If your tweens and teens have aged out of traditional day camp, but still need some structure over the summer, check out these great options.
Summer is right around the corner, beckoning with sun, fun, and lots of free time. Your middle-school and high-school-aged kids are probably counting down to the end of homework, finals, and getting up early. On the summer agenda: sleeping in and weeks upon weeks of time to “chill.”
Tweens and teens typically love their unstructured time — and it’s really good for them, especially if much of it is phone-free. But they also need activities to keep them busy, if only so they aren’t sleeping until noon or playing video games all day. Even better if these activities inspire new passions, develop new skills, or widen their circle of friends. Here are some enticing possibilities that are both fun and engaging for the mind and body.
TeenForce
Children between the ages of 10 and 20 are eligible for the Portland Parks & Recreation’s TeenForce Pass. This free program allows youth to access a variety of activities and open swim sessions at six community centers in Portland. Kids need to register in person at Charles Jordan, East Portland, Matt Dishman, Montavilla, Mt. Scott (scheduled to reopen in the fall), or Southwest Community Center.
YMCA of Columbia-Willamette
Your teen or tween can participate in a range of activities, such as swimming, climbing, archery, hiking, excursions and leadership development. The Y focuses its teen programming on fostering confidence, interpersonal skills, team-building and other important life skills, while having all the traditional fun of camp. Kids can choose from a variety of locations in the Portland area. Five-night overnight camps happen weekly from Sunday to Friday, and start at $1,045.
Oregon Children’s Theatre
Tweens and teens can discover their inner thespian with a range of acting programs at Oregon Children’s Theatre (OCT) designed for the older set. The Teen Acting Academy, for kids age 12 and up, offers advanced acting training, which can open up opportunities for joining OCT’s award-winning Young Professionals Company (for those 14 or older) and landing professional acting roles. Week-long, half-day camps start at $260; week-long, full-day camps start at $520.
NW Film Camp
Children 12 to 17 can learn the arts of storytelling and moviemaking at NW Film Camp’s Filmmaking Camps, which run weekly from 9 am to 2:30 pm. Experienced camp leaders guide students from the idea stage to scriptwriting to putting their vision on screen. Students will end their camp with a fully produced short film they will showcase for parents, caregivers and other supporters. Rates for each week of camp are $450.
Trackers Earth
Tweens and teens can find a huge array of unique activities and skill-building opportunities at Trackers Earth’s Portland branch, which has several locations in town. These programs include classes, camps, overnight camps and apprenticeships. Kids can choose between blacksmithing (pictured bottom right), archery, foraging, leadership, fort-building, wildcrafts, boating, fishing, hiking, climbing and many more activities. Camps run weekly, typically from 9 am to 3 pm. Start times and schedules vary depending on the activity. Rates begin at $485 and up.
Multnomah County Library System’s Tween and Teen Councils
Kids age 9 and up can get involved with their local library by joining the Multnomah County Library system’s Tween and Teen Councils. The Tween Council is for kids 9 to 12. The Teen Council is for middle and high school students. Participants meet regularly to work with library staff to improve services that benefit their community. Tweens and teens can sign up on a rolling basis for this free program. Members meet twice a month and can earn volunteer hours.
Sellwood Community House Tween and Teen Program
The Sellwood Community House Tween and Teen program offers a robust variety of activities for area youth. Programming focuses on leadership building, community service, mentorship, civic engagement, fostering confidence and enhancing social skills. Kids can sign up for activities like baking, upcycling clothing, helping lead classes for younger kids, and self-defense. From June to August. Classes range in price (some are free) and length (from single sessions to weekly classes).
Teen-friendly First Jobs
Traditional summer work for teens runs the gamut from flipping burgers to keeping swimmers safe. Here are a selection of ideal first jobs for your teen to explore this summer.
Babysitting. Hit up families with younger kids, community centers, or preschools to find babysitting gigs. These positions might be ongoing or on a day-by-day basis.
Camp counselor. Many camps such as Baxter Sports, Camp Yakety Yak and Portland Parks & Recreation hire teens as junior counselors or camp support staff. Or intrepid teens can host their own camps for little kids they know or recruit via word of mouth.
House painting. Join a local painting crew.
Ice cream scooper. Shops selling everybody’s favorite summer treat often need extra hands.
Lifeguard. This classic teen job requires good swimming skills and lifeguard certification. However, many pools will provide training.
Retail clerk. Teens can reach out to businesses that relate to their interests, such as book stores, clothing shops, resale stores, sporting goods stores, or gardening centers. Grocery stores such as QFC and Fred Meyer have also been known to hire teens.
Wait staff. Burger shops such as Little Big Burger and Burgerville, fast food spots, or sitdown restaurants all may hire teens to wait or bus tables, help with food prep (a food handler’s license is required), or work as a host.
Yard maintenance. From mowing lawns to trimming hedges, there’s lots of yard work that neighbors, family friends, or local businesses might want to off-load.
Sign Up to Volunteer
Regular volunteering is another great way for a teen to spend the summer. There are virtually endless types of volunteering available for kids to choose from. Possible choices include working as a big brother or sister for a community organization, helping at food banks or soup kitchens, doing trail upkeep in a local park or recreation area, playing bingo with seniors, or giving time to read to kids at a shelter. Again, in addition to searching online, school counselors are often a great resource for volunteer opportunities.
“Try doing something where you work with the people you’re helping,” suggests Theo Lydgate, 15, a student at Central Catholic High School. He regularly volunteers for such organizations as the Northeast Emergency Food Program, Mother and Child, and the Children’s Book Bank. “It’s more enlightening than just being in a room sorting things. You can see the impact of your actions on other people,” says Lydgate. “It’s easy to forget what it’s like for people who are struggling. Volunteering helps me realize how fortunate I am and how many resources I have. And it feels good to help other people who need a hand.”