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Thirty Fun Summer Ideas for Teens and their Parents is by Kris of Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers:
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It’s official. I am now the mom of a houseful of big kids. It takes more than a park day and a kids’ meal to entertain them. Don’t get me wrong – I don’t feel that it’s my job to entertain them all summer long, but sometimes it’s just as fun for me to take the time to do something special with them as it is for them.
I’ve already told my youngest that I’ll take her and her cousin out for a few special cousin days during our summer break. So, I’ve been compiling a list of ideas. I decided to brainstorm some fun things I’d like to do with just my kids and some ideas that I probably won’t do, but that you might want to enjoy with your kids.
If you share your ideas in the comments, we should all be able to find some ideas we can use to enjoy some special time with our big kids this summer.
30 Fun Summer Ideas for Teens and their Parents
1. Go to a jump park. Obviously this depends on availability, but it’s high on our list this summer since a brand-new jump park (indoor trampolines) has opened in our area.
2. Go roller skating.
3. Head to an indoor rock climbing center.
4. Go bowling.
5. Take a class. Art, cooking, pottery, archery, gun safety – what interests do you and your teen share that would be fun to explore together?
6. Start a family book club. Find a book that you’ll both (or all) enjoy and have your own family book club.
7. Go to the second run movie theater.
8. Go out for ice cream.
9. Make homemade ice cream or ice pops.
10. Go camping.
11. Go swimming.
12. Take a hike.
13. Do a service project.
14. Go to an amusement park. (Here are tips for Disney World.)
15. Start a family fitness routine.
16. Start a journal together. My youngest and I have a shared journal. Sometimes it’s easier for kids to say something in a journal than in person.
Here are some summer journaling pages for teens and tweens:
Summer Journal for Teens and Tweens
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17. Go to the mall. This can be fun even if you don’t have much money for shopping. Try on silly hats and take photos on your phone or take and text photos of what you’d buy someone if you had the money. It’ll make them smile knowing that you’re thinking of them.
18. Go thrift store shopping.
19. Have a movie marathon. This is especially fun if you have a favorite movie series. Make popcorn and/or order pizza and watch them all in order.
20. Go out for breakfast. (Or make some of these homemade breakfast options together.)
21. Play laser tag.
22. Play Frisbee (or disc golf).
23. Head to the Go Kart track.
24. Play paint ball.
25. Have a video game marathon.
26. Go to a major or minor league baseball game.
27. Play fun games in the backyard, like badminton, volleyball, croquet, or bean bag toss.
28. Have a water gun (or balloon) war. (You’re never too old for a water gun war.)
29. Ride bikes.
30. Host a sleepover. Okay, maybe this isn’t something you really want to do with them, but it might just get you cool mom points.
31. Do a scavenger hunt (or a bunch of scavenger hunts).
Summer Scavenger Hunt Packet
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Okay, now it’s your turn! What would you add to the list of fun summer ideas for teens (and tweens)?
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Summer Journal for Teens and Tweens
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and receive the Summer Journal for Teens and Tweens as a free gift.
Great list. So many fun things to do once kids get older. I would add learn a new recipe. My kids and I love to cook and I know that is something they would enjoy. If cooking isn’t your jam, then maybe learn a new craft, art technique, or sport. Whatever you and your kids enjoy. Awesome post!
That’s a great addition to the list, Katie. It cracked me up that you said, “If cooking isn’t your jam…” I love that!
Cooking together is a great idea! Not only is that sometime fun to do together, but it’s a great life skill for them to practice.
Everyone with a teenager knows they need a blog post like this..LOL. Cute ideas..thanks!
This summer I am going to act like a tourist in my own town of Columbus, Ohio. I am going to take my teen daughters on mini-art hops, coffee shop hops, and other touristy type of activities and finally see all of the places we have been by and said “someday” we’ll go in and check it out. Now is the time to savor those little treats before my daughters fly off and leave the nest. And, I can share with them the art of simple and not-so-expensive treasures which can be mined right in our own backyard.
That sounds like so much fun!
I love this! What a great idea!
We have a fun thing my teenage daughters and I like to do together. We collect all the gift cards and/or free coupons that often just sit in our drawers and plan a day using as many of them as we can. Recently, we started with a mom and daughter lunch, then a car wash, some shopping and refreshments.
You can also modify this by having a “returns” day. Turn the items you need to return to the store into a fun shopping opportunity!
I have been struggling with being a fun teen Mom this summer. Summer is so busy, when they were young it was so easy and fun. Love the be a tourist in your own home town! Thank you for putting this post together.
I hope that you were able to find some fun things to add for the summer! 🙂 It can be really hard when they get to be teenagers to decide what things to do to keep summer fun and interesting.