Going to the beach is a lot of fun no matter what age you are. You can relax and read a book, go swimming or make your visit a memorable one.
There are many activities that teenagers can enjoy at the beach alone or with friends.
- Play beach tennis
- Photography
- Underwater photography
- Explore tide pools
- Slide down sand dunes
- Bounce ball on the water
- Water gun fights
- Play beach cricket
- Set up obstacle course
- Look for fossils
- Jump / dive
- Skimboarding
- Fly a drone
- Ride a Segway
- Ride a quad bike
- Slide and swing on inflatable obstacle course
- Prank someone
- Water fights
- Roll with the waves
- Play tug of war
- Play a game of bull rush
- Practice handstand in the water
1. Beach Tennis
I didn’t even realise beach tennis existed until I recently saw it played at one of our local beaches. Although beach tennis began in Italy in the early 70’s, it only started gaining popularity around the world in the early 2000s
To find out more about this fun new sport, visit Australian Beach Tennis website.
2. Photography
Whether you take photos with your phone or an SLR camera, a beach is the perfect place to experiment. There are so many subjects to photograph and of course share on Instagram. If you take a particularly breathtaking photo, why not have it printed on glass or canvas.
My son Jordan and I have taken many photos on our travels and these hang on our walls – Waikiki beach, Niagara Falls, Queenstown beach and mountains, Cabo San Lucas resort all bring back fond memories.
So if you have a particularly beautiful photo, have it printed at Canvas Champ on canvas or one of their many photo gifts including stunning 3D prints.
3. Underwater Photography
With more mobile phones being waterproof, why stop at taking photos of the beach. Grab your mask and snorkel and start snapping underwater.
I must admit, I get nervous submerging my phone underwater, so I have bought a waterproof case for my Samsung. There is a large selection available online, so if you’re like me and don’t want to risk it, buy a case before you head out for this fun adventure.
4. Explore Tidepools
Tidepools can be found at the ocean’s edge and they are often full of little creatures including snails, barnacles, mussels, anemones, urchins, star fish, seaweed, crabs and small fish. We’ve had a lot of fun setting up time lapse camera and shooting the creatures as they move around in their world.
5. Sandboarding
Sandboarding is similar to snowboarding and involves riding across or down a sand dune. You can either stand on a board (also referred to as sand surfing) or sit or lie on one. If you are serious about this sport, you can purchase a sandboard, but if you are just out to have fun with your friends, you can use a skateboard deck, skimboard, bodyboard and on smaller sand dunes even cardboard. It is a good idea to also wear goggles, elbow and knee pads and helmet.
One of the most popular sandboarding destinations in NSW is Stockton Dunes at Port Stephens.
6. Bounce Ball on the Water
A great way to spend time with your friends. Wahu and Waboba Pro Water Bouncing Balls can be purchased online or in your local sports store. Challenge your strength and precision by standing further apart from your friends. A beach with waves adds to the fun, as the ball often bounces off the wave and lands somewhere other than where you expected.
7. Water Gun Fights
Bring a gun to the beach and shoot your friends to your hearts content. Your water ammunition is always at hand and there are many water guns that can be purchased online or from stores such as Big W and Kmart.
If you want to take it to the next level check out Spyra water guns.
8. Beach Cricket
Spend hours of fun playing beach cricket with your family or friends. To make it a little easier play near the water, where the sand is more firm, but if you want to challenge yourself, play on the soft sand. Beach cricket bats and balls are available from Kmart, Anaconda, Rebel and other sports stores.
9. Set Up an Obstacle Course
Challenge your friends in a beach obstacle course. Swim, run, jump, climb, crawl, slide, throw, find, carry. Use whatever obstacles you can find. Some equipment you can use:
- Beach towel
- Slippery slide
- Soccer ball or tennis ball
- Bucket
- String / rope
- Pool noodles
- Water bottles
10. Look for Fossils
Many beaches have exposed rocks and cliffs, where you can often find fascinating fossils. Fossils can also be washed up from other locations.
11. Jump / Dive
Before you jump or dive into any body of water, and especially at the beach, make sure the water is deep enough. Also ensure there are no other people nearby and no signs that prohibit diving and jumping.
Some places to jump off include a cliff, jetty, swimming enclosure decks and rocks.
