When you’re a teen, summer is all about cramming as much fun as possible into your time off from school as possible, and although it might seem like the world is your oyster during your summer vacation, time goes quickly, so it’s important not to waste a single moment of it.
The problem for most teens though is that doing things every day can become expensive, and not everyone will be able to afford to do an activity every day, which is exactly why it’s important to improvise and find things to do that are either super cheap, or completely free!
It might be tempting to stay inside and play video games all day too, but summer is really all about making memories with your friends, so get out there and try out these 99 cheap or free things to do this summer!
The Best Teen Summer Bucket List
Have an amazing water gun fight! You can find water guns for pretty cheap at your local store, and they’re a great way to cool down.
Dance the night away at a local music festival – It’s always worth seeing what is going on near you!
Bake the best cake ever – Ingredients are cheaper when the cost is shared
Hike to see the sunset – A memory that will stay with you forever!
Visit a mall you haven’t been to before– Window shopping never hurt anyone
Organize a slumber party – A great way to spend time with friends
Volunteer at an animal shelter – Use your spare time to help a good cause!
Camp under the stars – Don’t forget to make s’mores
Pay a visit to a college campus – It’s always a good idea to start thinking about college early
Clear out your old stuff with a garage sale – Always a good way to earn some summer money
Confess to your crush – Why wait till summer ends?
Pretend you’re a tourist in the nearest city – You might discover something new!
Visit a museum – Museums are a great way to learn more, and are usually cheap
Jump off the highest dive at the pool – Face your fears
Play frisbee in the park – It’s great exercise
Visit your local zoo – Check if they have anything you can pet!
Visit the nearest lake or ocean – Summer roadtrips are always fun
Eat popcorn and watch a summer movie – You can always rewatch one of your favorites
Completely change your room layout – It might help you when you go back to school
Spend time with your siblings – They might appreciate you hanging out with them
Try wearing something you usually wouldn’t wear – Why not try something new?
Try learn how to roller skate – It’s a fun way to get around
Train to run a 5K – Make the most of the sunny weather
Host a craft party and make DIY ornaments – You can get as creative as you would like
Find a cheap gym and work out – Exercise is always a great boredom cure
Have a Netflix marathon – See how many films you can watch in a day
Binge watch Harry Potter films – You can watch all 8 in a single day!
Try river tubing – Go for the extreme
Go on a spontaneous and interesting adventure – Who knows where you’ll end up
Go Kayaking – You can sometimes rent equipment for cheap
Ask your crush to hang out with you – You’ll never know until you ask!
Make your very own slip ‘n slide – A sure way to have some messy fun
Go fishing – You might even land yourself some dinner
Spend a day reinventing your wardrobe by thrift shopping – There’s no better way to change your style
Set some end of summer goals – this is great at ensuring you don’t waste the summer vacation
Find and read a book – You can always loan one from your local library
Have an all-day gaming party – Try and beat that game you’ve been wanting to play with your friends
Go and get a new haircut – Why not try a new style out over summer?
Go on a roadtrip to a city – The journey is as fun as the destination
Try a food you’ve been too afraid to try in the past – The summer is always a good time to get out of your comfort zone
Try to stay awake for the whole night – This is even funner with friends
Make yourself a packed lunch and go for a bike ride – Exploring new places on a bike is always fun
Try and make the best summertime music playlist – Nothing beats having the best playlist when going about your summer activities
Go to the local carnival – Riding the Ferris wheel is a must
Try some DIY science experiments – It’s a great way to get messy
Try to overcome a fear – Just don’t do anything dangerous!
Try and apply for a summer job – People are always looking for help in the summer
Put together a photoshoot for your friends – Photos are great memory reminders
Finally clean your room – Coming back to an untidy room after a day of summer fun is awful
Make an entirely new game with your friends – You’ll need to be as creative as possible
Learn a new way to style your hair – You can shock your friends when you go back to school
Take your boyfriend or girlfriend on a nice date – Romance can be expensive though!
Learn how to cook new food – Good cooking skills are rare these days
Test new nail designs – It’s good to switch it up from your normal look
Discover new beauty products – Get your skin looking great for school
Try new outfits on at the mall – Shop those back to school looks
Learn how to drive – It will give you a huge head start when actually learning how to drive
Nap in the sun – You’ll discover exactly why cats like it
Begin Geocaching – It’s a great way to get outdoors
Find a new hobby – Picking up a new hobby is fun, and you might find something you love doing for the rest of your life
Create and demolish a huge ice-cream sundae with your friends – Add your favorite flavor ice cream for a delicious treat
Walk your dog – Spending time with your favorite pet is always a good idea in the summer
Try healthier foods – Junk food is delicious, but eating healthy is good for you!
Try your hand at putt putt golfing – It’s much less boring than normal golf, we promise
Visit a go-kart track and race your friends – This is a great way to see who’s fastest out of you and your friends
Make a song and a music video – Who knows, you could just become rockstars
Get up early and watch the sunrise with your friends – Don’t forget coffee to keep you awake
Find the best vantage point to watch a sunset with friends – It’s a good time for a deep conversation about the future
Tell your best friend why you like them so much – It’s always good to reassure your friends
Dance into the night with your friends – Choose your best music and get dancing long after the sun sets
Try your hand at making summertime smoothies – A delicious and summery way to get eat plenty of fruit
Watch a baseball game but cheer on the underdogs – It makes the victory even sweeter!
Sleep in way longer than you should – It’s summer vacation, why should you be up early?
Create the ultimate taco feast for you and your friends – A taco party is a great way to bring everyone together, just make sure there’s enough to go around
Learn how to play with cards – Understanding all of the rules for different card games is a neat skill, although it can be difficult
Rewatch childhood cartoons – It’s always fun to go back and watch what you used to love when you were younger
Sit on top of a car and watch a fireworks show – Make sure the car doesn’t get dented though
Build a hammock and take a nap in the sun – Hammocks are super comfortable and fun to nap in!
Volunteer as a summer camp counselor – Taking on some responsibilities is a good learning experience
Go firefly catching after dark – Nothing beats the feeling of grabbing a net full of fireflies
Help out someone who is homeless – Helping those in need is good for the soul
Make friends with senior citizens – You might just be the only person they talk to that day, so it’s nice to be friendly
Gain confidence by proving yourself wrong – Do something that you never thought you could achieve
Sit outside a café and watch everyone go about their day – It’s surprising how fun people watching can be!
Learn a new instrument – There’s no better time to learn than summer vacation
Try to go a whole day without your phone – Try living like it was before mobile phones existed
Practice your flirting skills – It might just land you a date with your crush
Buy a huge puzzle and see if you can finish it in a day – A 1000 piece puzzle should provide an excellent challenge
Get an internship – It’ll look good when applying for jobs in the future
Try having a Yes or No day, where you can only answer Yes or No to everything – This can lead to some fun results
Try to beat a fear – Whether it’s spiders or heights, beat it!
Commit a random act of kindness – It’s good karma
Do a fundraiser for someone in need – Have fun and raise money doing it
Sleep in your garden – Sleeping outdoors is always fun in the summer
Throw a doggy party for all of your friends’ dogs – Be sure to have plenty of treats ready
Visit a drive-in movie – It’s always a cheap way to enjoy a film
Do something nice for your parents – You’ll definitely shock them!
Buy school supplies ready for going back – It’s the worst part of the summer!
Conclusion
We hope that this guide will help you to have the best summer ever, enjoy!
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