Here in the United States we are blessed with a multitude of State and National parks. Millions of acres that are full of wildlife and beautiful wilderness. I love going camping whenever I get the chance, so I can enjoy being out in nature and get away from the hubbub of daily life. Camping is also a great activity to test how well we do without our technology gadgets and screens. Spending a night or two away without wi-fi or reliable cell-phone service, provides a great opportunity to test our levels of digital dependency.
If you’re willing to try this camping experiment, here are a few tips.
First, I would encourage planning the activities you do on your family campout well in advance. Having activities planned and prepared will help make your campout more enjoyable. It will also help your children (and if we’re being honest . . . ourselves) less likely to wish for data coverage and a big-screen TV while on the campout.
Second, don’t plan activities for every hour of the day. You and your family need time to unwind, rest, and enjoy experiences that come organically. So I guess what I’m saying is plan for down time. Down time allows each family member to unwind and just enjoy being outdoors. Activities such as reading a book, starting a fire, chasing bugs, or taking a nap are a few examples of things to do while in between your planned activities.
Third, make it clear to your children, spouse, and anyone else joining you for your campout, what the technology limitations will be on your trip. Setting clear expectations upfront will decrease whining and help the children (and adults) know that they need to look for activities outside of their 5 inch smartphone screen. (By the way, I would strongly encourage leaving screens at home when you go camping!)
Test this out. Give it a try. Not only is camping a terrific way to have some fun and create memories together, but it also provides an excellent opportunity to test levels of digital dependency. See how comfortable you and your children are spending some time out in nature without being plugged into wi-fi. Observe your children as you’re camping. Are they enjoying themselves? Are they able to engage in activities such as hiking, setting up camp, star gazing, or playing in the nearby creek? How many times do the children ask for their favorite screen-time device or activity?
If our children are constantly distracted missing their phones, tablets, computers, TV, or other digital devices; then heads up! This is a strong signal ( pun totally intended;) that our children’s screen-time habits are throwing their lives out of balance. The level to which our children are distracted and have difficulty enjoying themselves in the natural world provides us as parents with excellent insight regarding the impact screen-time is having on our children. The same principle goes for us as adults. If we find ourselves distracted or anxious without our normal digital devices or capabilities, then it’s likely we have an unhealthy dependency with our screens and devices as well.
Check out Recreation.gov for a nationwide database of camping and recreation areas!