How to Have Fun As a Teenager in New Zealand

Last Updated: December 3, 2022

New Zealand (Aotearoa) is a country filled with fun opportunities for any teenager. Like anywhere in the world, you can try all sorts of indoor activities from gaming to reading, or you can get out into New Zealand's great outdoors and experience a huge range of amazing activities. The choice is yours and it's all good as gold!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Spending Time Outside

1
Play rugby or netball. New Zealand has the best rugby team in the world (the All Blacks) and the best netball team, too (the Silver Ferns). New Zealanders also love cricket, soccer, basketball, and rugby. Gather a group of your friends together to play one of these sports. If you have a good time, you should make it a weekly event.^{[1]
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Try some classic kiwi activities. Bungee jumping, biscuiting, sea fishing, whitebait fishing, whale watching, skiing, going to hot pools, and pig hunting are just some of the activities teens can enjoy in New Zealand. Gather a group of friends and do a new activity every weekend.

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3
Go hiking, or tramping. Put on your favorite pair of outdoor shoes or boots and head out to one of the many amazing tramping locations across New Zealand. You can follow some of the more well known routes or you can go to somewhere only the locals know about. Try camping as well, and hone your skills in fire making, camp cooking and sleeping under the stars.
- There are many amazing places to hike and camp in New Zealand, but here are some suggestions: the Abel Tasman National Coast Track, Tongariro National Park, Mount Cook National Park, and the Abbey Caves.^{[2]
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- Never tramp alone. Always go with at least one other person and preferably in a group. Always let people know when you leave, where you're going and when you expect to be back.
- Hypothermia is a real issue when tramping. Don't get caught out overnight without adequate warmth. Even if you're going on a short day tramp, always have a thermal (polyprop), rain jacket and a warm jacket just in case.
- Have plenty of water and trail mix to keep you well hydrated and energized.
4
Visit places you haven't been to yet. Perhaps you haven't been to Rotorua or Dunedin yet? Or maybe you'd like to take the train across the North Island or catch a train across the South Island? Plan for some expeditions that show you more of your country.
- Plane fares are reasonable between major cities and towns. You might want to consider buses for the less major hubs though, as the flights will be a lot more expensive.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Spending Time Indoors

1
Cook dinner for family and friends. Dinner is the largest meal in New Zealand, and family and friends will come together to enjoy the meal you’ve prepared. Try a curry, a stir fry, or a classic New Zealand barbecue.^{[3]
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Research source} Spend all day preparing a big meal, and invite lots of people to come together and eat. Try your hand at whitebait fritters, pavlova or make fruit salad featuring kiwi fruit and feijoa.
2
Watch TV made in New Zealand. If it’s raining outside, you might not have the option to go to one of New Zealand’s beautiful natural places. Many TV shows on New Zealand TV might be imported from other countries, but you can also find programming from native New Zealanders. Some favorites are “Shortland Street” and “West Side”
- Look for local comedy. Kiwi comedy is second to none, in the opinion of some, and cultivating your own sense of self-deprecating humor can come in handy for the rest of your life.
- Look for local current affairs programs. Keep up-to-date with what's happening in your neck of the woods and hopefully worldwide too.
- Watch Maori TV. If you don't already speak Te Reo, learn some by watching good Maori TV shows. The Maori channel also shows some good English language films too.
3
Play games. Play games, such as board games or video games. Ask your friends for suggestions, or go to online gaming forums and check out what other people are suggesting. You can play games on your cell phone, too.
- In the New Zealand iTunes, there will be a list of the top free and paid apps. This will give you a good idea of what's popular right now and some of those apps are made by Kiwis!
4
Take up a creative hobby. There are plenty of cool things you might like to try, even if you don't have the skills yet. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
- Draw or paint. There are lots of different ways to learn to draw or paint. From Bob Ross videos on YouTube to books on drawing from you local library, artwork is a great way to be creative and develop your skills. Go to a nearby art store and buy supplies, and then find something you want to depict.
- Make jewellery: This can be a fun way to learn a new skill and make plenty of gifts for your whanau (family). You could also try to sew clothes: Make a whole new wardrobe by learning to sew and then tinkering around with the sewing machine and your favorite fabrics, try denim, wool mix fabrics, cotton, whatever you like.
- Weave flax. You can make all sorts of amazing things from flax, from baskets and clothes to toys and jewellery. Make sure you only pick flax that's not tapu. Flax weaving is a tradition that is special to New Zealand’s history and culture.^{[4]
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Learn a new language: The world is your oyster when you know how to speak other languages. There are many to choose from and lots of online language resources (and the library). If you haven’t tried learning Maori, give it a shot either with traditional language learning methods or by asking someone you know to teach you a few words. If you have a specific place you want to travel, start learning that language.
6
Grow an edible garden. New Zealand's climate lends itself to all-year growing in most zones (except where it snows for part of winter). By growing your own food, you'll save money, learn a lot about delicious vegetables, fruits and edible flowers and you'll please your mum and dad no end. Ask your friends or neighbors to join in and help. If you don't have space for a garden, get involved in a community garden.
- Make your own compost and mulch.
- Consider adding a few chickens to the backyard. Check with the council that it's okay to do this though and don't get a rooster in the city!
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Plan to travel. If you feel like you want to leave New Zealand for a little while, start budgeting for a trip abroad. Make goals for places you want to go, how much money you would need to get there, and how you are going to acquire that money. You might want to travel somewhere close, like Fiji or Australia, or perhaps you have always wanted to go to Europe.
- In New Zealand, entrepreneurial thinking is king, so being budget-wise is a good skill to learn early on.
- If you want to do the famous Kiwi OE, “overseas experience,” you'll need good budgeting skills to achieve this successfully.