Top 6 Reasons to Unplug at Surprise Lake Camp

Digital devices are a distraction to all and an addiction to many. Scientific research has shown that technology interferes with everything from sleep to social skills to creativity. In fact, too much screen time can impact a child’s ability to process complex emotions. 

Welcome to Surprise Lake Camp, where social interactions are built in real-time versus online. Skills learned at camp have real-world, long-term impacts that will support campers as they evolve into young adults. 

SLC is proud to be part of a growing number of camps that foster technology-free environments. This enables campers to live in the moment and improve their social and critical thinking skills. At SLC, campers build relationships based on shared experiences. Identity is about who campers are as individuals — their authentic characteristics and values — not about many “followers” they have or “likes” they receive. 

Here are SLC’s top 6 reasons to embrace a technology-free summer: 

1. Cultivate social skills: Making eye contact, feeling empathy, and engaging in conversation are skills that can only be gained in person.  
2. Enhance critical thinking skills: When campers rely on their own resources, they advance decision-making skills and internalize lessons at a deeper level versus an effortless online information grab. 
3. Live in the moment: Gaming and social media platforms eliminate shared in-person experiences. There is no substitute for the positive chemical changes these experiences bring about in developing brains. 
4. Explore new activities: The internet tends to “serve” users what they are already interested in. Camp allows kids to explore unchartered territory and procure new skills. 
5. Connect with nature: Campers get to witness a star-filled sky as they sit around a campfire. On a hot summer day, they jump into SLC’s spring-fed lake. It’s not about “liking” a photo of a goat. Campers get to care for the goats. They can also collect eggs from our chickens and harvest vegetables that they planted. 
6. Mitigate homesickness: Connectivity to the world at home can actually worsen the plight of a homesick camper. When campers unplug, they meet new friends, embrace new routines and learn to trust our supportive staff. THAT is when the magic happens! 

Learn about  “A Day in the Life” at camp! Camp provides a safe environment in which kids engage and learn in a way that will prepare them for a healthy adulthood. Unplug, connect, and grow at Surprise Lake Camp! 

Help Your Child Make Lasting New Friendships With Surprise Lake Camp

Surprise Lake Camp is a nonprofit organization that provides a home away from home for generations of young people. We believe in the value of community and friendship. Our Jewish values and identity shape our connection to nature. We’re dedicated to helping young people unplug, grow, and develop values, confidence, and skills to last a lifetime, adding to SLC’s storied history as the nation’s longest-running Jewish sleepaway camp.

At SLC, your child will have the chance to make and keep lifelong friends. Our campers live “10-for-2,” dreaming all year of the two months they spend here with their closest friends ever. If your child is new to camp, learn more about us on our First-Time Campers page.

SLC is a nonprofit organization that aims to provide beneficial camp experiences to as many children as possible. When you make a charitable gift, you give children life-changing opportunities. Partner with us to support camper confidence, growth, friendships, and Jewish identity. Donate today!