• Sports make a good activity for teens.soccer ball image by Mitchell Knapton from Fotolia.com
  
  Teenagers often lack constructive activities during summer, spring and winter break. Keep teens focused and spend time with them by providing exciting and productive activities. Teens who stay busy have less time for unsavory activities such as partying, breaking the law or doing drugs. Productive activities help teenagers learn new skills, build friendships and express themselves.
  
  

Holiday-Themed Events

• During winter break, involve your teen in celebrating your favorite winter holiday. Hang Christmas lights or decorate a tree. Bake holiday cookies, sing carols or engage in winter activities, such as sledding, skiing and snowboarding. Appropriate indoor activities include making cocoa, knitting and wrapping presents. During spring holidays, celebrate Easter with Easter egg hunts, colorful fruits and planting flowers.
  
  

Games

• Play board or card games with your teens. Appropriate games include Rummy, Monopoly, The Settlers of Catan and Spades. Provide cards and a variety of board games to encourage your teens to sharpen their minds or social skills while on break. Since many board games allow for three to six players, teens can play games while spending time with their friends.
  
  

Sports

• Encourage teens to stay in shape with sports. Teens who play sports during the school year, such as basketball or soccer, can join summer or winter leagues. Those who don't play school sports but enjoy physical fitness can practice solitary activities, such as biking, running and swimming, or find a league for team sports. If your teen prefers easier activities, suggest taking a walk or dancing around the house.
  
  

Arts and Crafts

• Teens can take an afternoon or weekend art class or work on projects at home. Art stores and community centers often offer art classes for people of all ages, in addition to offering special classes for teenagers. These classes are usually low cost. If your teen would prefer to perform activities on her own, such as drawing, painting, screen-printing or creating collages, she can buy the art supplies and work at home.
  
  

Volunteering

• Teenagers can give back to the community and stay busy by volunteering. There is a volunteer opportunity for almost any interest. Options include tutoring, working with cats and dogs at an animal shelter and delivering meals to the elderly.