Need some inventive bonding time?
These eight fun things to do with teens this summer in Atlanta fit the bill.
There's something here for most every parent —be your teen adventurous, active movie fan or foodie—and whether the offspring is more of a surly companion or a parent's cheerful best buddy.
1. Hit the trail on horseback: Ride ponies at the Lanier Islands Equestrian Center.
Are horseback adventures on your bucket list? Here's a nice start. The lovely Lake Lanier and its islands are about an hour's drive from Atlanta and these 45-minute rides along the shore depart every hour on the hour from the Equestrian Center. They're only for older kids and adults. Longer rides also available.
Lanier Islands, 7000 Lanier Islands Parkway, Buford. Price: $40 and up.
For questions or concerns, e-mail Pedaggi@LanierIslands.com
2. Act up as your teen directs: Support your teen's entry into the Alpharetta Library's Teen Short Film Contest.
Lights! Camera! (Or is that lights, iPad...?) Those ages 12-18 are invited to submit age-appropriate films, no more than 20 minutes, to the Teen Short Film Contest. Parents can't actually help write or produce the film, but rules do allow you to appear as an actor if that will inspire your budding director. Categories include comedy, drama, documentary, animated and horror and entries must be submitted by Monday, July 18 at 8 p.m. Oh yeah, follow up by gathering the family for the People's Choice award voting at the Teen Filmmaker Festival August 2 at 2 p.m.
10 Park Plaza, Alpharetta. FREE. Contact: Marcia.divack@fultoncountyga.gov with questions.
3. Make like Jimmy Carter: Volunteer for Habitat for Humanity - buildings in metro Atlanta, usually a full day on a Saturday. Have fun with hand tools and help Habitat fulfill its mission to see that every "man, woman and child should have a simple, durable place to live in dignity and safety, and that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all." Volunteers as young as 14 and 15 years of age can paint or landscape on building sites, but cannot be present when power tools are in use. Those 16 and 17 years of age can do general construction and general carpentry, but cannot do excavation, demolition, use power tools or work at heights above six feet. Anyone who is 18 years of age or older can do any of the various construction-related jobs on the site and there are usually lots of potential volunteer activities on a given Saturday, including site photographer. Before you show up, though, you must create a profile in Habitat's volunteer management system and register online ahead of time.
Office: 1625 Spring Road SE, Smyrna. Contact: hodges@nwmetroatlantahabitat.org or call 770-432-7954, ext. 110.
4. Prepare for DC Comics' Suicide Squad: Meet Harley Quinn by watching Batman: the Animated Series on Netflix.
Attention, comic fans (yes, that's sometimes short for fanatics) and their folks: The much-anticipated tale of DC Comics' "Suicide Squad" reaches the big screen August 5 with the story of a secret government agency recruiting imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions. Spend some very pleasant, maybe even philosophical, downtime with your teen getting up to speed on one of the much-adored characters in the flick--and we don't mean Will Smith as Deadshot, we're talking Harley Quinn! She's portrayed here as a goth-roller derby looking girl with pony tails, but she first came to life on "Batman: The Animated Series" in September 1992. You can spend many enjoyable, even philosophical hours with this Emmy-award winning animated series that showcases the villainy of Harley Quinn, Joker and Poison Ivy. At the very least, spend a few minutes sharing the Comic Con preview of Suicide Squad, so you'll understand clearly why you're waiting in line for the midnight show come Aug. 4 .
Price: Netflix membership beginning at $8.99 per month for new members
5. Enjoy some good yarns: Take the Whole Nine Yards' "Crash Course in Crochet" together.
Calming, crafty, productive--is this the summer you'll both learn to crochet? Streamline the process with this 2-hour workshop that covers the basics fast--you'll leave knowing two simple stitches and with a scarf ready to wear. Don't leave the guys out of this one: everyone needs something soothing to do on long bus rides or while recovering from a broken heart. Already know how to knit or crochet? Atlanta abounds with charity knitting projects from the Atlanta Knitting Guild, and this summer is a great chance to purl up a few preemie caps, for example.
Crochet Crash Course price: $35. 8826 Main Street, Woodstock. 678-494-5242.
6. Go ahead and jump: Pay for a whole season at the Sky Zone Roswell indoor trampoline park.
Bouncing around on the trampoline, flipping and then landing in a pit filled with 10,000 foam cubes--could there be a better motivation to get off the couch this summer? And it's pretty convenient, with summer hours 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 12 noon-8 p.m. Sundays. They even offer pick-up dodgeball games daily when courts are available.
Prices: Pay as you go prices start at $5 for a 30-minute jump whereas the Awesummer Flypass lets you visit the park through August 7 for $59.99, including free sky socks and some other discounts.
1425 Market Blvd. Suite 100-A, Roswell
For more information call 678-745-9900
7. Paddle faster: Take a recreational kayak class from the Georgia Canoeing Association on July 10.
This one's at Johnson Ferry at the Chattahoochee River but will open up a whole world of paddling along the metro area's rivers and lakes--and isn't that the type of activity you'd like your family involved in for years to come? You and your teen will learn the basics of maneuvering a recreational kayak in flat and moving Class I water from instructors certified through the American Canoe Association.
For answers to FAQ about canoeing and kayaking for beginners in Georgia, click this link.
Prices: $50 for GCA members. Non-members can join GCA for $35 annually; participants provide all their own equipment.
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, 1978 Island Ford Pkwy, Sandy Springs
E-mail questions to gapaddletraining@gmail.com
8. Butter up and jam out: Seek the city's best biscuit.
No school in the morning and more time on the weekends may allow you to indulge--and this is the height of indulgence. Follow some suggestions from the AJC's list of best places for biscuits, and then dedicate many summer mornings (and afternoons and evenings, if need be) to forming your own opinion. Along with the fun eating out and posturing like haughty restaurant reviewers, consider learning to make homemade biscuits, too. Start with this inspiration video from Southern biscuit diva Nathalie Dupree, followed by step-by-step instructions for her biscuits.
