Unplugged Camp

My friends over at Pali Adventures share “unplugged camp”. This is my kind a camp:

Kids are constantly surrounded by screens: cell phones, tablets, laptops, television, video games and so on. Some of these tools of technology can be extremely helpful in educational value, but when is it too much? Pali believes that every kid needs a tech detox now and then, to reconnect with each other and nature. That is why Pali Adventures is an“unplugged” camp with no cell phones or Internet available to campers.

Research showed us what a great idea that was, and how much it could benefit our campers.

UCLA researchers visited our camp to conduct a study of 51 sixth grade students who attended Pali’s Outdoor Education program (Pali Institute) for 5 days, during which they had no use of any digital media devices. They were tested before and after their visit on their ability to correctly assess the emotional state of people in photos and videos. The students demonstrated a significantly increased ability to recognize facial emotions and other social cues after their time at Pali, as compared to a control group of students from the same school who hadn’t yet attended the Institute.

Though a whole week without any technology may seem like an elusive spiration, we provide plenty of interactive options to replace all that screen time. Kids can choose to ride ATV’s, learn how to cook, swing from a flying trapeze, participate in water skiing, become a DJ in training, and more. Our camp was reated with the goal of empowering kids and providing them with plenty of tools to build confidence and self esteem while throwing in plenty of fun as well.

Most of the time, our campers don’t even miss their phones while they are here. It can be unbelievably refreshing to disconnect for a little while because technology, while convenient and fun, brings on a whole set of stresses and problems for kids and adults alike.

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Kathy Dalton

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Go Adventure Mom’s found, Kathy Dalton, launched Go Adventure Mom in 2012 in an effort to bring women together that love travel and the outdoors. As a former ski instructor, Kathy has taken her love for outdoor recreation and through the power of social media has created a platform to share her passion with the world. As a mom of three, Kathy loves to share her family adventures in Utah, cross-country skiing up Millcreek Canyon, skiing in the Wasatch Mountains, camping in Grand Teton National Park and camping in the Uintas. Kathy has been featured in The New York Times, The Huffington Post, Parents and Parenting magazine. Kathy is a regular contributor to Visit Salt Lake and is a tip contributor on TripAdvisor.