Raising Parents with Emily Oster Episode Feature: How Camp Teaches Kids to Ditch Their Phones
Aug 6, 2025
Steve Baskin, a seasoned camp director and incoming chair of the American Camp Association, shares insights on the transformative power of summer camp. He discusses how camps give kids a chance to disconnect from phones, fostering growth and new friendships. Baskin highlights how overcoming homesickness builds resilience and how low-risk unsupervised play helps kids learn important social skills. Additionally, he suggests practical strategies for families to recreate phone-free habits at home, making camp a vital space for independence and self-discovery.
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Enforce A Strong No-Phone Policy
- Enforce a strict no-phone policy at camp: no phones, game systems, or routine screens for most campers.
- Use limited supervised media only for specific teen leadership tasks or rare movie nights.
Phones Become Social Burdens, Not Boons
- Many campers initially use phones as social crutches but quickly discover richer face-to-face connections.
- Returning campers often prefer being phone-free because online social obligations felt burdensome.
Make Phone Limits A Peer Norm
- Create phone-free norms with peers: schedule regular device-free hangouts or set nightly blackout times.
- Frame phone limits as group norms to protect status and ownership rather than parental control.
