If you're a teen looking for some of the best websites, or a parent looking for some popular sites to direct your tween or teen kids to, don't stare at your laptop in dismay! We know it's hard to find great sites that aren't scams, creepers, or viruses, so we created a vetted list. Teens can connect with friends, watch funny videos, keep up on entertainment, and get some homework help. You might even find something to push your programming hobby into a career. Check out this list of teen websites to see if you can find a new go-to!
Fun Websites for Teen Girls
There are lots of websites for any teen, but these sites give girls a place to learn and talk about female health issues, relationships, and other subjects that are a little more specific to what teen girls might be dealing with.
Girlshealth.gov
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Girlshealth.gov features health information for tween and teen girls. Besides articles on health, fitness, and nutrition, girls will also find quizzes, celebrity spotlights, and videos with tips on topics such as bullying, relationships and planning for the future. You can also browse through relationship topics like bad breakups and dating tips.
Girl Up
This initiative, spearheaded by the United Nations Foundation, seeks to empower girls around the world to become leaders. The website and foundation fund programs promoting the health, safety, education, and leadership of girls around the globe and include a community of over half a million youth and adult advocates. Through the website you can start a Girl Up club, learn how to fundraise for programming and learn about challenges faced by girls. You can also interact through their social media accounts. To get the most out of Girl Up, you'll need to register by providing your name, birthday, email, and mobile number.
Amy Poehler's Smart Girls
Also available as an app, Amy Poehler's Smart Girls features articles and information to help girls find their true selves. You can find topics on famous females, ways to improve thinking, and gender identity. With so many articles, you can find inspiration on just about any topic out there.
Great Sites for Guys
Teen boys have specific issues that may apply to them, too. Not all guys are comfortable asking their parents certain questions, and these websites can help. While there aren't as many sites designed for teen guys, there are a few websites that help boys conquer their boredom or discuss difficult topics from the comfort of their homes.
Young Men's Health
Boston Children's Hospital presents Young Men's Health, a website designed to provide information about teen health. Teen boys can ask questions or review the question to find information on various health issues. They can also browse in-depth health guides in categories ranging from health and fitness to emotional or sexual health.
Scout Life
Published by the Boy Scouts of America, Scout Life magazine and the accompanying website provide fun, ideas and knowledge to boys from ages 7 to 18. Play games, read jokes and comics, learn about the latest outdoor gear, enter a contest or check out some awesome Eagle Scout projects. If you love the outdoors, this website is full of expert advice and outdoor hacks.
Popular Teen Sites for Socializing and Chatting
It's no secret that most teens love to socialize. These websites give any teen a chance to do that virtually by sharing everyday life through chat, pictures, and video. There are also plenty of sites for playing games, exploring virtual worlds, and taking polls and quizzes. Teens also need to be safe online - remember to follow good internet safety practices and report any cyberbullies or other predators.
Instagram allows teens to share snapshots of their daily lives and share them with friends. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words, and that must be true because Instagram has around 1.3 billion users who are active each month. The site is all about photos with short captions. Be at least 13 years old to create an account; the age limit may be high in some jurisdictions. You'll need to sign up to use the free account.
Habbo
Chat and play games on Habbo. Each teen receives a personal room to decorate with virtual objects. They can also customize their avatars by dressing them in virtual clothes or create games to play with friends. The room might have music, be set up like a classroom, or have other features so the different avatars can visit one another. Adult moderators staff the rooms teens can interact in to make sure it stays safe. To get started, you need to sign up for a free account.
TikTok
TikTok is all the rage. You can literally get lost in a TikTok hole for hours. Teens can create fun videos, become influencers, chat with other creators, and go live to share their lives. With over 1.4 billion active users, you need to watch who they are connecting with. However, they can find some great creators for the difficult moments like Momma Tot. Sign up for an account to get started.
