Twelve Summer Boredom Busters for Teens

In some parts of the country summer break is nearly over. Here in the Pacific Northwest we’ve barely reached the halfway point. Many parents dread the refrain of “I’m bored!” coming from their kids, but that problem is pretty easy to solve for younger kids. It gets a little trickier for teens.

Here are some ideas to suggest.

1. Learn public transit. This is a fantastic life skill to have. It also opens up the opportunity for a lot of independence. Start small with this one – don’t send your kiddo on trips requiring a bunch of transfers. We started with single-line trips; I’d take my 14-year-old to the bus stop where he would get on, coached him on how to tell which bus to get on, and made sure he knew where to get off. I’d also track his location via his cell phone to make sure he was on track. Now, he can go to the batting cage or the orthodontist all by himself. BONUS TIP: If you’re in the greater Seattle area, youth ride public transit for FREE!

2. Watch a (non-professional) sporting event. I get that you might not be comfortable with your teen going into a big city without an adult to attend a sporting event. But if you look around, I bet you’ll find other sporting events locally to watch. Semi-pro teams or even youth & select teams probably have games. Find one and cheer them on to victory!

3. Go to the gym. Planet Fitness has free teen memberships for youth ages 14-19 through August 31. Sign up and go work out!

4. Make a video. The possibilities are endless! Dance tutorial? Stop-motion? City tour? Family history interviews with relatives? Trick shots? Have them pick a genre, make a plan, and shoot a video!

5. Go geocaching. Your teen can get outside, walk around, and do some treasure hunting. Have them download a geocaching app to tell them where local caches are and see what they can find. If they get really into it, they can create & hide their own cache for others to find!

6. Make dinner for the family. If they’re the one cooking, they get to pick the menu so they’re guaranteed to like what’s being served. Imagine a dinner with no complaints!

7. Learn a new skill. What’s a skill they’ve wanted to learn? The perfect eyeshadow application? How to play guitar? A new language? Cake decorating? Internet information is limitless. Have them start learning now!

8. Volunteer or do a service activity. There are plenty of volunteer opportunities in the community, but it doesn’t have to be a formal commitment. Mow the neighbor’s grass or do landscaping work in community spaces that will benefit everyone in your neighborhood.

9. Make a back-to-school shopping list. Have your teen think about all the things they’ll need for school in the fall. Have them go through their clothes and shoes as well. They can even shop online and find the places with the best price or add things to your Amazon cart for your approval later.

10. Plan a day trip for the family. Do they want to explore a state park? Go to a water park? Take a hike? Have your teen plan the details – then go on a family adventure together!

11. Use up random gift cards. If you’re like me, you’ve got a stack of random gift cards that you’ve forgotten about. Hand ‘em over to your teen so they can use some of them over the summer!

12. Make a scavenger hunt for the littles. Does your teen have younger siblings? Have them set up a fun activity for the littles! Kids love a good scavenger hunt – have them get creative and set one up for their siblings!