Happiness, Parenting, Planning

12 Family Activities for a Meaningful and Fun Summer

As the school year winds down and long summer days stretch ahead, many parents find themselves asking the same question: How can we make this time enriching without it becoming a battle over screens?

The good news? You don’t need to schedule every hour or plan a Pinterest-perfect itinerary. In fact, the most powerful summer experiences for teens and tweens often come from simple activities that spark joy, agency, reflection—and yes, even boredom.

Here are 12 easy, wellbeing-enhancing summer activities, backed by research and filled with room for spontaneity, growth, and wonder.

1. Do Nothing (Allow Opportunities for Boredom)

Boredom isn’t a problem—it’s a launchpad for creativity. When young minds aren’t distracted by constant stimulation, the brain’s default mode network lights up, a key area linked to daydreaming, problem-solving, and introspection.

Science says: Boredom can increase creativity and encourage self-generated ideas.Boredom, particularly when paired with daydreaming, appears to foster creativity. (Mann and Cadman, 2014)

Try this: Carve out a few hours a week with no agenda and no screens. Watch what emerges—doodles, invented games, or wellbeing-boosting quiet reflection.

2. Get Outside, Even for 20 Minutes

Nature is a wellbeing booster. From reducing anxiety to improving focus, the benefits of green time are undeniable. Even brief time outdoors can shift mood, calm the nervous system, and increase attention span.

Science says: Spending two hours a week in nature improves mental and physical health. (White et al., 2019)

Try this: Make “green time” a daily ritual—bike rides, nature scavenger hunts, or barefoot walks on the grass. After dinner, take a family walk. Studies show that evening strolls can lower cortisol, improve digestion, enhance sleep quality, and create relaxed, screen-free space where kids are more likely to open up and share thoughts they might not express otherwise.

3. Cultivate Awe

Experiences that inspire awe—like watching waves crash, staring up at ancient trees or the stars at night, or exploring an art gallery—help us feel more connected to something greater. They also reduce stress and promote generosity.

Science says: Awe can lower inflammation and boost life satisfaction. (Stellar et al., 2015)

Try this: Visit a local museum, head to the coast, or stargaze together. Ask: What amazed you? What did you enjoy the most or How did it make you feel?

4. Host Screen-Free Game Sessions

Board games, card games, or trivia nights strengthen bonds, teach collaboration, and offer dopamine without a device.

Science says: Shared play promotes family connection and helps build executive functioning skills. (Bodrova and Leong, 2007)

Try this: Start a weekly “family game night” or leave puzzles out for spontaneous play.

5. Start a Summer Journal or Scrapbook

Journaling builds emotional awareness and self-expression—especially important during the identity-forming tween/teen years.

Science says: Writing about our thoughts and feelings enhances emotional clarity and uplifts our mood. (Pennebaker and Chung, 2011)

Try this: Encourage entries that are playful or visual—like comic strips, mood trackers, or lists of “small wins.”

6. Try Micro-Mindfulness

Teens don’t need hour-long meditation sessions. A few minutes of presence can shift an entire mood.

Science says: Short mindfulness practices reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and boost emotional regulation. (Tang et al., 2007)

Try this: One-minute breathing breaks, mindful sips of lemonade, or simply noticing 5 sounds around you.

7. Cook Together

Cooking fosters not only practical skills and increased self-assurance but also strengthens relationships. Engaging the senses while cooking provides immediate feedback, enhancing the learning and enjoyment process.

Science says: Shared family meals are linked to better self-esteem and lower rates of depression and obesity in teens. (Fiese, Hammons and Grigsby-Toussaint, 2012)

Try this: Let them lead a “Kids Cook Wednesday” or challenge them to invent a smoothie.

8. Get Moving—Joyfully

The key isn’t what kind of movement, but how it feels. Activities that are fun (not forced) are more likely to become habits.

Science says: Movement improves mood and reduces symptoms of depression in adolescents. (Wanjau et al., 2023)

Try this: Family dance-offs, trampoline time, or nature yoga. Let them pick the playlist.

9. Set Gentle Summer Goals

Having something to work toward—however small—can boost motivation and a sense of agency.

Science says: Intrinsic goal-setting is linked to higher wellbeing, especially in teens exploring autonomy. (Deci and Ryan, 2000)

Try this: Set three “Summer Wins”: one fun, one new, one helpful. Revisit them weekly, without pressure.

10. Give Back Together

Volunteering builds empathy, purpose, and community connection—especially powerful during adolescence.

