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By the time kids graduate from fifth grade, they’ve aged out of most summer day camps. And while most rising sixth graders (and older) don’t need constant supervision, the reality is, they do need constructive activities during the long summer break.
“The summer can be a great time to teach your tween or teen about balance,” notes Kristen Mosier, a licensed marriage and family therapist in New York and New Jersey. “While it feels good to be free from the demands and routine of the school year, too much free time can result in boredom and excessive scrolling. And a lack of purpose can lead to feelings of inadequacy or anxiety.”
Whether you’ve got a big kid who’s had it with camp or an older kid who’s aged out of it altogether, here are 16 summer activities for tweens and teens.
Key takeaways
- As kids age out of summer camps, they still need structure to stay engaged and avoid boredom.
- Experts suggest involving them in planning activities to promote independence and balance.
- From odd jobs to local adventures, consider these fun, age-appropriate alternatives.
How to set the stage for an active summer
Tell your teen or tween they’ll be doing X, Y, Z during the summer without consulting them first and you’re guaranteed to elicit an “ugggghhh” or “whhhhyyy”. On the flip side, have a conversation upfront — where their thoughts and opinions are truly heard —and they’ll be more open to the idea of a semi-scheduled summer.
“Instead of dictating what their summer schedule will look like, share loose expectations and then work together to establish the specifics,” says Mosier. “That might sound like, ‘I expect you to pitch in around the house this summer, so here’s a list of some options; which tasks sound most appealing?’ Or ‘You’ll need to earn your own spending money, what types of jobs could you do?’”
To keep these goals from slowly disappearing, Mosier suggests writing them down and then putting them somewhere that’s visible to everyone in the family, such as the kitchen.
“Instead of dictating what their summer schedule will look like, share loose expectations and then work together to establish the specifics.”
— Kristen Mosier, licensed marriage and family therapist
Summer activities for tweens
Whether your kids have aged out or you’re not keen on spending the equivalent of a months-long European holiday on summer camp, consider these ideas for older kids.
Summer activities for 8-, 9- and 10-year-olds
Kids in this age range are still eligible for some day camps, but again, you may not want to splurge on an entire summer (or they may not want to go). Here are summer activities to keep them entertained.
1. Biking
Last summer was the summer of my then almost 9-year-old biking around with his friends (and smart watch). On the days he didn’t have camp, he met up with friends at their school, and from there they biked around town (within given limitations).
Not only was it a great experience in terms of keeping him active and entertained, it fostered a sense of responsibility and maturity, as it was up to him to be back at certain times, check in periodically, wear his helmet, look both ways, etc.
2. Exploring
Similarly, Lisa H., a mom of two in Cranford, New Jersey, allowed her 10-year-old daughter to “explore” with friends last summer, be it at nearby parks or in a local wooded area.
“Unstructured time away from constant parental supervision is key,” she notes. “We’ll do some camps this year, but ideally she can have time to explore with friends.” (To this point: Think about how cool you felt when you were out and about with friends when you were younger)
“A few summers ago, we hired a local babysitter to entertain a group of kids from 9 a.m. to noon. Each week the group was at someone else’s home/backyard, so we all had our time for a quiet, clean home.”
— Kim B., mom in New Jersey
3. Playdate pods
Love the idea of your child staying social all summer, but don’t want said socializing to always take place at your home (especially if you’re working)? Consider a rotating playdate pod.
“A few summers ago, we hired a local babysitter to entertain a group of kids from 9 a.m. to noon,” says Kim B., a mom from Westfield, New Jersey. “Each week the group was at someone else’s home/backyard, so we all had our time for a quiet, clean home.”
4. Drop-in programs
Most libraries, community centers and local businesses have one-off activities, such as Lego afternoons or paint nights. Find out what/when they are and orient your schedule around them.
“I always plug in the drop-in activities in my calendar when they come out,” notes Anne T., a mom of two in Wheaton, Illinois. “This way, I don’t sign up for camps that week, because it’s one less day to worry that I have to worry about planning.”
Summer activities for 11- and 12-year-olds
For kids who are closer to the teen years (and may have aged out of day camp), here are a few summer activity options.
5. Create a sports league
Got sporty kids? Mary F., a mom of three in Cranford, New Jersey, does, which led her two sons to create a wiffle ball league one summer. “They enlisted their friends,” she explains, “They made a summer-long schedule, complete with playoffs.
6. Start a small (very small) business
When they weren’t playing wiffle ball, Mary’s boys also created a “sneaker cleaning” business one summer, where they made sure their friends (and their friends’ parents) sneakers stayed clean and streak-free all season long.