12. Skimboarding
Skimming or skimboarding is a sport in which a skimboard is used to glide across the water’s surface to meet an incoming breaking wave. Basically, you run along the edge of the water, your skimboard in hand, then you throw the board on the water in front of you, then jump on the board, skimming down the beach as far as possible.
Although skimboarding is easier to learn than surfing, you still need good balance and flexibility. Skimboarding gives you a full body workout and involves every muscle, increasing your strength and stamina.
If you don’t have a skimboard, you can also use a bodyboard.
13. Fly a Drone
A few years ago I was talking to my then 16 year old nephew and I mentioned how much I wanted to buy a drone. He smiled at and said he’s been thinking about it too. So we decided to put our money together and buy a drone. Neither of us knew how to fly it, but being a teenager and pretty savvy with technology, John quickly figured it out.
Since then, we have been on many drone flying excursions and got some amazing beach footage.
If you are thinking of buying a drone, make sure you follow the rules.
Check out Remote Aviation Australia Website and CASA website.
14. Ride a Segway
Riding a Segway anywhere is awesome, but riding it on a beach takes it to the next level. Segways are very stable and can easily ride up and down sand hills and sand dunes as well as over different obstacles. Some of our favourite places to ride were Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Island and also around Waikiki Beach.
15. Ride a Quad Bike
Quad bikes are designed especially for off-road driving and are so much fun to ride along the beach. Whilst you do not need a license, many tour operators only allow riders above the age of 16. Although some places do allow 12-16 year olds as long as they are accompanied by an adult and have parental consent.
Riding a quad bike can be dangerous as the bikes can roll over, especially if you are driving too fast on an unknown surface, so make sure you are wearing a helmet, sunglasses and sturdy, closed toe shoes. You may also wish to wear gloves and long pants.
16. Slide and Swing on Inflatable Obstacle Course
Many beaches have inflatable obstacle courses and floating jungle gyms. Generally you need to book in ahead, as only limited number of people can be on the course at any one time. Most inflatable water parks schedule 1 hour sessions, so book in online before heading to the beach.
17. Prank Someone
When we were on Waikiki Beach my son had an idea to prank people by “accidentally” tripping and falling in front of them either into the water or on the sand. He asked us to film his mishaps and we had a lot of laughs watching people’s reactions.
18. Water Fights
Burn lots of energy by having a fun water fight with your friends. This is a place where you can rough it up a bit, as the water will cushion your falls.
19. Roll with the Waves
Lie on the edge of the water and let waves roll you back and forth or challenge your strength and see if you can sit / lie still without the waves moving you. Just make sure you hold your breath properly.
20. Play Tug of War
The game of tug-of-war is as popular as ever. Two teams compete until the losing team is dragged over the centre line, just as it has for decades. I’m sure most of us had a go at Tug of War during our childhood, and playing in the sand adds to the excitement. Depending on who you are at the beach with, have a game of men vs women or parents vs teenagers.
21. Play Bull Rush
This game is best played in a wide open area with soft ground. You need to set boundaries at one end and both sides of the field. Make sure that you don’t have any hard surfaces or objects that could hurt anyone accidentally, like logs or rocks.
On the day of the game, one cub can be “IN.” That person stands in the middle of the field. Then they call out “Bull Rush!” Then all of the other players start running towards them trying to tag them before they make it back to their side of the field. If someone is tagged, then they are now “IN” and stand in centre until someone tags them again.
22. Practice Handstands in the Water
Doing a handstand underwater is a lot easier than on dry land because of the pressure of the water. To do a handstand, it’s best if the water level is up to your chest. Take a deep breath and hold it. This will give you more time to practice your handstands in the water. You might want to practice holding your breath before diving in water. If you are unsure on the best way to do it, you can find step by step tutorials online.
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Ivana Katz is a Sydney based website designer and travel blogger. Having her own business has given her the freedom to explore the world. She believes travel is the best teacher and her passion for adventure, writing and photography has taken her and her son to some amazing places, including Hawaii, Canada, Fiji, Greece and Czech Republic. Ivana’s favourite thing about travelling is learning, discovering hidden gems and creating memories. She loves nothing more than inspiring other women to chase their dreams and explore the world with their families and friends.
