15 Fun And Exciting Summer Activities For Teens

Summers are fun for teens. It’s the time to step out and explore the world as the days are long and the weather pleasant. It is also the time to bond with you indoors.

But it takes more than a casual walk in a park or a simple meal to keep your teen entertained and motivated all through the day. This summer, why not try doing something you have never done before?

MomJunction shares such interesting summer activities for teens, and we are sure you would love them.

15 Fun Summer Activities For Teens

The best way to channelize a teen’s limitless energy is to give it a positive outlet.  Here’s how you can do that:

1. Get close to nature: Make a bird feeder

Most of us have balconies with furniture and little pots and flowers. But how about turning it into a shared space where birds can come, feed, bathe and play? Have your teen make a bird feeder this summer.

You will need:

• Paper plates
• Wicker paper plate holder
• Twine or rope for hanging
• Bird seeds
• Hole punch

How to:

1. Pair up a paper plate with the plate holder. The holder provides some support to the plate when you’re loading it with bird food.
2. Punch three even holes around the edge of the plate.
3. Run a thread or a chain around the length of the plate and knot it.
4. Take a generous amount of bird seeds in your hand and spread them on the plate.
5. Hang it in your yard or balcony, and you and your teen will be fascinated by the visits of rare and beautiful birds.

2. A bucket of fun: Build a sand castle at the beach

Your teen must have done this as a kid. But now, their designs and creativity can get better.

You will need:

• A shovel for scooping and filling
• A small bucket for shaping up
• Two-by-two to tap air out
• Paint stirrer
• Straws
• Measuring spoons
• Melon baller
• Offset spatula and a plastic knife
• Large buckets for hauling water

How to:

1. Draw an outline in the sand using a shovel. Draw an outline for the fort entrance as well.
2. Now, dig out sand from outside into the center of your castle. Make a mound using your hands.
3. The pile will be a little taller than the first floor of the castle.
4. Using the back of the shovel, pack the sides of the mound. This will form the walls. It will be higher than the center of the mound forming a bowl for holding water. Pack until you reach the desired height.
5. Pour buckets of water in the center of the mound to form a pond.
6. Let your teen stomp on it and when the water sinks in, add more sand and water. Let them stomp again until the center of the mound becomes the same height as the sides.
7. Place a large bucket on the mound with its bottom cut off. Fill up three-quarters of sand. Again, pour water and have them stomp.
8. Tap the sides using a two-by-two to cut off the air. Repeat until the bucket is full. Then, lift it off.
9. Use a longitudinal container or glass to mold towers. Fill them with damp sand, and turn them over the desired spot.
10. Now you have the basic shape of your castle. Use the remaining tools to level the sides straight. Add windows, doors, and other details.
11. Shape the walls in a downward motion, slicing onto the sides with the offset spatula. Use the spatula and run it down the four sides.
12. For the ledges, run the offset spatula over the roof and make it level. Hold the spatula at an angle and cut into the sand.
13. Now run the spatula straight down to remove the excess sand.
14. Carve windows with a knife. Use the round edge of the knife to shape the curves of the windows. Form lookout windows with melon baller.
15. For the doorway, draw a shape. Using the offset spatula carve away the sand. Smooth the wall at the back of the door using a plastic knife.

Your young prince/ princess castle stands tall!

[ Read: Camping Activities For Teens ]

3. Create a family book club

Dreading the summer brain drain? Relax. Your teen can now create their family book club with a little encouragement from you. The idea is to have everyone in the family read the same book. Then you can gather to discuss it, making reading an engaging social activity.

You will need:

• Books (you may want multiple copies of the book)
• Snacks

How to:

1. Take turns in picking a book. Keep more copies handy.
2. Set up a schedule when the family decides to meet.
3. If the chosen book is a chapter book then make sure all the family members had ample time to finish it.
4. You may arrange some snacks and activities for the sessions.
5. Begin the book club. Have one family member make up the questions for discussion and lead.
6. Arrange book-themed activities or crafts.
7. Watch the movie inspired by the book.
8. Have a family book club scrapbook and dedicate a page every time you do this activity.
9. You may arrange for a themed menu, conversation starters and table decorations for a warm ambiance.

4. Geocaching: The modern treasure hunt

This is a modern-day version of the classic treasure hunt game, done in an unconventional way. From all around the world people have hidden things or treasure items at various places, which one can follow and find out.

