Time Out for Teens: Fun Things to Do Over the Summer!!

Time Out for Teens: Fun Things to Do Over the Summer

This is designed to help inspire you to maximize your free time, especially the imminent summer vacation! One major malaise that middle school students seem to suffer from is boredom. When students come back from a break, and I ask them how it was, they complain that it was boring. I am shocked by this response and wonder how I can address this serious illness. For this workshop, I decided to address this issue by sharing something I am passionate about: having fun on my free time! I have combined student recommendations with my own to create a fun, friendly guide to summer in NY! To access the resources shared today, visit my blog: msgalangenglish.blogspot.com. This document was created by Denise Galang with the help of many 8th grade students: Lucy, Saiyan, Hailey, Jelani, Sophia R, John A, Noel, Joshua R, and Ava.

Make a plan of activities and events to participate in, sights and sites to visit; this can be the start of your summer bucket list. There is a handout attached that you can print and fill out.

Recommend activities, events, and/or cultural institutions for middle school students (* indicates free activities):

Topic	Specific events, activities, and places	Description	Website
Museums/cultural institutions	Brooklyn Museum	The first Saturday of each month is FREE! And there is a dance party. There are also affordable art classes.	https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/
	Museum of the City of New York	This is a wonderful museum dedicated to the history of NY; it is on 5th Ave and 105th St across the street from Central Park. They have many free events including walking tours and book clubs.	http://www.mcny.org/calendar-and-events
	* Metropolitan Museum of Art The Cloisters Museum	Pay as you wish at this museum. Don’t forget to visit the Rooftop Garden! Go to Teens Take the Met on Friday May 20 for an evening of free art and entertainment. This is one of the most magical places in NYC. It is a museum dedicated to medieval Europe.	http://www.metmuseum.org/ http://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/met-celebrates/teen-night http://www.metmuseum.org/visit/met-cloisters
	Museum of Modern Art	This museum is expensive but use a pass if you have one or attend an event for families.	http://www.moma.org/
	Museum of Natural History	With a collection of over 32 million artifacts, you can view things dating all the way back to the jurassic period! Located on the Upper West side of NYC.	http://www.amnh.org/
Camps	BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music)	Summer camps in writing, drama, and animation	http://www.bam.org/programs/2016/summer
	Writopia (Bk and NYC)	Writing seminars and camps for students who love to write in any genre	http://www.writopialab.org/regions/nyc-metro
	Bucks Rock Sleep Away Camp	An arts based sleep away camp, that has everything from painting to glass blowing.	http://www.bucksrockcamp.com/
	iD Tech Day Camp	Coding classes using many different languages and types of software. Co-ed day camp for 8-17 yr olds.	https://www.idtech.com/
	Chimney Corners Camp/Camp Becket	Month-long sleepaway camp for girls (Chimney Corners) and boys (Camp Becket) ages 7-14. There are many options in sports, outdoors/nature, and other fun activities.	http://www.bccymca.org/ Joined website http://www.bccymca.org/chimney-corners-girls/home Chimney Corners http://www.bccymca.org/camp-becket-boys/home Becket
	Camp Ramah	Jewish day camp	http://www.campramah.org/
	Bold Earth Teen Trips	Trips all around the world for ages 14-18 ranging from service trips to just pure fun!	https://boldearth.com/
	Brooklyn Game Lab	Kids and adults can go and play, analyze, strategies, and create games.	http://brooklyngamelab.com/
Theatre	Broadway or Off-Bway Shows	Get discounted tickets by getting same-day RUSH tx or by going to a TKTS booth	http://www.nytix.com/Links/Broadway/lotteryschedule.html https://www.tdf.org/nyc/8/Locations--Hours--TKTS-Discount-Broadway-Ticket-Booths
	*Free Theatre in the Parks	Check the schedule.	http://www.nycgovparks.org/events/free_summer_theater
	Piper Theatre Camp	Students learn acting and put on a show at the Old Stone House stage.	http://pipertheatre.org/youth/education/summer-education-2016/
Art	CMA Art Colony Day Camp	Children 7-15 can take a variety of art and film based classes at either Governors Island or the Children’s Museum of Art in Manhattan	http://cmany.org/classes/summer-art-colony-day-camp/
	Dedalus Foundation Summer Art Programs		http://dedalusfoundation.org/summer-programs
Sports	Chelsea Piers	Sports center	http://venues.chelseapiers.com/index.cfm
	Pier 6	Pier 6 is a popular destination for children and adults alike. Whether checking out one of the playgrounds or playing in a tournament at our sand volleyball courts, Pier 6 offers several great attractions.	http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/park/pier-6
	Prospect Park Tennis Center	The Prospect Park Tennis Center is one of Brooklyn’s most popular tennis destinations. Featuring hard and clay courts, and a seasonal tennis bubble, the Center is open year-round for day and evening tennis.	https://www.prospectpark.org/visit-the-park/places-to-go/tennis-center/
	YMCA	Free membership over the summer.	http://www.ymca.net/
	Red Bull Soccer Camp	The New York Red Bulls offer a range of soccer camp programs for players of all ages and abilities throughout New York, New Jersey, and select towns in Connecticut and Pennsylvania.	http://www.redbullsacademy.com/training/camp-programs/
	AYSO	Soccer team	http://www.brooklynayso.org/
	* City parks	It is a camp that offers many activities such as basketball, football, soccer, and other things like swimming . towards the end of the camp, all the other camps come together and the camps go against each other in sports.	https://www.nycgovparks.org/reg/summercamp
	* Free City Kayaking	Try kayaking with one of these city programs. You can do this in every borough.	Manhattan: http://www.downtownboathouse.org/ Brooklyn Bridge Park: http://www.bbpboathouse.org/
Outdoors/Nature	* Learn to Ride	Learn to ride a bike for free.	https://www.nycgovparks.org/events/learn_to_ride
	Chelsea Piers/ Pier 6	A Pier, with many fun indoor and outdoor activities, classes and learning opportunities.	http://venues.chelseapiers.com/index.cfm
	* Prospect Park Prospect Park Zoo	Have a picnic, run or bike around the park, go birdwatching. So much to do here! Just make sure to keep the park clean! A large zoo, with opportunities to see many animals, and have fun with friends, siblings etc.	https://www.prospectpark.org/visit-the-park/ http://prospectparkzoo.com
