No matter where you live and what activities are available for your teens in your area, the long days of summer might start to drag on. While most teens might not be exactly excited for school to start again, it at least relieves to boredom of having nothing to do in the summer. But just because school is on its way once more, this doesn’t mean that there isn’t still time to have fun in the sun. Here are ten of the best safe summer activities for teens:
1. Read a book.
Many teenagers especially think that they do not enjoy reading. The truth is that they probably have just not found the right genre for them and they actually just hate the stuffy books they are being forced to read in school. Summer is the perfect time for them to find a book that they actually enjoy. Take them to the bookstore or sit down with them and browse Amazon. There are tons of different options, whether they want something filled with action or whether they would prefer a classic love story.
2. Hit a music festival.
While there are plenty of dangerous music festivals, if you pick one in your area and don’t let your teens camp overnight, they’re going to be perfectly safe. An even safer option is to find a festival that’s streaming their events online and let your teen invite their friends over to listen to their favorite bands and find some new ones, all from the safety of your own home.
3. Pick up a new sport.
Summer might be the best time of year to play outside, but most teens spend a lot of their time plopped down on the couch, playing video games or watching television and enjoying the air conditioning. While they might whine and first, now is the perfect time to get them outside and moving. Whether you hit the baseball diamond to play some catch or go on an evening jog, getting a little bit of physical activity back into their life will be beneficial once school starts again.
4. Start a job.
Even if they’re only making minimum wage and won’t actually ever have enough money to do anything crazy, a job is a great way to teach independence and responsibility. Starting with something small, like a fast food job, and then building up to an office job in subsequent summers is a great way to get them geared up for college. They’ll have a little bit of extra cash on hand (which every teen loves) and they’ll learn a little bit about what it’s like to actually have to work for your money.
5. Go to the beach.
If you’re close to a body of water, letting your teen hit the beach with his friends is a safe and fun activity for the summer. As long as they put on sunscreen, they’ll enjoy having the day to just hang out and swim. Especially if school is starting up soon, a last hurrah at a nearby beach is a good way for teens to say goodbye to summer and to get back into the swing of the school year.
6. Pick up an instrument.
During the school year, there is little to no time to learn something like a new instrument, but if your teen has always wanted to learn how to play the guitar or the trumpet or the piano, the summer usually has plenty of time to allow them to do just that. Whether they want to get lessons or they just want to learn from the multitude of instructional videos and websites online, now is the right time.
7. Plant a garden.
It’s not too late to visit your local greenhouse and plant a garden. There is nothing more rewarding than planting a few plants and then, a few months later, being able to harvest your crop! If your teen has a green thumb, let them pick a few plants and then make it their responsibility to take care of that garden. For example, if they love salsa, grab a few pepper plants, a tomato plant, some cilantro, and an onion plant, and they’ll be able to make their own salsa out of fresh ingredients they grew themselves!
8. Volunteer as a dog walker at an animal shelter.
Local animal shelters always need volunteers, especially to walk dogs and keep them active. If your teen loves animals, this could be the ultimate summer activity for them. Most shelters will require you to sign up and pick a specific day of the week or time to come and walk the dogs, but once you’re on the list, all they have to do is show up and they’ll be ready to walk.
9. Become a photographer.
Whether they just want to take photos to remember the fun times they are having with their friends or they want to put a little more artistic time and thought into their pictures, summer provides some of the best landscapes and lighting for learning the ins and outs of photography. Even digital cameras are really cheap these days or they can even use their smartphones to grab snaps.
10. Have a small party with their friends.
While you certain don’t want to host an end-of-summer rager, there’s nothing wrong with allowing your teen to have a few friends over to barbecue and hang out in the backyard. Take them to the store and let them pick the menu and the drinks and then provide a little bit of supervision if they are going to be using a fire pit or grill.