You will need:

o   A GPS device or mobile with GPS

How to:

1. As the first step, make a free geocaching account.
2. Your teen will now have to choose the geocache that they want to find and navigate to its location.
3. The way to find the caches is not easy.
4. Your teen will sign the logbook that will be there with the treasure box.
5. They now have to swap the treasure box with one of their own but something which carries a similar value. Then they will leave it for another geocacher to find out.

This strain of adventure is the new trend and is one of the best summer activities for teenagers. It is fresh and has an air of mystery and adventure in it.

5. Cook something: Make chocolate ice cream sandwich

Cooking is always a great fun activity to indulge in, especially with your teen. Summer is the right time to enjoy ice creams. Try it at home this summer.

You will need:

• Half a gallon ice cream
• 13 to 14oz all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2oz cocoa powder
• 3/4tsp salt
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 20tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 egg yolks
• 2tsp vanilla extract

How to:

1. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, allowing it to hang down the sides. Press the ice cream into the pan and smooth the top. Freeze it for at least an hour. Check if it’s firm and solid.
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Line up two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Sift the flour with cocoa and salt in a bowl and set aside.
5. In a mixer, beat sugar and butter for about a minute. Add in yolks and then, vanilla. Mix the above flour mixture. Divide the dough into two parts and pat each piece into a 5in square.
6. Cover it with a plastic wrap and chill until firm. Ideally, you’ll need 30 minutes.
7. Work with one piece of dough at a time. Roll your dough into an 8×12-inch rectangle. Use a ruler and cut 2in length, to get six pieces.
8. Cut each length in half to have 12 pieces. Place the cookies on to the prepared pan using a flat spatula.
9. Take the pointy end of the thermometer and poke holes into the cookies. Bake them for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are firm. Let them cool completely.
10. Remove the ice cream from the pan and trim the edges to get a clean rectangle. Cut the ice cream into six 2-inch rectangles.
11. Sandwich the ice cream between the cookies. Wrap them and leave overnight to let them soften. You may also serve them immediately.

[ Read: Indoor Games And Activities For Teens ]

6. Give color: Paint your T-shirt

Whether or not painting is the thing for your teen, they will love to have their hand-painted tee. Get going this summer with the paints.

You will need:

• Acrylic paints
• Brushes
• Color palette
• Textile medium
• Wax paper
• Cardboard
• A t-shirt
• Tape
• Water
• Paper towels

How to:

1. Wash the T-shirt.
2. Cut out the cardboard to fit the shirt. Cover it with waxed paper and tape it.
3. Slide this cardboard inside the shirt.
4. Mix two parts of textile medium with one part of the acrylic paint.
5. Have your teen sketch their idea on some paper before they start.
6. Let them sketch the outline of the design with stencil or freehand.
7. If your teen wants many colors to paint, start with the main color first. Keep the paint undiluted (except with textile medium). This will make it resistant to watercolor washes later.
8. Stretch the shirt a bit to make sure that the color is seeping into the fabric evenly.
9. Pat your brush to the paper towel every time you load some paint on it. This helps to blot out excess water.
10. Skim the surface of the shirt slowly with the bristles and start painting.
11. Put the T-shirt into the dryer on high heat for about an hour or iron the shirt to heat set it.

8. Go, fly: Make a kite

The summer breeze is the perfect season to go outdoors for fun time. Your teen can make a kite and fly it.

You will need:

• A ruler
• Sheet of papers
• Pencil
• Stapler
• Hole punch
• String
• Crayons (optional)

How to:

1. Fold the paper in half so that the shorter sides meet.
2. Take your ruler and measure 2.5in from one end of the fold. Make a pencil mark.
3. Measure 2.5in from the first mark and put another mark there.
4. Take the top corner closest to the first mark. Fold down one layer of the paper to the folded edge where you made the first pencil mark. Make sure it doesn’t crease.
5. Keep holding the folded corner and pick up the paper to bend the other top layer in the opposite direction. Make it even with the first corner.
6. Staple the folded corners.
7. Punch a hole at the point you put the second mark.
8. Loop one end of the string through the hole and knot it.

9. Relax the body and mind: Outdoor yoga

You don’t have to do yoga within the confines of your room all the time. For a change, ask your teen to go out in the sun to perform yoga. Natural light and pleasant air help build up a great mood.

You will need:

• A yoga mat
• A bottle of water
• Any portable audio device

How to:

1. Talk to your teen about yoga. It is not just a mode of physical exercise, but also a way of living. Yoga means “union” of the physical self with the divine self.
2. Choose a calm and soothing spot away from the crowd. Make sure it is safe.
3. Turn on some soothing music to set the perfect ambiance.
4. Lay the yoga mat where there are enough sunlight and air.
5. Start off the day by practicing various yoga postures.