Science says: Altruistic acts increase happiness and reduce stress-related symptoms. (Post, 2005)

Try this: Make care packages, walk dogs for an elderly neighbour, or organise a mini fundraiser.

11. Create a Vision Board

Crafting a visual map of dreams helps teens reflect on their values, set intentions, and develop future-minded thinking.

Science says: Visual goal-setting improves confidence and resilience. (Taylor et al.,1998)

Try this: Use cutouts, quotes, stickers, or digital tools to design a board of summer dreams, next school year hopes, or just “what makes me happy.”

Bonus: The Wisely & Co Academic & Wellbeing Planner includes a built-in vision board spread, offering a fun and inspiring space to imagine, create, and set meaningful intentions. It’s a perfect first step in mapping out a thoughtful summer and year ahead. You can also buy the vision board separately here.

12. Keep it Light, Keep it Laughing

Laughter lowers stress, increases social bonds, and just feels good. Make space for silliness.

Science says: Play and humour activate the brain’s reward centres and reduce perceived stress. (Miller and Fry, 2009)

Try this: Read aloud joke books, create a family meme wall, or do Mad Libs during dinner. Let laughter be the soundtrack of summer. Need ideas to get you going on Mad Libs? Download our FREE Summer Mad Libs Printable here.

A Gentle Companion for the Journey

Whether your summer is packed with outings or filled with unstructured days at home, it helps to have one quiet place to land.

The Wisely & Co Academic & Wellbeing Planner is an undated, thoughtfully crafted companion designed to help teens and tweens reflect, explore, and grow. With room for a vision board, games, gratitude reflections, mood check-ins, journaling, doodling, and goal tracking, it blends playful wellbeing with gentle self-leadership—without feeling like schoolwork.

It can begin in summer, flow into the school year, and become a record of a season well lived.

Let this be the summer your child slows down, explores more, and begins to see themselves in a new light—joyful, capable, and wonderfully present.

We’re Here for You

Parenting tweens and teens isn’t always easy, but small steps can make a big difference. The Wisely & Co Academic & Wellbeing Planner is here to support your family every step of the way.

If you ever have questions, need advice, or just want to share your child’s progress, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at talktous@wiselyandco.com. We’re in this together, cheering for you and your amazing kids.

References

Mann, S. and Cadman, R., 2014. Does being bored make us more creative?. Creativity Research Journal, 26(2), pp.165–173.

Stellar, J.E., John-Henderson, N., Anderson, C.L., Gordon, A.M., McNeil, G.D. and Keltner, D., 2015. Positive affect and markers of inflammation: Discrete positive emotions predict lower levels of inflammatory cytokines. Emotion, 15(2), pp.129–133.

White, M.P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J., Wheeler, B.W., Hartig, T., Warber, S.L., Bone, A., Depledge, M.H. and Fleming, L.E., 2019. Spending at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing. Scientific Reports, 9(1), p.7730.

Tang, Y.Y., Ma, Y., Wang, J., Fan, Y., Feng, S., Lu, Q., Yu, Q., Sui, D., Rothbart, M.K., Fan, M. and Posner, M.I., 2007. Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(43), pp.17152–17156.

Pennebaker, J.W. and Chung, C.K., 2011. Expressive writing: Connections to physical and mental health. In: H.S. Friedman, ed., The Oxford Handbook of Health Psychology. New York: Oxford University Press, pp.417–437.

Bodrova, E. and Leong, D.J., 2007. Tools of the mind: The Vygotskian approach to early childhood education. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Fiese, B.H., Hammons, A. and Grigsby-Toussaint, D., 2012. Family mealtimes: A contextual approach to understanding childhood obesity, chronic illness, and disabilities. American Psychologist, 67(4), pp.252–263.

Wanjau, M.N., Möller, H., Haigh, F., Milat, A., Hayek, R., Lucas, P. and Veerman, J.L. (2023). Physical activity and depression and anxiety disorders: a systematic review of reviews and assessment of causality. AJPM Focus, [online] 2(2), p.100074. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.focus.2023.100074.

Deci, E.L. and Ryan, R.M., 2000. The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), pp.227–268.

Post, S.G., 2005. Altruism, happiness, and health: It’s good to be good. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 12(2), pp.66–77.

Taylor, S.E., Pham, L.B., Rivkin, I.D. and Armor, D.A., 1998. Harnessing the imagination: Mental simulation, self-regulation, and coping. American Psychologist, 53(4), pp.429–439.

Miller, M. and Fry, W.F., 2009. A playful view of laughter: implications for communication and health. Evolutionary Psychology, 7(2), pp.441–455.