There are very few places in our world right now that are truly technology-free. For work, I am constantly connected to my computer and my phone. When I finally get home, I could easily scroll to the ends of the internet, as my husband likes to say, or fall into what many call doom-scrolling, not to mention the endless supply of binge-worthy shows waiting at the click of a button. And of course, this isn’t just true for adults anymore. It’s the reality for our children as well.
Kids are getting smart watches and phones at younger and younger ages. There are portable gaming systems, consoles like Xbox and PlayStation, and when those aren’t in use, there’s the iPad, Chromebook, laptop, and TV. If you’re like me, you probably have rules at home about technology; most families do. We all try to decide which devices we’re willing to give our children, at what age, how much time they can use them during the week versus the weekend, and which social media platforms we will allow (or hopefully delay for as long as possible). Even with the best intentions, it can feel like an uphill battle and a full-time job to monitor.
There is a growing body of research about kids and technology, and the bottom line is not surprising: too much of it is simply not good for them. It is especially harmful for developing brains, particularly in the years before and during early adolescence. At the same time, we know the reality; kids don’t want to feel left out, and it can be hard to stay socially connected if they are the only one without a phone or a certain app.
If you haven’t read The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, I highly recommend it. He also co-authored a younger-reader version, The Amazing Generation, with Catherine Price, which is part chapter book and part graphic novel. I encourage you to share this book with your child. And if finding time to read feels impossible these days, I understand that too! You might enjoy listening to an episode of Bari Weiss’s podcast, Honestly with Bari Weiss, titled Kids Don’t Need Phones, where she interviews Jonathan Haidt. He explains the research in a way that is engaging, practical, and eye-opening for parents and anyone who works with kids and teens.
One of Haidt’s central ideas is that in a technology-driven world, we have to be intentional about creating spaces where kids can disconnect from screens and reconnect with people. Every time I hear that, I can’t help but think: that’s exactly what camp has always been.
Our bubble is special, but it’s fleeting. Our time together is brief, either 3.5 or 7 weeks each summer, but its impact is lasting. For some of our families, camp may be the only time of year that their child or young adult is surrounded by Jewish friends, leaders, and role models. It may be the only time of year that they regularly participate in Shabbat Services or live Jewishly in a fully immersive way. And yet, this small slice of the year creates such a strong connection to their Judaism and the Jewish people. One of the most authentic ways we foster that bond is simply by living, playing, singing, competing, and laughing together in a Jewish environment.
Camp is one of the last places where kids and teens are allowed-really allowed-to step away from the outside world. They are not doom-scrolling, not posting TikToks, not checking Snap streaks, and not measuring themselves against what everyone else is doing online. They are not texting to figure out plans or replaying conversations through a screen. They are not documenting every moment for an audience. Instead, they are living those moments fully, in real time.
At camp, kids actually have to talk to each other face to face. They sit together at meals in the dining hall, they walk to activities side by side, they play, they laugh, they argue, they work things out, and they build real relationships. Without a phone in their hand, conversation flows more naturally. They learn how to read expressions, how to listen, how to respond, and how to be part of a group. They interact with campers of different ages, learn from counselors who are role models, and discover how to navigate friendships in the real world, not the online one.
Something else happens when technology disappears…kids relax. They stop worrying about how they look in a picture, how many likes something will get, or whether they are missing out on something happening somewhere else. They become more present. They notice the sunset, and boy do we have amazing ones on Lake Potanipo! They notice the joke at the table, the feeling of winning a game together, or even the feeling of losing and trying again the next day. They make memories the old-fashioned way by living them, not by recording them.
As a camp director, I see it every summer. Kids arrive with habits formed by a world that never turns off, and within days you can see the shift. They sleep better after running around all day with their bunkmates. They laugh more. They form deeper friendships. They gain confidence. They become more independent. They seem lighter. Of course, part of that is because it’s summer and there’s no academic pressures, but an equally honest conclusion is that they are finally free from the constant pull of screens, notifications, and comparison.
In a world that is only becoming more connected, camp may be one of the few places left that gives kids the gift of disconnecting. This is not a small thing, but rather it is a powerful thing, and I thank you for valuing camp enough to give this gift to your child. Camp gives children the chance to grow up at the right pace, to build real relationships, to discover who they are without an audience, and to experience the kind of joy that can only happen when you are fully present.
That’s why, now more than ever, camp isn’t just a summer activity. It’s a remedy.
Lauren
Director, Camp Tevya
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