SnapChat
"Can I get your Snap?" is the new "Can I get your phone number?" for teens. And now Snapchat is on the web! Teens can connect on SnapChat with friends all over the world through videos, messages, and pictures. Snaps are only available for 24 hours and something new is always happening on the app. Not only can you connect with your friends, but you can catch up on all the latest celebrity news and gossip. You can also add your location to see where your friends are. However, it's important to have your privacy settings set correctly to ensure creeps don't end up finding your feed. Signup is a must to start on SnapChat, and the minimum age is 13.
Teen Line
Teens looking for other teens to talk with about problems or personal questions can call, text, email, or text with trained teenage volunteers through Teen Line. All lines of communication are open in the evenings to provide peer support to teens during after school hours. Every topic, from gender identity to divorce or depression, can be discussed with another teenager who understands where you're coming from.
Teen Games and Hobbies
What would life be without games and hobbies? If you aren't tearing it up on the track, you might be writing your next chapter to Wattpad. There are websites for nearly every game and hobby out there. These are just a few popular sites teens might enjoy!
Book Riot
When putting down your book isn't even an option, Book Riot might be just the website you need. Dedicated to independent editorial books, you can find everything your little reader heart desires. You can also get access to podcasts and newsletters. The content is fresh, and the website is dedicated to providing stories as diverse as the readers themselves.
Teen Nick
Teen Nick fans will find information on the latest shows, as well as games, videos and quizzes through Teen Nick's website. While the site offers updates about Teen Nick shows, it also has features that interest teens such as surviving high school and back-to-school ideas.
Scratch
Are you or do you have a teen that loves programming? Scratch might be the perfect networking site for teens. Hosted by MIT Media Lab's Lifelong Kindergarten Program, Scratch is a place where teens program and share stories, games and animations they create. To join the free online community, teens only need to create a username and provide their country, age, gender, and an email address. Check out the creations of others, then comment and chat about them, or make your own animation to share.
Homework and Learning Websites for Teens
Create flashcards to help you study for the big test. Brush up on your social studies skills through a few easy to follow videos. Whether you're looking for homework help, practice for the ACT or SAT, or want to review certain topics before a big test, there are lots of websites teen students.
Quizlet
Quizlet offers flashcards and learning tools in just about every subject you can think of. You can browse other flashcards or create your own. While you can access the site for free, signing up for a free membership allows you more searches.
Quiz Hub
Quiz Hub features quiz games for students, including teens in middle and high school. Teens can take quizzes to review subjects such as biology, U.S. history, middle school math, and SAT vocabulary.
TedEd
TedEd features fun, animated lessons and how-to videos that help students learn about a variety of topics in just a few minutes. You can filter the videos by category such as Business & Economics, Health, or Mathematics to find what you need. Most videos are about five minutes or less and explain a specific concept or answer a question like "Why Should You Read Macbeth?"
Web Math
Web Math helps teens who are struggling with math find the answers to challenging questions. However, instead of simply providing answers, the website shows teens how to arrive at the answers they seek by providing step-by-step instructions.
Khan Academy
With a database of any subject you can think of, Khan Academy is a great source for homework help with text and video lessons. They offer tutorials, free instructional videos, and even explanation guides on math, social studies, and more. You don't have to sign up to get access to homework help, but it offers more options.
Fun Teen Fashion Sites
Get the top fashion tips from experts. Start creating your own fashion designs. You can do it all on a number of online fashion websites for teens.
Stardoll
Stardoll features games that allow teens to express their fashion sense. Design outfits or play dress up games to experiment with different fashion. The company consistently produces new and exciting features like new fashion lines, as well as a host of ways to make the ultimate experience more exciting for teens and tweens. There's always something new going on at Stardoll.
Teen Vogue
Vogue is one of the top fashion magazines and Teen Vogue caters specifically to the teen audience. Check out the latest styles for teens or learn all about celebrity style. Teens can also enter to win shopping sprees.
Find Teen Websites to Make Everyday Life Better
What's cool with teens is constantly changing - and new websites are created daily. Ask friends what websites they visit, search for hobbies or interests, and bookmark favorite sites so they'll be easy to find later. Keep in mind that safety is always essential when you're online, so make it a priority. Then start exploring different popular websites for teens to do anything from being a better student to having fun and chatting with friends.