How to Have the Best Summer Ever (for Teens)

Cooling Down on Hot Days

Throw a pool party and invite your friends for a fun social opportunity. If your family owns a pool, ask them if you can invite friends over in the near future. If you don’t have a pool, ask your parents if you can rent out a pool space at a local aquatics club. Then, invite 5-15 friends to swim on a warm, sunny day. Don’t forget the beach balls and pool floats! During the party, you can serve food like hot dogs and hamburgers.

Set up a slip-and-slide on a hot, sunny day to cool off. Get 10 x 100 foot (3 x 30 meter) plastic sheeting from a home supply store, and select a location to slide. Ideally, pick a soft, grassy area on a slight slope that is close to a water supply. Roll the plastic sheeting across your spot, and use your hose to wet the sheet thoroughly. Once the sheet is wet, slide on down! Use tent stakes to anchor the sheeting to the ground. You can lubricate the sheeting with a little bit of dish soap or bubble bath, as well. If the sheet is not very wet, you may get hurt.

Have a water balloon fight with your friends or neighbors for a fun game. Purchase water balloons and fill them up with your faucet. Tie each balloon tightly so they don’t come undone. Fill up 10-30 water balloons and distribute them evenly throughout your group. Then, throw the balloons at each other for a fun summer activity. When you are finished, pick up all of the balloon pieces and throw them away.

Get ice cream from a local creamery for a tasty treat. On a hot, summer day, what is more refreshing than an ice cream cone? Head to a local ice cream shop, and choose your favorite flavor. Add sprinkles for an extra delicious addition, if you’d like. Additionally, you can get a snowball instead! Snowballs are flavored ice, and they are a great, non-dairy alternative to ice cream.

Enjoying the Outdoors

Take a bike ride through your neighborhood to enjoy the weather. A great way to spend your summer break is by taking bike rides. Hop on your bike, buckle your helmet, and go for a ride! You can ride your bike around the block or find a local bike trail online, for instance. For more fun, invite a few friends to go with you. Make sure you don’t bike on private property, as this is considered trespassing. If you don’t have a bike, take a walk around the neighborhood while listening to your surroundings or a podcast.

Catch and release fireflies to connect with nature. From June to September, you can find fireflies across much of the world. Look for their blinking, yellow light, and follow their trail. Catch them gently in your hands, or use a bug net to scoop them out of the air. Then, place the fireflies in a jar with holes in the lid to observe their brilliant display. Let the fireflies go before you go to sleep so they live for another day.

Learn to jump rope with your friends for a fun, active hobby. Jumping rope is a great summertime activity since you can easily play at home, in the park, at a playground, or at the beach. Swing the rope above your head with your hands and wrists, and jump over the rope when it comes toward your feet. Once you master the basics, you can try going in reverse, crisscrossing your rope, and jumping with other people turning the rope. From there, you can play double-dutch with your friends, for instance. Double-dutch is a game played with 2 turners, 2 ropes, and at least 1 jumper. The turners alternate the movements of the long ropes, while the jumper weaves in between.

Play Twister with your friends in the park for an exciting afternoon. Bring a Twister game with you to the park, and grab 1-2 friends to play with you. Stretch out the board across the ground, and then flick the spinner to select your move. Move your foot and hand to the dot indicated on the spinner. Try not to fall as you take turns moving across the board. For an extra-fun touch, put colored acrylic paint on each dot, and get messy as you play.

Color with sidewalk chalk to brighten up your neighborhood. Purchase sidewalk chalk from a local toy store, and use it to draw anything you'd like on your driveway and sidewalk. You can draw things like pineapples, watermelons, ice cream, and sea creatures for a summertime theme. To wash away the chalk, simply wet it with your hose or wait for the next rainstorm. Avoid coloring on other people’s sidewalks.

Sit on a tire swing to enjoy an authentic summer activity. Many community parks have tire swings for children to play on. If you don’t have one nearby, ask your parents to help you make one yourself. Sit your bottom on 1 side of the tire, and use your legs to help keep your balance if you are by yourself. Then, swing back and forth. Do not try to make your own tire swing without your parent’s permission. You could injure yourself while hanging the tire.

Go to a summer concert to have fun with your friends. Summer is a great time to enjoy live music! You can see your favorite band or singer perform on a summer tour, travel to a nearby music festival, or find a free concert in your town. Search online to browse music options in your area based on your favorite genre or performers. Some concerts require a small fee though you can usually find free concert series in most major cities.

Relaxing in the Summer

Read a book in a hammock to take it easy. If you have a hammock, locate 2 trees to hang it from, and use straps to secure your hammock to the tree. Then, plop into the hammock and crack open your novel. Enjoy the sunshine while peacefully hanging out in your hammock. If you’d like, shut your eyes and take a snooze, as well. Grab a couple of friends and have them set up hammocks right next to you.

Make a fort to hang out in your backyard. Choose a spot in your backyard to make a chill space for you and a few pals. This can be your porch, under a shady tree, or under your deck, for instance. You can hang up sheets or tapestries to create a nook, or throw down some pillows to make a comfy space. This is a great space to read a book, take a nap, or watch a movie. Don’t forget drinks and popcorn! For example, you can make this your very own Netflix den.

Sunbathe outside to work on your tan. Throw on your bathing suit, lay down a towel, and soak up some sun! Lay on your stomach for 10-20 minutes, and flip over to lay on your back for 10-20 minutes. This way, you get tan evenly on both sides. Don't forget the sunscreen!

Visit a drive-in movie theater for a summertime classic. If you have your license, search online for a local drive-in theater and browse upcoming showtimes. Grab a few friends and some snacks, and purchase your tickets when you get there. Park your car and enjoy the movie from the comfort of your own space. You can sit inside of the car, on top of the roof, or in the back if you have a truck.

Going on Vacation

Register for summer camp if you want a fun way to spend your time. You can go to sleep-away camp or stay local and find a day camp option. There are summer camps for nearly any interest, such as sports, crafts, horseback riding, and so on. Search online for summer camps near you, and pick an option that looks interesting. If the summer camp costs money, talk to your parents about doing chores around the house to pay for your way there.

Go to the beach with your family for a fun, relaxing trip. Adding a vacation to your summer is a great way to have fun in the sun. Pack enough clothing for your trip, and don’t forget your bathing suit! When you get there, be sure to put on sunscreen to prevent getting sunburned. If you want to go on vacation but your parents don’t have anything planned, ask them if you can find a place to visit for the weekend.

Visit a local aquarium for an awesome day trip activity. A day trip is a great way to have a mini-vacation close to home. You can visit any museum or gallery near you as a fun way to spend time. In particular, aquariums make engaging summer destinations. Do this with your family or go on a mini road trip with a few friends! Don’t drive somewhere far away without telling your parents first.

Camp in a nearby park or campground to connect with the outdoors. Going camping is a summertime classic! Ask your parents to help you book reservations, and learn to set up a tent before you go. Bring flashlights, bug spray, and snacks. You can turn this into a family camping trip or a weekend getaway with your friends. Most tents come with straightforward instructions to help you easily assemble it. Read over the instructions, and build your tent in your backyard before you go. Most state and national parks offer campsites throughout the summer.

Bring a Polaroid camera with you to preserve your summer memories. While on vacation, it’s a great idea to have a camera with you to take pictures along your travels. A Polaroid camera prints out photos instantly. These cameras offer a nostalgic touch that helps you recall fun times for years to come. Take pictures of your family, cool sights, or nature. If you don’t have a Polaroid camera, that’s okay! You can take pictures with a digital camera or your smartphone instead.