Summer things to do were mostly for younger kids

[Dancianna]

Ideas for a boy who's too young to drive?

[Dancianna]

I should add, he's hooked on computer games but limited in their use, and I'm away from home working three days a week.

[whatsnextmom]

Depends on where you live. In our area, there are tons of things for teens. If he's into computers games, why not a programming course? Ours generally take place at the university and there are other great programs aimed at high school students. Some of the museums offer teen camps in specialty areas like aviation or model trains. How about a YMCA sleep-away camp? He's at a good age for that. If you live by the ocean, surf camps are lots of fun. Research "intensives" as that is what they tend to call "camps" in the teen years. .

[ollyoxenfree]

Hi. A little more information would help. There's a bit of difference between a 10 or 11 y.o., who might be on his own at home, but not using public transit much and a 15 y.o. who uses buses and subways to get around a lot.

What kind of resources do you have available? Do you live rurally or in a city? 

A few ideas: 

- build a tipi, treehouse, fort

- make a movie - use the family video camera - summer is a great time for filming 

- join a youth group (or create one if there isn't one) 

- volunteer - public libraries and community groups often need help to run programs  

- create a small business - yard work and gardening help, babysitting, making/selling crafts

- farmer's markets run daily around our city, not just on the weekends - I see fairly young teens helping out, presumably most belong to the vendors' families but maybe they'd appreciate another helper

[grethel]

My dd volunteered at the library last summer and loved it. She's doing it again this year.  It wasn't just the being at the library, but the fact that she got to walk around town a little on her breaks, get herself lunch at a cafe -- a bit of independence. Maybe there's something geared toward his interests that would offer that?

[Linda on the move]

One of my DDs is volunteering at the library too! This is her first summer and she's loving it so far. Both my kids are on summer swim team, and we are involved with a community garden. Between that and getting together with friends to play games, they are pretty busy so far!

[Dancianna]

Originally Posted by whatsnextmom 

Depends on where you live. In our area, there are tons of things for teens. If he's into computers games, why not a programming course? Ours generally take place at the university and there are other great programs aimed at high school students. Some of the museums offer teen camps in specialty areas like aviation or model trains. How about a YMCA sleep-away camp? He's at a good age for that. If you live by the ocean, surf camps are lots of fun. Research "intensives" as that is what they tend to call "camps" in the teen years. .

He will be going to YMCA camp for two weeks - I'm really glad about that.  And the camp he's attending has a program where you can spend a week earning ten dollars a day toward your camp, so he's actually going to "camp" one week and to "work" the other week, but ds 18 said that when he did the work duty it was as fun as another week of camp.  I thank G-d for the YMCA!
 

Originally Posted by grethel 

My dd volunteered at the library last summer and loved it. She's doing it again this year.  It wasn't just the being at the library, but the fact that she got to walk around town a little on her breaks, get herself lunch at a cafe -- a bit of independence. Maybe there's something geared toward his interests that would offer that?

We do have a program like that here but it is competitive to be accepted into it!  There's also a volunteer program at the zoo - thank you so much for these ideas, because they lead to more!

Originally Posted by Linda on the move 

One of my DDs is volunteering at the library too! This is her first summer and she's loving it so far. Both my kids are on summer swim team, and we are involved with a community garden. Between that and getting together with friends to play games, they are pretty busy so far!

I can tell you are a stay at home mom - I so wish I still was!!!  Dh is disabled and I have to work now to get our health ins.  If I were home more I could certainly help him to find more stuff to do.  Transportation is a major issue.

Although he can take the bus, he hates to do it.  If we had a subway system like NYC or DC it would be a different story, but we have long bus rides and multiple transfers to get anywhere.  My dad thinks I should insist on his taking the bus to music lessons but I actually let him drop the lessons rather than insist.  I know I sound like a wimpy mom.  I am doing the best I can.  I figure if he wanted to play enough he would have chosen to bus.  Instead, he is now learning guitar from his older brother.  I just hope he stays with it - that will be something to do...

Thank you all for these ideas.

[Dancianna]

Originally Posted by ollyoxenfree 

Hi. A little more information would help. There's a bit of difference between a 10 or 11 y.o., who might be on his own at home, but not using public transit much and a 15 y.o. who uses buses and subways to get around a lot.

What kind of resources do you have available? Do you live rurally or in a city? 

A few ideas: 

- build a tipi, treehouse, fort

- make a movie - use the family video camera - summer is a great time for filming 

- join a youth group (or create one if there isn't one) 

- volunteer - public libraries and community groups often need help to run programs  

- create a small business - yard work and gardening help, babysitting, making/selling crafts

- farmer's markets run daily around our city, not just on the weekends - I see fairly young teens helping out, presumably most belong to the vendors' families but maybe they'd appreciate another helper

I forgot to quote yours too - we live in a suburb.  the movie idea is a great one for him.

