For teenagers, the summer provides a well-deserved break from school, but in many cases, they end up bored by their second or third week of freedom. Googling "things to do," "fun things to do for teens" or the like can end up being the only means of entertainment, and then only so they can laugh at how ludicrous, lame, or expensive their options are.
I've compiled a list of things that have kept me entertained or that I would like to do soon. I left off options like reading, writing, and artwork because I figured that these were a bit obvious and would be of little to no help.
Rent/buy a metal detector
This is the most expensive choice, and also the hardest to find, but a creative and interesting way to occupy your time is rent a metal detector. You probably won't find anything of great worth, but you might find something cool, and the journey is more important than the destination, right? I've heard that bringing a metal detector to parking lots can help you find a lot of change, though not nearly enough to pay itself off.Buy a black and white disposable camera
This is one of my favorite ways to entertain myself as well as providing an artistic outlet and preserving some memories of the summer. Many drugstores sell disposable black and white cameras at low cost. In this digital age, we are used to taking as many pictures as we want and being able to delete the bad ones. Take a little longer to set up your shots, and try to compose each one in a different way. If you can, restrict yourself to taking one photo per day, or per hour, to avoid boring repetitive shots. I got one of these cameras for Christmas, then forgot about it after taking a few shots. On a couple of occasions afterward, I would find the camera and take only a couple of pictures. When I got the pictures developed, I had 27 pictures taken over four months from at least ten different occasions. I put the photographs in a very small scrapbook that my friends and I still love to look at. If you want, carry your camera in your purse or pocket, and take pictures of unexpected things. The fun is in the way you won't remember what you've photographed by the time your pictures are developed.Make paintings as a group
My friend arranged this once as a graduation present for our entire group. She bought a bunch of cheap canvases, and we all sat around her dinner table, armed with brushes and acrylic paint. We'd each paint something for a couple of minutes, then pass the pictures clockwise. By the end, each piece had everyone's individual art on it. We had a great time and ended up with a pretty cool keepsake.
Adventures at the Goodwill
Go through your old clothes that you don't wear anymore, and bring them to a local Goodwill Store. Not only will your donations be helpful, you will have more space in your drawers and closet to actually find the things you like, or you can use that space for new clothes. While you're at the Goodwill, give yourself a five dollar limit and see what cool things you can find. My best friend and I once got a game of Scrabble (no tiles missing) and an old-school Gap vest for less than six dollars!Go on a picnic
My friends and I used to have a summer tradition of going on picnics at least once a week. We'd make crowns out of clovers, soak up the sun, or even fly a kite (or try, at least). Our picnics were fun because we were able to get everyone together and it was much cheaper than going to a restaurant or to a movie.Sidewalk chalk-a-thon
Get some sidewalk chalk and go nuts! Okay, so this one is sort of lame, but also if you're really bored, it can be fun. Create a border for your art, then make sure every space is filled with pictures, song lyrics, or whatever you want.
These six things are all ideas that have either cured me personally of boredom or probably will in the very near future. Please leave a comment with your feedback or ideas.
