Swap tech for nature, adventure, and exploration for your kids this summer
Tech Free Travel for Teens
There has understandably been a lot of debate and concern in recent years about screen time for kids. About the amount of time many children spend in front of electronic devices, instead of meeting in person, or spending time outdoors.
The data tells its own story about why many parents have lately been giving more and more consideration to the merits of electronic-free travel for teens.
Did you know, for example, that as of June 2020, about six in 10 (62%) of parents to US teens in the 14-to-17 age bracket said their kids were spending more than four hours a day on electronic devices since the COVID-19 pandemic started?
This compared to the 32% of responding parents who said their teens had been using electronic devices for more than four hours each day prior to the coronavirus outbreak. Scary eh?!
Concerns about kids’ tech dependence go a long way back
But the COVID-19 pandemic was also not the sole cause of young people spending extended periods of time on their electronic devices, and perhaps missing out on invaluable opportunities for social, physical, and mental development as a result.
Even before the pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shared statistics indicating that kids aged eight to 18 years old were already spending 7.5 hours in front of a screen each day for entertainment purposes. So, parents’ concerns about their kids’ relationship with tech have roots going back many years.
How could one of our teen travel programs be the solution?
What if, however, there was a solution, involving kids unplugging from tech, having a digital detox, and throwing themselves into nature as a release from the stresses of a busy school year?
This is where we can help! Kids can be unplugged for the summer on our immersive travel programs for teens with The Road Less Traveled (RLT)!
RLT has been putting together truly life-changing travel opportunities for young people since 1991 – long before much of the more recent concern about teens’ attachment to their smartphones and even before the World Wide Web was even launched in the public domain! Gosh, we feel old! However, with all this experience, this is how we run a successful tech free trip.
How Does Tech Free Travel Work?
Your teens can have their phones for the travel days. This helps them stay in touch, connect with our leaders and stay up to date with any travel delays or updates. Once we have the group together, our leaders will then look after all phones, tech and valuables to keep them safe while the students are on their trip. Teens will receive their phone back, charged up, and ready to go on the last day of the trip before flying home.
A Trip without Phones
While on the trip students won't have their phones, which encourages real life conversations, and helps the group bond together and get to know one another. They can have a camera if they enjoy taking photos and leaders will also be taking pics and videos of the whole trip which we share with families. For many teens, this is a new experience, but after a few days, it becomes the norm, and teens often reflect how nice it is to just be present, not being distracted by socials or relentless notifications. It allows students to have a break from the rest of the world, and just be them, surrounded by new friends as they explore a different part of the world.
What about Emergencies?
We understand your child being on the other side of the world without a phone is a daunting thought, but fear not. Our office team speaks with the trip leaders daily (they have their phones and we also carry satellite phones in more remote locations). We get updates from our leaders and are able to check in and support them and the group however is needed. This flow of communication means if an emergency situation were to occur, we have the ability to speak with leaders and students as needed.
Will I hear from my child at all?
Even on one of our tech free teen trips, we do have a halfway way phone call for students. It is a chance for them to share some of their adventures, new friends, and funny stories, while hearing the comforting voice of family back home. Parents and guardians at home will also get regular updates from the office team about how the trip is going and also be able to see photos and videos that the leaders are taking and uploading to a private online gallery.
Become Unplugged this summer!
For Summer 2024 we are offering a variety of travel experiences for 6th - 12th graders, both domestically and internationally. All of these are unplugged, and a chance to have a digital detox. As well as putting their phone aside for a few weeks, they will learn new skills, develop their leadership, grow in confidence and maturity, and gain a wider perspective of the world and its incredible people. Would your teen enjoy Norway, Alaska, Iceland, or British Columbia? Or why not check out our full range of summer programs here!