	Governor’s Island	A fun island, accessible only by ferry, where there are activities like biking etc.	https://govisland.com/
	Central Park Conservancy	This is a glorious garden in Central Park; it is an ideal location for photography, writing, reading, and meditating.(5th Ave and 105th St.)	http://www.centralparknyc.org/
	Luna park	A fun place with great food and nice amusement park rides and fireworks on Friday nights	http://lunaparknyc.com/
	Brooklyn Botanical Garden		http://www.bbg.org/
	Battle Creek Paintball	A outdoor paintball arena where kids can enjoy themselves and have a good time	http://www.battlecreekpaintballnj.com/
Dance	Alvin Ailey	The Ailey Extension embodies Mr. Ailey's legacy that dance comes from the people and should be given back to the people.  Whether you haven't taken a dance class in 20 years, take class regularly, or have never even danced a step, the Ailey Extension has dance and fitness classes designed especially for you.	http://www.alvinailey.org/aileyextension/dance-fitness-classes-adults
	Mark Morris Dance Center	There is a dance camp and youth classes.	http://markmorrisdancegroup.org/dance-center
	Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival	Jacob’s pillow is the longest running dance festival, located in the Berkshires in Massachusetts. Dance companies from all around the world such as Korea, Argentina and Germany perform in front of millions.	http://www.jacobspillow.org/
Music	* Celebrate Brooklyn	The BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, presented in partnership with the Prospect Park Alliance, is New York’s longest-running, free outdoor performing arts festival, and takes place each summer at the Prospect Park Bandshell.	https://www.prospectpark.org/visit-the-park/things-to-do/celebrate-brooklyn/
	Broadway	Broadway shows, while they are not free are very entertaining and fun to see. They range from musicals to plays.	http://www.broadway.com/
	* Central Park Summerstage Concerts	Free music, readings, and films	http://www.cityparksfoundation.org/events/category/summerstage/
Film	BAM		www.bam.org
	New York Film Academy	In all New York Film Academy film camps, each student writes, shoots, directs and edits his or her own films. Our film camps are designed for people with little or no experience in making films. The programs focus on the fundamental elements of visual storytelling that enable the students to direct their own projects.	https://www.nyfa.edu/summer-camps/teens/film/
	Socapa School for creative And Performance Arts	In Socapa they get actors to pose for you and you are able to experience what real photographers do and use actual photography equipment with others and get taught how to use this kind of equipment.	https://www.socapa.org/teen-camps/photo-camps/
	Bryant Park Film Festival	Free films at sundown; have a picnic	http://www.bryantpark.org/plan-your-visit/filmfestival.html
Humanities (English and Social Studies)	* The Old Stone House (next to MS51)	A historical museum as well as the site for numerous free concerts and community events	http://theoldstonehouse.org/
	* Brooklyn Poets (at 61 Local in Cobble Hill)	Brooklyn Poets offers free writing workshops to teens and open-mics	http://brooklynpoets.org/workshops/young-writers/
	* Brooklyn Public Library	Check websites for free events and activities. You can also become a volunteer; this is a great way to gain work experience.	https://www.bklynlibrary.org/
	*New York Public Library * The Library of Performing Arts	There are many free art and literary exhibitions to visit in the main libraries in Manhattan. Many libraries are also in historic buildings; seek out your favorite ones. This library is near Lincoln Center and has a variety of exhibitions and a wide variety of music to borrow!	http://www.nypl.org/ http://www.nypl.org/events/programs/lpa
	* Poet’s House	This is a library dedicated to poetry. It is in a beautiful location in Battery Park and is a great place to sit and read. They also have numerous free readings and events.	http://www.poetshouse.org/programs-and-events/calendar/month
	Tenement Museum	Learn about the way people lived in New York before modern apartments existed.	https://www.tenement.org/
	Bronx Loaf Writing Conference	Writing workshops with professional writers! Apply by May 15.	https://bronxloaf.org/
Science and technology	Brooklyn Tech STEM program	The school offers science classes for middle school students though I am not sure if you have to be an incoming student to participate.	http://moodle2.bths.edu/course/index.php?categoryid=57
	Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS): this includes Prospect Park Zoo and Coney Island Aquarium	* You can volunteer as a docent!	http://www.wcs.org/
	Brooklyn Robot Foundry	Strives to show kids that anyone can build a robot and the robots you make can be anything you want!	http://brooklynrobotfoundry.com/
Math	MOMATH	Mathematics illuminates the patterns and structures all around us. Our dynamic exhibits, gallery, and programs will stimulate inquiry, spark curiosity, and reveal the wonders of mathematics.	http://momath.org/
	Khan Academy	All types of math for all grade levels and lessons. There are videos and activities to help you learn.	http://brooklyngamelab.com/
Sightseeing	Statue of Liberty	The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor in New York City, in the United States.	https://www.nps.gov/stli/index.htm
	* Brooklyn Bridge	Walk across the bridge.
	* Green-wood Cemetery	This is a great place to walk around and learn about famous people buried here. You can register for a trolley tour as well.	http://www.green-wood.com/
	World Trade Center Memorial		http://www.911memorial.org/
Staten Island	* Snug Harbor	Free botanic garden and park; nice bike ride from the ferry	http://snug-harbor.org/
	* Fort Wadsworth	National Park overlooking Verrazano Bridge	https://www.nps.gov/gate/learn/historyculture/fort-wadsworth.htm
Queens	* Socrates Sculpture Park	Outdoor sculpture park	http://socratessculpturepark.org/
The Bronx	Bronx Zoo	This is the largest zoo in the city.	http://bronxzoo.com/home
	New York Botanical Garden	This is a great place to walk around on a beautiful day. Check the calendar for a variety of events and classes.	http://www.nybg.org/plan_your_visit/
Other:	Land of Make Believe	A family amusement park	http://www.lomb.com/general-info.php
	Six Flags	Large, vibrant amusement park featuring fast, high-tech roller-coasters, wildlife areas & more.	https://www.sixflags.com/greatadventure
	Coney Island	There are lots of rides and attractions, including many theme parks and a beach. It’s a great place to go if you have a free day over summer break.	http://www.coneyisland.com/tourist-information
	* Industry City		http://industrycity.com/things-to-do/