[Dancianna]

I think the issue is more for smaller periods of time when he just can't think of anything to do but doesn't have time to go somewhere.  He may even have a friend over at the time, and the two of them can't think of anything other than computer games, "rip sticking", making a movie (which is limited to when he's at the home of a friend with a camera) and walking to the community center to get a soda pop.  Sometimes he'll play with lego or work on a story for awhile.

More ideas are certainly welcome!

[ollyoxenfree]

Sorry - It was a pretty big assumption that he'd have access to a video camera on his own. I don't know why I assumed it, since we just got a video camera ourselves last Christmas after living without one for a few years.

Anyway, to tie a couple of your recent threads together about summer activities and motivation to work harder......if he likes making films, perhaps he'd like to set a goal to earn enough money to buy his own video camera. The little Flip cameras are fairly inexpensive and do a pretty good job. The company that makes them has just phased them out, so there may be some good deals on them, either new or used.  

It's easier to be motivated if he has a specific goal in mind. After a few weeks of mowing lawns, babysitting, busking (he plays guitar?), he should be able to purchase his own camera. 

[Dancianna]

Thank you - what a great idea!  I will suggest it to him.

[mtiger]

My son started working when he was 15. That summer he worked with a local caterer. The summers when he was 16/17, he worked at Six Flags. When he turned 18, he worked at the store I work at (and continues to do so). He doesn't drive (doesn't see the point, since he lives in the city now), so I usually run him around as needed. Or he walks/bikes.

My daughter (17) generally volunteers with a summer program through her school and plays field hockey. This summer, she's volunteering at the animal shelter, playing hockey, and still looking for a summer/PT job. Also, she picks up pet walking/watching/training jobs locally. She won't get her license until October, so... I run her around, too.

[Dancianna]

Originally Posted by mtiger 

My son started working when he was 15. That summer he worked with a local caterer. The summers when he was 16/17, he worked at Six Flags. When he turned 18, he worked at the store I work at (and continues to do so). He doesn't drive (doesn't see the point, since he lives in the city now), so I usually run him around as needed. Or he walks/bikes.

My daughter (17) generally volunteers with a summer program through her school and plays field hockey. This summer, she's volunteering at the animal shelter, playing hockey, and still looking for a summer/PT job. Also, she picks up pet walking/watching/training jobs locally. She won't get her license until October, so... I run her around, too.

Sounds like a great, full summer for your dc!
 

[mtiger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dancianna 

Sounds like a great, full summer for your dc!

The "good" news is that she just broke up with her b/f, so I won't have to be driving her 45 miles each way to see him this summer!

[raksmama]

I agree with the others about camps. My son goes to a lot of them every summer and they have been a blessing. he has been exposed to different types of sports he would have never tried on his own, like fencing, improved his skills and made lots of friends. If your son is older a summer job might be a good idea too.

[joyluc]

My ds is in a 8 week summer art program at the local University. There are 5 resident artists and up to 8 high school age student artists working with each professional artist. They are all collaborating to produce several pieces of art by the end of the program. It is free and I am so glad I found it, he likes it enough to want to go every morning instead of refusing like he did with so many days of school. The local universities have several different cool looking programs that I would have worked on for him if he hadn't gotten into this program.

At home he plays video games, crusises the Internet (mainly Magic the Gathering websites and Facebook), builds Magic decks, plays his bass, hangs out with his friend, paints, swims. Good luck with your ds.

[Dancianna]

Originally Posted by joyluc 

My ds is in a 8 week summer art program at the local University. There are 5 resident artists and up to 8 high school age student artists working with each professional artist. They are all collaborating to produce several pieces of art by the end of the program. It is free and I am so glad I found it, he likes it enough to want to go every morning instead of refusing like he did with so many days of school. The local universities have several different cool looking programs that I would have worked on for him if he hadn't gotten into this program.

At home he plays video games, crusises the Internet (mainly Magic the Gathering websites and Facebook), builds Magic decks, plays his bass, hangs out with his friend, paints, swims. Good luck with your ds.

Sounds like a neat kid.  Thanks for the good wishes and have a super summer.  Can you say which university?

-Dancy

[joyluc]

It is the University of Dayton but I think the local state college branch has some great one week programs for kids that try to get them to think - not very campy. His music teacher does a 'band camp' which really isn't camp at all but is 3-5 hours a day for a week with 3 kids who play different insturments helping them learn to play together in a band.

[Dancianna]

Originally Posted by joyluc 

It is the University of Dayton but I think the local state college branch has some great one week programs for kids that try to get them to think - not very campy. His music teacher does a 'band camp' which really isn't camp at all but is 3-5 hours a day for a week with 3 kids who play different insturments helping them learn to play together in a band.

Thanks, Joy.  I hadn't really thought of the local colleges and universities, so I will check them out.