10 summer break activities for teens

Summer break is my favorite time of the year. Not that I like the hot season in Texas, where we have lived since 2006, but mostly because I get long summer break being an educator. Traveling is our favorite thing to do during the summer and the planning and the anticipation starts in the spring. If you have not read my earlier post about 5 reasons to love spring, you can read Spring is all about blooming here. Summer break can be too long and idyllic for many, and in today’s post I write about 10 activities to do in the summer break with your kids or teens.

Background

Did you know that summer break started as a way for kids to be home and help their parents in farms and get a break from the scorching summer heat? Although now we do not have any agriculture need from kids (or parents) and most, if not all, buildings are equipped to deal with the summer heat, almost all schools in the US and around the world follow the summer break schedule which can last between 4 weeks to 12 weeks. Many schools do follow a modified schedule where summer enrichment or remedial classes are offered to students who need them, but generally speaking summer vacations are given and enjoyed by all students across the globe. So read on my 10 ideas for summer break activities for kids and teens.

10 summer break ideas for kids and teens:

1. Volunteer

Summer is the perfect time to volunteer and give back to the community. With free time in hand and depending on kids’ interest, there are many opportunities for them to use their skills and extra time to put to good use. Some of the places my teens have volunteered since they were younger include-

• Local book bank
• Local animal shelters
• Libraries
• Community centers
• Churches

Other ideas include

• Old age home
• Homeless shelters
• Charity that you donate your money to
• Local schools/day care centers for summer enrichment
• Art Museums
• Local or state parks

Related post: Have you made a difference today?

2. Try a summer internship or job

For teens as well as pre-teens, it a perfect time to explore their interests and try to find a summer camp or internship (or even a job). Summer camps can be expensive but there are tons of free summer activities for kids to be found searching online. Below are just a few of the ones my teens have attended and enjoyed-

• Mayor youth council- high school students
• RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards)- 14-30 years
• Civics Unplugged- high school students
• Young Leaders Institute (18–22 years)
• Rotary Youth peace conference (14-25 years)
• MUN (Model United Nations)- upper elementary to college students

Related post: 15 awesome free summer programs for your teens

3. Learn something new

Summer time can be used to pursue hobbies or explore their creative side. Creativity comes in multiple faucets and there is no right or wrong way to do things. Below are some of the ways my kids have spent their summer-

• learn to cook/bake
• learn to play a musical instrument
• Get better at gaming
• learn a new language or programming
• art/craft class

4. Take a vacation

Summer is a perfect time to plan or take a vacation. Vacations do not have to be fancy or to far away places. They can be going to a neighboring town or state, amusement or water themed park, state or national parks or going to visit families. Below is a list of few places we have traveled to during summer break-

• Sea world
• Six Flags
• Europe
• Visiting family in Canada
• Visiting family in India
• Road trips in US

5. Hang out with friends

Although many people take a vacation during the summer months, no one is gone for the entire break. So coordinating with friends and classmates to meet up when they are available during the break is a good way to keep in touch and do fun things together.

6. Explore outdoors

Summer can be very hot in Texas but we have explored outdoors even in the peak heat when family or friends come to visit us. If you are fortunate enough to live in a place that does not reach 100 degrees F during summer, there are tons of things that can be done outdoors.

Below are just few ideas of outdoor activities-

• Hiking
• Boating/ kayaking/paddling
• Camping
• Biking
• Day picnic

Related: 6 fun outdoor activities

7. Visit a museum

There are lots of things to discover and learn at museums. There are many different types of museums including but not limited to art museum, children’s museum, natural history museum, Science museum, and war museums to name a few. There are so many collections that can be used in varied ways for learning, enjoyment and inspiration. Houston Museum District includes 19 museums, some of them are listed below-

• Health museum
• Natural Science museum
• Museum of fine arts
• Museum of natural science
• Holocaust museum
• Museum of African American culture

8. Spend time at library

Reading is a favorite summer time activity for many kids, including my teens. Libraries play a fundamental role in society and help tremendously with literacy, learning, education, innovation and relationships. My kids have participated and won many recognitions for summer time reading programs. They have done reading projects as part of their public school learning experiences and always look forward to going to libraries. Getting this love of reading started at a young age for kids may be a parent responsibility but many kids develop this habit as they go into a school setting. Parents can be a role model and help imbibe this lifelong learning skill in their kids.

9. Go to beach

Beach during summer or spring is a necessity and can be so refreshing. Nothing beats a day or week spent at beach with friends and family. If beach is not an option, pools can be second best to being in water, swimming and relaxing.

Related post: Get summer ready with Tesalate beach towels

10. Spend quality time with family and friends

Whether it is at home or on vacation, or visiting a neighbor across the street, teach your kids (and yourself) about gratitude for spending quality time during the leisure summer months. Whether it is going to an amusement park, exploring a hobby, doing arts and craft, solving puzzles or playing games, hiking or camping or glamping, any quality time spent with near and dear ones are a treasure and must be cherished. What better way to spend summer break than to make beautiful memories to last a life time!

Wrap Up

To wrap up, summer holidays are perfect time to volunteer, try a summer internship/camp, take a vacation, explore outdoors, learn something new/creative, hang out with friends, visit museums/library/beach and spend quality time with near and dear ones.

Dear readers, we would love to hear from you. What is your favorite activity during summer? What activities do your kids look forward to during summer break? Do share.

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