List of General Recommendations

Bookstores: Book Court is on Court St. and has a great YA section: http://www.bookcourt.com/ Greenlight Bookstore in Fort Greene has readings and in-store book groups for young people: http://www.greenlightbookstore.com/bookgroups Community Bookstore on 7th Avenue also has a diverse selection of YA books and a small backyard to sit in: http://www.communitybookstore.net/ The Powerhouse Arena: https://www.powerhousearena.com/events/ Word is an independent bookstore in Greenpoint, Bk with a cafe: http://www.wordbookstores.com/ Strand - a legendary used book store in Union Square: http://www.strandbooks.com/ McNally Jackson Bookstore in SOHO; there is a cafe where you can sit and sip some coffee: https://mcnallyjacksonstore.com/ Housing Works Bookstore is in SOHO and has used books; profits help people with HIV/AIDS http://www.housingworks.org/bookstore/

Summer Reading - 8th graders: find out what you need to read for high school! Here is my 8th grading book wish list that can give you ideas for books to read: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/WKYHM1B9RCA8/ref=cm_wl_list_o_3? Also, go to the public libraries.

TV Grey’s Anatomy, House MD, Supernatural,Criminal minds, Bones,The office, Pretty little liars, Teen Wolf, Parks and Recreation, Law and Order SVU, The Vampire Diaries, Quantico, Star Wars Jeopardy!, Little House on the Prairie

Films Life of Pi, Cosmos, Deadpool, Avengers All films directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Podcasts and Audio/Video Programs The Moth is a national storytelling project where people share real-life stories; you can listen to the stories on the podcast or see the stories told live: https://themoth.org/

Other ideas: READ!! On the couch, in the yard, at the park, on the beach... Create and write on a personal blog Join a book club and/or create your own Do volunteer work Teach yourself something you have been wanting to learn such as a language or craft Explore the 5 boroughs Get lots of exercise! Get your working papers from the Guidance Office if you are 14 years old (https://labor.ny.gov/youth/14-to-17.shtm ). Help around the house. Learn to sew, knit, cook, garden or do carpentry.

**** Please add other suggestions and recommendations in the Comments area.

Name: ________________________________________   Time Out for Teens - Ms. Galang Rm. 103

Welcome to this workshop designed to help inspire you to maximize your free time, especially the imminent summer vacation! Explore the different stations and take notes. Make a plan of activities and events to participate in, sights and sites to visit; this can be the start of your summer bucket list.

To access the resources shared today, visit my blog: msgalangenglish.blogspot.com.

Fun Things to Do on my Free Time

General Subject/Category	Activities, Events, Sights, Sites, and More...