33 Cheap or Free Summer Activities for Teens

Keep teenagers entertained with these 33 cheap or free summer activities for teens! For younger kids look at these free summer activities for kids.

Cheap or Free Summer Activities for Teens

As summer rolls around, it isn’t just the little ones you have to worry about keeping entertained. Unfortunately, teenagers are quite prone to suffer from the “I’m boreds” during summer months. Luckily, there are plenty of frugal or even free summer activities for teens. These activities are guaranteed to not only keep them engaged but also keep them from driving you straight up the wall! 😉

I’ve rounded up a whole heaping helping of free (or nearly free) summer activities for kids and teens with a little something for everyone. There are educational summer programs for kids and teens, artistic opportunities and much more.

Psst, if you need frugal or free summer activities for kids (younger kids), be sure to check out my HUGE List of FREE (Or Nearly FREE) Summer Activities For Kids and for preschoolers 25 Free (or Nearly Free) Summer Activities for Preschoolers.

Educational Cheap or Free Summer Activities for Teens

School may be out for summer but that doesn’t mean your teen’s brain has to take a 3 month vacation! Keep their brains in shape with educational cheap and free summer activities for teens. These summer programs for kids offer fantastic opportunities to explore new interests, hone desired skills, and even prepare for college!

1. Take a non-credit college class.
Have a community college nearby? Explore their continuing education courses for fun summer activities for kids of all ages. Many community colleges offer non-credit summer classes for kids, teens, adults, and seniors. Classes are pretty varied and include everything from CPR to playing bridge to watercolor classes.

2. Check out the Clubhouse Network.
The Clubhouse Network is a community dedicated to providing children (10-18) with access to education in the latest technologies (ex. graphic and web design) and college and career prep (ex. workshops in resume writing). They have 100+ locations in 19 countries and all activities are 100% free. Past activities have included things like:

• Field trips to local businesses and universities.
• Job shadowing and internship opportunities.
• Guest lectures on technology.
• Workshops geared toward preparing kids for college or a career.

3. Take courses at Khan Academy.
Khan Academy offers a slew of free summer activities for teens and kids of all ages. This site offers classes in math, science, engineering, economics, test prep, and much more!

4. Learn a foreign language.
If your travel budget doesn’t have room for a trip around the globe, your teen can still expand his or her horizons by practicing a foreign language over summer break. The benefits of learning a foreign language are numerous. According to The Telegraph, those that can speak multiple languages tend to score better on standardized tests, be better multitaskers, and have better memories!

5. Explore Target Community Events.
Target has partnered with local museums in over 20 cities across the country to offer free or greatly reduced entry fees. From art museums to natural science museums, when you check out Targets Community Events, you’ll find free or nearly free summer activities for teens and kids of all ages!

6. Take advantage of the Bank Of America “Museums On Us” feature.
Are you a Bank of America credit or debit card holder? If so, Bank of America and Merrill Lynch are giving you access to 200+ free summer programs for kids! Yep, you can snag FREE admission to 200+ museums across the United States the first full weekend of every month.