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If you’re on the hunt for summer activities for tweens that don’t involve a screen, you’re in the right place. School’s out, and while we’re not jetting off on a grand summer adventure, we are making the most of what’s close to home—like our backyard chickens and the local library. Luckily, our library is a goldmine of summer fun: magicians, reptile shows, movie afternoons, crafts, and of course, books. Even better? They’ve planned tween-friendly events like ComicCon and “After Hours Adventures.” Still, the “I’m bored” chorus is inevitable. Tweens are tricky—they’ve outgrown little kid stuff but aren’t quite ready for full-on teen independence. That’s why I’ve rounded up a bunch of fun and creative summer activities for tweens that keep them active, engaged, and maybe even off their devices (at least for a little while).

Summer Activities for Tweens Idea Roundup

I’ve been deep in the Pinterest trenches lately, hunting for fun, budget-friendly activities that don’t involve screens. I just can’t stand the thought of my kids spending the whole summer zoned out in front of a TV or game console, letting their brains hibernate until school starts again. Even if they spend half the day plotting how to get out of these activities and back to the couch, at least they’re thinking! Here’s what I’ve found—creative, low-cost ways to keep kids engaged, moving, and using their imaginations all summer long.

29 Dollar Store Finds that Will Keep Your Kids Busy – A Buzzfeed roundup of really simple ideas for obstacle courses, DIY water toys, and other ideas to keep those minds engaged and active. Plus, I love Dollar Tree!

Nature Hunt – with our big yard, including parts that haven’t been totally reclaimed from years of neglect, I figure this scavenger hunt is good for at least one summer day and can include a large numer of kids. I offer prizes for the quickest hunter and the one with the most interesting finds. I found other scavenger hunts for the park, swimming area, and camping when you want to get out of your house.

Play Water Hockey – Combine our slip-n-slide with a hockey type game? What’s not to like? Adding water to games in the summer is the best on a really hot day.

Outdoor Home Movie Theater – Super detail instructions from High Tech Dad on set up and what to look for in buying the components. I loved going to the drive-in as a kid! These days they’re hard to find, but you can easily set up your own outdoor theater. You can host watching parties for adults and kids.

Build A Straw Rollercoaster – use straws to build a rail contraption or “rollercoaster” for a ping-pong ball. Use those math and engineering skills, as well as problem-solving, to get the ball from the top to the bottom, without it falling off. This can be a real challenge and a good way to keep those brains exercised.

Painted Rocks – I think almost every town has a “find a painted rock” page. The kids love to find them! This summer we’re going to paint some of our own and hide them for someone else to discover! Grab a set of the best craft paint!

We love to tye-dye shirts and shoes! This is such a cool list of new ways to fold the clothes to for amazing patterns and create a fun summer wardrobe!

DIY Jello Lip Gloss – We’ve already tried this one and it required minimal help from an adult the first time. I doubt I will need to do anything the next time.

S’mores are the treat of the summer! Whether it’s roasting marshmallows (grab safe roasting sticks!) over a fire or they’re baking s’more treats, they are sure to be it a hit!

We are going on at least two trips and I’ll be checking the Tween Road Trip Checklist to make sure it’s a good one!

What is your go-to activity for summer fun?