google searching something you find interesting, or go for an info hunt on Wikipedia.^{[5]
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Research source} If you just want the time to pass faster, sites like Buzzfeed specialize in mildly amusing distractions.^{[6]
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Research source} The possibilities for the web are endless, and virtually every curiosity can be satisfied with a working internet connection.
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Binge watch a good TV show. Nothing quite makes the time fly past than a great TV show. Shows from AMC and HBO are often film-quality, and can keep you occupied for hours and hours. Watch a show via Netflix or your computer. It's recommended that you do this in your bedroom where it's private. If your parents see you watching TV, they might make a stink about it.
- Movies are always recommended as well, but because it's assumed you probably have a fair amount of time on your hands, you have a perfect opportunity to catch up on longer TV shows.
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Play a video game. Video games are lots of fun. If you have a console in your house, there's a good chance you already go out of your way to play them. If it's just a matter of not being able to go see friends, video games are a great way to kill time. What's more, you can play a multiplayer game and interact with your friends as such.
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Text your friends.^{[7]
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Research source} If you would normally be out spending time with your friends, it will probably feel weird to be separated from them for a time. Luckily, if your phone wasn't confiscated, you can keep in contact with them over the phone. Let your friends in on the situation, and get them to keep you up to date on what's going on with the outside world.
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Make plans with friends once your grounding is up. If you have your phone or a computer and wish you were out with friends, it can feel good to make plans for a day after you're ungrounded again. Suggest to go see a movie together, or meet up for food. Although it won't change your current setting much, the fact that you'll have a social event to look forward to once the punishment is over might make you feel better.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Coping With Your Parents

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Apologize.^{[8]
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Research source} Even if you're not entirely sorry for what you did, apologizing to your parents for what you did will work out big in your favour. If your parents think you are truly regretful for whatever you did, they'll be that much more likely to ease restrictions and unground you.
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See things from their perspective. When parents ground you, they're usually not doing it just as a way to get at you. Rather, they're using a punishment to teach you a lesson. If you try to understand why they've grounded you, your attitude towards them may change. Try to put yourself in your parents' shoes. Whether you think you deserved to be grounded or not, try to imagine how something looked from their perspective. Most parents do not go out of their way to be purposefully unfair. Trying to emphasize with your parents' side may help you better understand the situation.
- If you end up feeling like you deserved some form of punishment, the grounding won't feel as bad. On the other hand, if you empathize and still feel like things were misinterpreted, you can bring the issue up with them if you think they're open for discussion.
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Negotiate a deal. Many parents will accept other forms of restitution as a way to replace or shorten the grounding. While you'll most definitely need to apologize first in order to begin a dialogue with them, you should come prepared with a few ideas on how you're going to make up for whatever it is you did. For example, you should suggest that a day of your grounding be removed in exchange for doing the dishes or sweeping the floors. These alternative punishments are usually a hit with parents because they'll get something real done for them.
- Some parents are very strict and won't be open to negotiating. This is something you'll have to deal with if you're in a strict family setting.
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Keep your emotions under control. If you've been grounded for whatever reason, it is natural to feel angry. However, letting these feelings loose will only make things worse for you and your family situation. Even if you think you're being punished without cause, you should make a firm point of keeping your composure. A simple grounding can be made into something much worse if fighting keeps up.

Community Q&A

Question

What if I got grounded for something that was out of my control?

Community Answer

Think it through carefully and listen to what your parent(s) are telling you. Was there really NOTHING you could have done differently? Even if it was completely out of your control, just apologize anyway and accept the punishment. They will go a lot easier on you if you do this instead of trying to fight it.
Question

What if they saw my brother do it, but I still got grounded?

Community Answer

Explain in depth what happened and state proof that it was your brother, or proof that it couldn't be you. However, if they are not open to hearing what you have to say, just accept the grounding. Try talking to them again about it afterwards.
Question

What if im grounded because I lied?

Community Answer

Tell the truth and apologize for lying. Even if it is hard, telling the truth is always right.

Warnings

Being grounded isn't supposed to be fun. If you do plan on making the most of your punishment, you should keep the fun activities out of sight of your parents.
- Even so, you take a risk, since if someone sees you and knows your parents they denounce you and then they impose an even harsher punishment.
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