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Young artists can refine their skills at the Art League of Long Island.

1. Art Classes & Workshops

Whether they’re aspiring artists or just want to try something different, you'll find a diversity of places around Long Island that offer classes and workshops in drawing, painting, photography, and more. The Art League of Long Island offers teen classes all year round. Focus areas include drawing and painting, Anime/Manga, cartooning, ceramic art, photography, and fashion and sewing. Gold Coast Arts Center is another spot that caters to the visual and performing arts, with workshops, summer camps, and more. The Color Palette in Lindenhurst has drop-in sessions, teen nights, and more. 

2. Yoga & Aerial Hammocks

Yoga classes are the perfect way for your teen or tween to strengthen their bodies, learn relaxing breathing techniques, and find some inner peace after a stressful day of classes or a tough day on the soccer field. Sea Change Holistic Wellness Center in Lindenhurst has yoga classes for all ages. The Smithtown Historical Society hosts yoga classes with kids–the goat kind! Revolution Yoga in Rockville Centre has plenty of classes for older kids, including gentle and rev flow classes, as well as a number of family yoga classes. Emerge Yoga & Wellness in Massapequa offers multiple classes for all levels of flying and floating anti-gravity yoga, including flow, cocoon, and deep release. They also have one-on-one classes and private parties. 

3. Escape Room

Escape rooms, where people are ‘locked’ in a room for an hour and have to figure out how to get out, are a fun way to challenge your tween or teen and their friends to use their minds and not their phones. Of course, they aren’t technically locked in but they do have to work together to figure out the clues that will help them escape. You’ll find a slew of escape rooms all around Long Island with uniquely decorated themed rooms that target teens and tweens. Great for developing team-building and problem-solving skills, they are also a very cool birthday party venue.

4. Museums

From art to aviation and everything in between, Long Island’s museums offer many opportunities for young adults to explore the Island’s diverse culture and history. At the Nassau County Art Museum in Roslyn Harbor, drawing, animation, and other classes for young artists are offered through its new Manes Family Art & Education Center. The museum also offers programs for children and young adults (up to age 21) with autism. The Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium in Centerport offers plenty to interest older kids, including the mansion and Natural History and Cultural Artifact galleries. Shows at the planetarium are sure to grab their attention, including one set to the music of Taylor Swift. Another museum worth exploring is the Cradle of Aviation in Garden City, which has a number of programs for tweens and hosts the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo and Cradle-Con: Comic, Collectible, and Pop Culture Expo each year. 

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Teens can learn cooking techniques and kitchen skills at What’s Cooking in Oyster Bay.

5. Cooking Classes

If your teen or tween has shown interest in cooking family meals, a cooking or baking class could be right up his or her alley. At What’s Cooking in Oyster Bay, kids learn skills at classes and workshops throughout the year. Its International Cooking class lets aspiring chefs learn how to make an appetizer, main dish, and dessert from a new country each month. It also offers a variety of culinary camps and workshops during the summer and school breaks. The Cooking Lab in Port Washington (and soon to be in Garden City) has summer camp sessions, after-school classes, and single workshops for kids ages 8 and up. The Babylon Mercantile in bucolic Babylon village boasts specialized classes for kids such as sushi and pasta making. It also hosts more general classes focusing on things like healthy breakfast options. Find more places where kids can learn cooking and baking techniques here. 

Habitat for Humanity can help teach your teen or tween the value of community service. Photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity

6. Volunteer

It’s no secret that middle- and high schoolers can be, shall we say, a bit self-centered. It’s not a bad idea to teach them the importance of giving back. (They can also earn those much-needed community service hours for school and church programs.) Check your local library for in-person and take-home volunteer opportunities, which are often offered monthly. Habitat for Humanity of Suffolk teams with local high schools in its Student Build program (kids must be at least 16), so your child’s school might already participate. If not, your teen can help start it up in his or her school. For kids younger than 16, there are other ways they can get involved, including serving meals to onsite volunteers, putting together gift baskets for Habitat families, or participating in workshops specifically designed for kids ages 8-15. Long Island Cares is always looking for volunteers to join its mission of feeding the hungry on Long Island. The Book Fairies in Freeport are often seeking volunteers to sort books for underprivileged children and schools.

