110 fun things to do in summer for teenagers

For many families, summer is a time to break free from the usual routine and embrace some quality fun. If you’re looking for a boredom-free, less-screen-time summer, numerous exciting summer activities are waiting for your kids.

Whether they enjoy outdoor escapades, creative projects, or picking up new hobbies, let's explore some fantastically fun things to do in summer, tailored for teenagers.

Outdoor adventures

 1. Go hiking on a local trail.

 2. Plan a sunset picnic.

 3. Try geocaching with friends.

 4. Go stargazing on a clear night.

 5. Visit a botanical garden.

 6. Set up a backyard obstacle course.

 7. Take a walk with a pet or volunteer to walk dogs.

 8. Go tubing or kayaking.

 9. Learn to rollerblade.

 10. Try a local ropes course or climbing wall.

Indoor activities

 11. Try a new recipe or baking challenge.

 12. Redecorate or reorganize your bedroom.

 13. Host a DIY spa day at home.

 14. Make friendship bracelets or keychains.

 15. Start a scrapbook or memory journal.

 16. Build a blanket fort (yes, even teens love this).

 17. Learn a card trick or magic trick.

 18. Paint pottery or create digital art.

 19. Experiment with a new makeup or nail look.

 20. Try an online yoga or meditation class.

With friends

 21. Host a movie marathon or themed night.

Be a financially smart family!

Be a financially smart family!

From saving for the future to understanding credit, see how families are thriving with Greenlight.

Try Greenlight today

 22. Plan a backyard campout.

 23. Make a summer playlist together and trade songs.

 24. Visit a food truck festival.

 25. Try a DIY photo shoot around town.

 26. Create a scavenger hunt for your friend group.

 27. Go to an escape room.

 28. Try a “no phone for an hour” challenge together.

 29. Start a small business or hustle together (like dog walking).

 30. Volunteer as a team.

Things to do alone

31. Start a personal blog or creative writing project.

32. Learn how to play a new instrument with YouTube.

33. Build a vision board for your future goals.

34. Make a time capsule to open next summer.

35. Reorganize your phone (hello, photo cleanup).

36. Watch a classic movie you’ve never seen.

37. Learn to code with a free online course.

38. Journal or bullet journal daily.

39. Tackle a challenging puzzle.

40. Plan your dream vacation itinerary — just for fun.

Cheap or free activities

41. Visit your local library (many host summer programs for teens!).

42. Explore a nearby park you’ve never been to.

43. Use a local museum’s free admission day.

44. Host a swap event with friends (clothes, books, games).

45. Take advantage of free streaming trials.

46. Try a community fitness class or open gym day.

47. Enter a local art or writing contest.

48. Explore walking tours or murals in your city.

49. Set up a garage sale or sell old clothes online.

50. Check out the summer reading list at your local bookstore.

Stimulating and creative activities

 51. Start a podcast about your favorite topic.

 52. Learn basic photography or photo editing.

 53. Try songwriting or poetry writing.

 54. Build something with your hands (model kits, LEGO sets, etc.).

 55. Join a virtual book club or create one.

 56. Test out a new creative hobby like embroidery or clay sculpting.

 57. Build a website for something you’re passionate about.

 58. Try cooking from a different culture each week.

 59. Make stop-motion animation with toys or figures.

 60. Try your hand at short films or vlogging.

Physical activities

61. Join a summer rec league (soccer, volleyball, etc.).

62. Go on a daily walk or jog and track your steps.

63. Try paddle boarding or canoeing.

64. Do a 30-day fitness challenge.

65. Take a dance class (in person or online).

66. Try parkour or free running in a safe space.

67. Learn self-defense basics.

68. Go biking to a nearby town.

69. Test out rock climbing at a local gym.

70. Try TikTok or YouTube dance trends — just for fun.

Cultural exploration

71. Watch a documentary about a country you know nothing about.

72. Cook a traditional dish from another culture.

73. Visit a nearby cultural festival.

74. Listen to music in another language.

75. Try learning greetings in five different languages.

76. Explore summer family vacation ideas.

77. Research your ancestry or family history.

78. Follow a global current event and learn both sides.

79. Tour a local cultural center or heritage museum.

80. Start a travel journal for places you hope to go.

Educational growth

 81. Sign up for SAT or ACT prep (lots of free resources available).

 82. Explore a free course from Coursera or Khan Academy.

 83. Start a summer learning challenge — aim to read five books!

 84. Research potential college majors.

 85. Try budgeting with a mock monthly plan.

 86. Watch TED Talks and summarize them.

 87. Learn about investing basics.

 88. Explore how to build credit (a good head start!).

 89. Do one educational thing a day — just 10 minutes!

 90. Use a habit tracker to improve productivity.

Hobbies to try

 91. Start a mini herb or succulent garden.

 92. Build a model car or airplane.

 93. Make DIY candles or bath bombs.

 94. Try sewing or basic clothing alterations.

 95. Learn how to knit or crochet.

 96. Build playlists as mood boards.

 97. Get into journaling or calligraphy.

 98. Try photography challenges (like “1 photo a day”).

 99. Learn chess or strategy games.

 100. Make your own skincare recipes and test them safely.

Summer bucket list ideas

 101. Jump into a lake fully clothed.

 102. Have a screen-free day — challenge accepted!

 103. Watch the sunrise and sunset on the same day.

 104. Try something that scares you (safely!).

 105. Perform a random act of kindness.

 106. Create a summer soundtrack and save it forever.

 107. Make s’mores — even if it’s over a stove.

 108. Visit three places in your town you’ve never been.

 109. Start a gratitude list and write in it each day.

 110. Capture one photo each day of summer to document the journey.

Want more ideas? Check out our summer bucket list.

Keeping it safe — with a little help

Whether your teen is venturing out solo or planning epic hangouts with friends, peace of mind matters. Greenlight helps families keep things safe with real-time spending alerts, location sharing, and the ability to set spending limits by category or store. So teens can explore — and parents can relax.

Teach money skills for life. Kids learn by doing — and Greenlight’s all-in-one family app helps you weave money management into daily life. Try Greenlight, one month, risk-free.†

This blog post is provided “as is” and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional advice. Some content in this post may have been created using artificial intelligence; however, every blog post is reviewed by at least two human editors.

†Valid for new customers only. Subject to identity verification and minimum load requirements. Your first monthly fee will be billed to your parent wallet seven days after successful registration. To receive a refund of your first monthly fee, you must request to close your account on or before the day immediately preceding your first Monthly Billing Date. See the ‘Account’ tab of Settings by tapping the gear icon on the Greenlight app home page to confirm when your risk-free trial ends. See Terms for details.