“I’ve used a neighborhood girl as a mother’s helper the past two summers. She’ll come over and hang out with my kids while I’m upstairs folding laundry or answering emails. She also joins us at the pool sometimes.”
— Katie B., mom of three in New Jersey
7. Dog walking
Many of the parents I spoke with have kids who, in the past, walked dogs during the summer. At 11 and 12, kids are too young to legally work, but, so long as they’re responsible, they can take some of the neighborhood pooches out for a stroll.
Not only does this help instill responsibility (when my oldest daughter was 11, she did this), it also earns them some spending money or bubble tea or Pokemon cards.
8. Mother’s helper
If your child is on the mature-side, consider the mother’s helper route, where they can help care for local kids while the parents are home.
For Katie B., a mom of three in Westfield, New Jersey, this has come in handy the past few summers. “I’ve used a neighborhood girl as a mother’s helper the past two summers,” she says. “She’ll come over and hang out with my kids while I’m upstairs folding laundry or answering emails. She also joins us at the pool sometimes.”
9. Odd jobs
Even if folks don’t think they have odd jobs they need done, they do. “My 11-year-old son and his good friend sometimes knock on all of our neighbors’ doors and ask if they need help with any odd jobs around the house,” says Stacey F., a mom of three in Westfield, New Jersey. “One person hired them to help clean out their garage and another offered them $3 a bag to pick up dog poop.”
Summer activities for teens
Day camp for teens? Not an option (and don’t even think about it, Mom or Dad). Here are a few ways to keep teenagers busy during the summer months.
10. Volunteer
Another pervasive answer among the parents I spoke with? Volunteer work for kids who are too old for camp. “My teen daughters have volunteered to be helpers at the summer camp programs for the local arts center, as well as an arboretum,” says Suzanne H., a mom of three in Summit, New Jersey.
11. Become a camp counselor-in-training (CIT)
When her son aged out of the camp he went to since he was a toddler, Janine P., a mom of one from Greensboro, North Carolina, noticed his summers weren’t nearly as active as they once were.
“After a few summers of what felt like more screen time than I’d prefer, my son applied to be at CIT at his old camp,” she says. “It was great! He wasn’t paid, but he was busy and trained to be [paid] counselor, which is what he ultimately did.”
Note: The CIT age varies, but generally, it’s between 14-15.
12. Work
The minimum federal age requirement to work is 14, so if your kid is of age, consider getting the application process going. Of the parents I spoke with, here are a few “early” jobs their teens had:
- Dishwasher at a diner.
- Helper at a softball snack stand.
- Beach badge checker.
- Ice cream shop employee.
Instead of telling your child where they should apply, take Mosier’s advice and include them in the process. By doing this, you’re not only giving them agency, you’re helping them tap into their likes and strong suits.
13. Babysit
There’s never not a need for babysitters, especially during the summer when school’s out and the weather is ripe for dining al fresco.
“My daughter started off as a local mother’s helper,” says Kim M., a mom of two in Los Angeles. “And after doing that for a few summers, she ‘graduated’ to babysitter, where she cares for the kids for long periods of time while the parents aren’t home. She’s also picked up a few more families, so she has jobs a few days a week now.”
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14. Join the local pool
Mary R., a mom of two in Cranford, New Jersey, is getting a membership to the town pool for her 13-year-old daughter this summer, as it’s a place where a lot of her friends hang out. “I’ll drop them off and they’ll hang out and swim for a few hours while I’m working,” she says. “It keeps them outside and I like that the schedule is flexible.”
15. Get certified in a new skill
In addition to starting a wiffle ball league and sneaker cleaning service, Mary F.’s sons also spent two summers getting certified in scuba diving. “It was a lot of online work,” she says, adding that it kept them engaged and busy.
16. Try sleepaway camp
Some overnight camps have programs that are geared towards teens, such as Adirondack Camp’s Senior Program, which is tailored to teens 13–16. In this program, bedtimes are later and wilderness trip options are challenging.
There are also programs such as Outward Bound, which takes middle and high school kids on expeditions (anywhere from four days to multiple weeks), where they “discover strengths they didn’t know they had” through activities like rock climbing, kayaking, dog sledding and more.
17. Schedule family time
Even without school added to the mix, life gets busy, so scheduling family time is important, notes Mosier. “It’s easy for tweens and teens to be in their own world, so planning family activities can help you stay connected,” she says. “That may look like a weekly game night or a day at the beach, but it also could be a family goal or competition, such as tracking movement or strength to see who can achieve their targets first.”
Put another way: Hang out together while you’re all still under one roof.
