Let’s talk about cell phones
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It’s all about kids today
Let’s just get this out of the way first: Cell phones have changed summer camping.
It’s not a controversial statement and it doesn’t even take a pro-screen or anti-screen side (if there are sides to this). Quite simply, camps look different now than even 10 years ago simply because (mostly) teens and adults have a cellphone in their pockets 24/7/365.
And camp directors are thinking a TON about this, especially now leading into summer.
Along with Dan Weir, Go Camp Pro, and the Jewish Day Camp Network, we gathered 383 responses from camp professionals. There, we discovered something that shouldn’t be shocking but somehow still is:
41% of camp directors are considering pre-camp training about digital detoxes and staff cell phone use.
This number seemed both low and high to me at the same time.
Almost half of us are considering a different approach to helping staff own their phone usage. Stressing about policies that aren’t “working”. Dreading becoming the “phone police” this summer. And I’m right there with y’all.
This might be the most persistent, frustrating, and seemingly unsolvable issue in modern camp management. Because let’s be honest about what’s actually happening at most camps:
Official policy: “Staff aren’t supposed to have phones on them during the day.” Reality: “They sort of all do. And it’s kind of fine, but also annoying.”
We create policies.
We make phone boxes.
We give impassioned speeches about being present.
And yet… staff still sneak glances at notifications.
They still disappear to “grab something” from the cabin (translation: keep a Snap streak alive).
They’re still walking around the archery field checking IG.
They keep their phones to put on music, but changing the song turns into a couple of quick TikTok videos
If you’re nodding your head right now, don’t sweat it, you are far from alone.
And I’m not here to offer some miracle solution, because after countless conversations with directors across the country, I’m convinced there isn’t one.
But I do think we might be asking the wrong questions.
Quick break while we’re talking about tech at camp
I’m pumped to be using CampMinder this summer.
→ The Campanion app photo updating is especially important while I’m trying to learn a whole new camp’s worth of faces for the summer.
→ Automated emails and texts keep everyone in the loop
→ Onboarding was super easy, and registration is a snap
→ Plus, their team is all former campers, staff, and industry pros (founder Dan K even played a sick set at Tri-State this year).
All wins.
Check out CampMinder and tell them Jack sent you over
The Real “Problem” Isn’t Just Phones
When we focus on “how do we stop staff from using phones,” we might be missing the deeper tension at play.
Staff aren’t secretly checking their phones during rest hour because they hate camp or don’t care about kids. They’re doing it because they’re caught between two powerful forces:
Force #1: The genuine need to maintain connections outside camp
Staying in touch with family/partners
Managing anxiety about “missing out” on group chats
Maintaining Snap streaks (yes, this is a legit concern for many)
Documenting their summer through photos/videos
Using music to decompress
Force #2: The pressure to be great camp staff
Be 100% present with campers
Model the unplugged life
Never show divided attention
Manage all those camp needs (taking photos, playing music, etc.)
So they end up sneaking around, feeling guilty, and we end up frustrated.
OR they end up just walking around phone in hand blatantly checked out on summer camp programming.
When we treat it purely as a compliance issue (“Just follow the rules!”), we create an adversarial dynamic that actually makes things worse.
And the last thing we (or at least I) want to be is some kind of phone detective.
Start With a Better Question
Something I have been trying at trainings this summer:
Instead of kicking off staff training with “Yo, here’s our phone policy” with a 5-slide Powerpoint about danger of cell phones, I’m starting (preferably even earlier, like during interviews) with this question:
“Do you want to be on your phone MORE, LESS, or the SAME amount at camp this summer?”
That’s it. Just ask them. Directly. Without judgment.
A lot of times, I caveat by saying “I love my phone, last week I can count the number of hours on one hand when I didn’t have an AirPod in.”
When I’ve done this in the past, what happens almost every time: nearly everyone says “less.”
They know.
They’ve felt the tug of technology.
They’ve experienced how their phone pulls them out of moments they want to be present for.
Many have even come to camp specifically to break free from the constant notifications and scrolling.
This one question creates alignment instead of opposition. It moves us from “us vs. them” to “we’re working toward the same goal.”
Because if your staff want to use their phones less, but end up using them more, that’s not a discipline problem. It’s a design problem.
The conversation shifts from “follow our rules” to “how can we help you achieve what YOU want?”
Suddenly, you’ve got their intrinsic motivation working with you, not against you.
I’m not saying this magically solves all phone “problems”. But it creates a foundation of honesty and shared purpose making the next or other conversations possible.
The Cellphone Goldilocks Zone
I wish we could stop at the MORE, LESS or SAME amount question and call it a summer. But that’s not really all that realistic. It’s important to figure out and even define what “less” actually means.
When asking, “What do you actually need your phone for at camp?” you’ll hear things like:
Music for cabin time and activities
Taking photos
Checking in with family
Maintaining Snapchat streaks (yes, really)
Alarm clock functions
These aren’t excuses to pick up a phone and start screentiming away. These are legit needs, especially for a Gen Z staff who’ve integrated a phone into every single aspect of their lives.
Setting up this list at least opens the door toward working on solutions:
“Could we get Bluetooth speakers and mp3 players going so you don’t need your phone for music?”
“What if we had a camp-wide photo sharing system?”
“How can you manage streaks without checking during activity times?”
I don’t think I can aim for zero phone use at sleepaway camp (not all that realistic) or unlimited access (not at all helpful), but some kind of reasonable in between where everyone wins.
The conversation (hopefully) becomes about designing systems that work with our staff’s reality, not against it.
And yeah, when someone slips up (which they will), it’s not about breaking your rules. It’s about helping them get back to what they said they wanted in the first place.
The Conversation Continues
I’d love to know what’s happening at your camp. This is very much a work in progress for all of us:
What’s working in your phone approach?
Where are you still hitting walls?
How does your approach to technology reflect your deeper camp values?
I’m collecting stories to share in future newsletters (anonymously if you prefer) because we’re all figuring this out together.
Hit reply with your experiences, frustrations, or breakthrough moments.
The Screen Time Confession
I’ll close with a bit of vulnerability: I struggle with this too.
While writing this, I’ve checked my phone at least six times. Responded to texts, scrolled Instagram, and generally proven that I’m just as susceptible to digital distraction as anyone else.
And that’s with no campers or staff around and no official policy to follow.
The truth is, there’s no perfect answer to the staff phone question. We’re all navigating a world our camp traditions weren’t designed for. The generation gap is real. Our youngest staff have never known a world without smartphones, while many of us remember being attached to cords (or worse, rotaries).
But maybe if we start from alignment rather than enforcement, from curiosity rather than judgment, we’ve got a fighting chance of finding a way forward.
Because no matter where you are we all want the same thing: staff who are present, engaged, and connecting with kids.
Even if we need to text to get their attention.
You got this,
Jack
PS - Are you a rental camp and need some digs? Check this out:
Seeking: Rental Camp Looking For New Home 2026
Camp available: ~400 beds, lake, ropes course, gym, and more. Food service & program staff included
Dates: ~August 9th-31st, 2026Location: New Hampshire (~1 Hour from Boston)
Email me: “Jack let’s talk rental camps”
Another PS -
Check out a couple of email series about all things camp:
And if you’re gearing up for staff training, we have:
The Summer Camp Society Staff Training Recipe Book
A full week already planned * 99 pages * 23 sessions with all activities * Too much to list here.
Get my newsletter every week.
It’s all about kids today
Jack Schott
Summer Camp Evangelist