7. Adventure Parks & Courses

These high-flying attractions are perfect for those adventure-seeking teens and tweens. The Adventure Park at Long Island has aerial "trails" in the woods that stretch from tree to tree, and each provides a new type of challenge. There are 49 zip lines, 14 trails, and more than 200 challenges. They also host fun glow night events. WildPlay at Jones Beach features three courses with ropes, bridges, and tunnels, a 40-foot bungee jump, and a 700-foot-long zip line. Keep an eye out for the Black Friday season pass deals. So worth it! Bayville Adventure Park offers a Jungle Tree Top Adventure ropes course in addition to other fair-type fun and seasonal attractions such as a winter wonderland in the summer and a scream park in the fall. Check out our full list of adventure park fun in the area. 

8. YMCA

Let teens know there’s more to YMCA than the popular wedding song. The YMCA of Long Island has locations throughout the Island and swimming, sports, fitness, lifeguarding classes, and theater are just some of the offerings. The Y also hosts pre-teen nights for kids in grades 5-8 to enjoy fun activities, stay active, and meet new friends.

9. Library Passes

Your local library is a treasure trove of FREE activities for teens and tweens. From volunteer activities to learning new skills and meeting new people, there’s no limit to what teens can discover at the library. Encourage your child to check your library’s website to see what’s happening. And, don’t forget, many libraries offer FREE passes to local and city museums and plenty of other perks, too. Several Long Island libraries have compiled a Library of Things where you can "check out" giant lawn games, art tools, board games, and more. 

10. Amusement Parks

From water parks to old-school fair fun, the Long Island amusement park scene does not disappoint. While Splish Splash is the only dedicated water park, teens can find water ride fun at Adventureland as well. These spots make it safe for tweens and teens to wander on their own a bit too, fostering some independence. 

11. Roller Skating and Ice Skating

Whether they're taking off on roller or ice skates, Long Island rinks cater to the teen and tween demographic. Some host drop-off teen nights and glow sessions, like United Skates of America, while others, like Gr8t Skates in Shirley, host teen-friendly dance party events. There are plenty of outdoor roller rinks in parks, too, for in-line skaters or roller hockey fans. Depending on the season, ice skaters can hit Long Island's ice rinks indoors or outdoors. 

12. Laser Tag

You're never too old, or too cool, for laser tag. Long Island laser tag hot spots have upped their game with more types of competitive games, crazy accurate laser guns, and even a 5,500-square-foot, multi-level course with sneaky hideouts at Xplore in Commack. Pew pew pew!

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Experience the thrill of throwing an axe at a wooden target at Axe & Smash.

13. Axe Throwing

If lasers aren't your thing, maybe try your hand at axe throwing. It's safe–we promise! Plus, most Long Island axe-throwing places are for the older kiddos. While some are solely axe throwing, Axe Kicking Entertainment in Mineola also has football bowling, archery, and plate smashing, while at Axe & Smash in Mattituck, you can also create smash art, take in a wrestling match, or catch a classic film on weekends. 

Rent a kayak and head down the Peconic River in Riverhead. 

14. Boats, Paddles, and More 

You can rent pedal boats, kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards at several spots along Long Island's vast shorelines or its lakes. Book a sail on The Ginny Marie, a 50' schooner out of Port Jefferson Harbor and explore the Long Island Sound. With three sails offered per day May-October, this experience teaches you the ropes of sailing. There are so many other areas, such as Oyster Bay, Stony Brook Harbor and the Peconic Riverfront in Riverhead, that are perfect for exploring via the water. 

15. Go-Karts

Get your motors running and those pre-licensed tweens and teens behind the wheel–of a go-kart, that is. With both indoor and outdoor tracks to choose from, this is a good option to get the adrenaline pumping and the competitive juices flowing.

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Swing for the fences at Topgolf in Holtsville.

16. Golfing

Now that Long Island has a Top Golf location, swinging the irons for some fun is a hop, skip, and jump away. We also have some par-3 courses on Long Island where teens can sharpen their game. Or check out these mini golf courses for more fun. And if you want a virtual option, X-Golf in Westbury and Commack, Pickle N Par Clubs in Melville and Smithtown, or Simplay in Smithtown have ginormous screens for you to simulate your swing.

Spin the wheel at Round 1.

17. Arcades

Lucky kids these days can swipe their Apple Pay rather than lugging a pocket full of quarters at these Long Island arcades. From pay-one-price passes at Round 1 in Hicksville and Game On at the Smith Haven Mall to half-priced days at Dave & Buster's locations, arcades are doing more to draw in the younger crowds.

If your child appreciates the vibe of New York City, check out our cool activities for teens in NYC. 

Unless noted, photos by the author