I know June is about 1/4 of the way over, but there’s still plenty of time to get out there and have some fun! It’s the first official month of summer, after all. My son got out of school on May 31st, but I figure most of your kids are out of school by now too! This summer, my car is on the fritz (again), so I’m trying to come up with things to do with Jake that are pretty close to home.

If I don’t have some sort of themed activities in mind, I find that Jake and I end up doing nothing at all, aside from bombarding each other with water guns. It’s getting harder to come up with cool ideas since he’s going to be 11 next week. He’s officially a tween! So I thought, why not look to the national holidays and what not for ideas! Check out what I came up with.

Fun June activities with to do with your tween

If you want to find more holidays, check Brownielocks for ideas. I probably spend a good hour a week on that site and it’s seriously the best when it comes to different monthly, weekly and daily observances. On with fun things to do with your tween!

Hiking, Camping, Map.

• Go on a hike to celebrate Great Outdoors Month! Pick a hiking trail close to home, pack up your backpack with snacks and water, then hit the trails! If you don’t live close to a national park or hiking trail, “hike” through your neighborhood. Just walk out your door and keep walking, taking a different route every time. You never know what hidden gems lurk right in your own back yard.
• If you find that you LOVE the outdoors, sleep in them! June is National Camping Month! Pitch a tent in your backyard or go all out and head for your nearest camp ground for a whole weekend. Check out this post for everything you need to plan an amazing camping trip, even if you’re not much of a camper.
• Celebrate National Candy Month by trying your hand at making your own candy! Just search Pinterest for candy recipes. Rock candy is one of the easiest to make. My mom made it with my brother when she was a den leader back when he was a Cub Scout. Yes, it’s a sugary activity, but really, it’s not like you’re doing it every single day!
• If you’re lucky enough to live near the ocean, celebrate National Oceans Month by planning a spontaneous trip to the beach. On the way, play a game of ocean-life scattegories! See how many sea creatures and ocean-themed words you can come up with for each letter.
• Set a goal with your tween to make someone smile every day for National Smile Month, then brainstorm ways to make it happen. You could have a challenge to see who can get the most strangers smile back at you or come up with plans to brighten a loved one’s day each day. Bake goodies to leave on their doorstep, write letters together, donate your time at a soup kitchen. The possibilities are endless. 
• Jake has been to approximately four major zoos and three major aquariums in his life so far. Pick a good one close to home and visit it for National Zoo and Aquarium Month. 
• June is Skyscraper Month! If you live in a major city, find the tallest one with tours available and take a ride to the top. Be sure to bring your camera! Don’t live in a city? Go on a hunt to find the tallest building in your town.
• Celebrate Pet Appreciation Week from the 5th to the 11th by baking homemade dog treats for Fido! These peanut butter banana pup pops from DogVills are my favorite because you can eat them too! Don’t have a pet? Volunteer at an animal shelter!

• Have a watermelon seed spitting contest for Watermelon Seed Spitting Week (23rd-26th). Hey, if you have a tween boy, suggesting this activity will give you tons of “cool mom” points!
• Make your own mega awesome banana split for Banana Split Days (10th and 11th). It’s a lot cheaper and probably more healthy to make your own at home than buy them, but you can also go on a hunt for the most delicious banana split by visiting local ice-cream shops. 

• Celebrate Magna Carta Day on the 15th by making your own version.  Take some time to talk about what the Magna Carta meant for the people of that time and the people of today. It was the document that provided the foundation for all our civil liberties throughout the entire world. Talk to your tween about the types of “civil rights” he feels like he should have now that he’s getting older. It’s a great way to reevaluate your rules or give your tween a better understanding of the ones you can’t change. I firmly believe that my son should understand WHY I have certain rules, and not just say “because I said so.”
• Grab a camera and head out into nature for Nature Photography Day on the 15th. Just see where the day takes you or come up with a scavenger hunt list of things you want to photograph. See how many you can complete in the day!
• Learn how to juggle for World Juggling Day on the 18th!
• Need a break from juggling? Make sushi for Sushi Day on the 18th! I personally do not eat fish. Or rice. But you can make a dessert sushi too! These are super cute!
• Have a marathon “flashback cartoons” day for Global Smurfs Day on the 22nd. You don’t have to watch just The Smurfs. Load up your Netflix or Amazon Prime streaming list with all your favorite childhood cartoons and movies, then share them with your tween. 
• Celebrate Let it Go Day on June 23rd by flying a kite. Don’t let it go, though. That doesn’t seem like an environmentally sound thing to do. Instead, imbue the kite with your troubles. By this, I mean before you let it fly, think about something that is really bothering you or something you are worried about. Tell it to the kite, then ask the kite to release it when it’s up in the air. Sounds silly, I know, but these mental tricks for letting go of anger or anxiety do work for many people. Since Jake is starting middle school in the fall, I know he has a lot of worries to “let go.”
• Plan a Celebration of the Senses on the 24th by choosing 5 different activities that engage each sense. Go to an outdoor music concert or just turn up the music and dance. Visit an art museum or go through old family pictures together to engage your visual sense. Taste something new. Smell flowers! Go to a petting zoo and touch the animals. Whatever you do, make sure you plan something for each sense.
• Plant a Fairy garden for International Fairy Day (the 24th). 
• Stay up late on June 30th for Meteor Watch Day. See if you can spot a “falling star” and make a wish! Check out my post on backyard literary adventures for a fun way to make stargazing even more meaningful.

What are you doing with your tween this month? Tell me all about it in the comments!