Technology Policy

Being tech-free at camp is one of the GREATEST gifts you can give your kid this summer.

Kids practice looking each other in the eye and actually being in the moment — a skill that, as it turns out, does not come pre-installed on a device.

Here's the funny thing: this policy has not changed much at all for the past 70ish years. Technology keeps getting fancier, smaller, and more addictive — and camp just keeps doing the same thing it's always done. Tech is tech, and camp is tech-free. Some things really don't need updating.

What does this mean in practice?

No phones, tablets, smartwatches, or anything with a screen and internet access at camp. This applies at drop-off, on the bus, and for the entire session — not "once we get settled in," not "just for emergencies," not "hidden in a sock."

Allowed:

• Digital camera (no wifi) — for capturing memories, not capturing wifi signal

• Non-internet iPod (music only) — if you can still find one of these, more power to you

Not allowed:

• Cell phones

• Tablets, iPads

• E-readers / Kindles (yes, even though it's "just words")

• Wearable fitness trackers — Fitbit, Apple Watch

• Anything with a screen that plays videos, games, or has internet access

Why does it matter so much?

Because the whole point of camp is the stuff that happens without a screen in the middle of it: the inside jokes, the awkward-but-real conversations, the boredom that somehow always turns into a new game, the friendships that don't come with notifications attached. Kids get plenty of screen time the other eleven months of the year. This is the one month where they don't — and honestly, most of them forget to miss it by day three.

What if my camper needs to reach me?

They don't need a phone for that — they've got us. Between the daily photos, letters, our email system, and staff on the ground watching out for them the whole time, you'll know exactly how your camper's doing without a single text message.