[ Read: Art And Craft Ideas For Teenagers ]

10. Go creative with clothes: Tie and dye this summer

Tie-and-dye is easy to do and the results are wondrous. It will keep your teen busy throughout the summer.

You will need:

• Newspapers or other papers to cover
• Ketchup bottles
• Tie and dye kit
• Rubber bands
• Rubber gloves(optional)

How to:                      

1. Place your T-shirt flat on an even surface. Pinch the shirt at the center of where you wish your spiral to begin.
2. Keep twisting the fabric from there until all of it is now in a spiral shape.
3. Bind the spiral with four to five rubber bands.
4. Overlap the rubber bands to form six to eight wedge shapes.
5. Wear your gloves.
6. Mix the dye color in water and pour it into the ketchup bottles for ease of use.
7. Apply your favorite colors to these wedge shapes.
8. Flip the fabric to the other side and repeat the colors.

11. Make a beach: Jar aquarium

Even if you can’t hit the beach this summer, a mini beach can come to your home. Your teen will surely love doing this fun activity at home.

You will need:

• Mason jars or jelly jars
• Plastic figurines
• Live fish
• Water life miniature models
• Live aquarium plants
• Aquarium gravel of any color
• Glitter
• Water
• Blue food coloring

How to:

1. Have your child put the plants in the jar and then some glitter.
2. Add about an inch of gravel.
3. Measure one large glass of water.
4. You can either leave it without color or add a drop of blue food color.
5. Drop in some sea figurines and then add the water carefully until it is mostly full.
6. You may put a couple of fish in them.
7. Tightly secure the jar lid and your pretty little aquarium is ready.

12. Get adventurous: A hiking trip

If your child is interested in adventure, this is the right time to encourage them to indulge in hiking and camping.

You will need:

• A backpack
• Right footwear – hiking boots or trail shoes
• A map
• Plenty of water
• Extra food
• Rain gear
• Essential clothing
• Safety tools – torch, whistle and fire
• First-aid kit
• Sunscreen and sunglasses
• Book
• Journal (optional)

How to:

1. Ask your teen about their favorite hiking spot.
2. Mutually decide on a spot after thorough research.
3. Pack up all the essentials in a backpack.
4. Decide on some fun hiking activities like picking berries, clicking photographs, fishing.
5. Ask them to jot down their thoughts and experience in a hiking journal.

13. Try DIY: Handmade soap

Handmade soap has character. It smells good, feels good and gives immense satisfaction. Here’s an easy DIY summer activity to try!

You will need:

• Bars of uncolored and unscented soap
• A fragrance of your teen’s choice
• A microwave bowl
• Spoons or whisks
• A set of measuring spoons
• Fragrance, color, and additives of choice
• A mold

How to:

1. Buy soap bars from a thrift store.
2. Put the soap base into the microwave and melt it.
3. When melted completely, add your fragrance and color.
4. Put it into a mold and let it harden.

[ Read: Group Activities For Teenagers ]

14. Pen it down: Write a story

Certain activities sound difficult and take time, but they bring peace and a sense of fulfillment. Story writing is a perfect brainstorming creative activity for teenagers to try this summer.

You will need:

• A dairy/ notebook
• Alternatively, your teen may use a laptop or PC

How to:

1. Look up and research on short story formats.
2. Note down any relevant ideas.
3. Read a couple of short stories.
4. Decide on a thought, idea or incident to write about.
5. Make a small summary to get an idea of sequencing.
6. Discuss the characters and points of view to get clarity.
7. Decide on a word count, preferably 500 and begin writing.

15. Fill with colors: Wax crayon rubbing

Let your teen dig into their archives and find a packet of crayons for it is fun to become a young kid again and rub the crayons wherever they want but by using a paper. This can also be a creative summer camp activity for teens.

You will need:

• White papers
• Crayons

How to:

1. Lay the paper on any surface that is not flat, and start rubbing the crayon.
2. As you keep rubbing and pressing down on the surface, a pattern will form.
3. Your teen may choose any pattern or surface, like a picnic basket, brick walls, tree trunks, leaves, flowers, dried fruits, or fences.
4. Rub the same pattern using different colors. It is quite fun to watch which colors work best on which surface.
5. You can turn this into a wall-hanging art or use it as a gift wrapping paper or cut the patterns and make a collage.

Summer is that time of the year for you and your teenager to get along and work on new things together. These small activities bring about positive change in your lives. Also, they build the much-required bond between you and the teen.

What are you planning to do with your teen this summer? Let us know in the comment section below.

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