6 Ideas For A Supremely Fun “Tech-Free” Family Vacation
by Tamara Jefferies
Getting our kids to pry themselves from their phones and devices and screens and just be together as a family can be…challenging. You want time to connect with them and even if they don’t say it, they want the same from you. But what that means is that everyone has to be present – both kids AND parents must be off their devices.
But you’re saying “I use my phone for my work! I keep track of my kids with it! I’m finding a place for us all to postmates! I can’t be without it!” But if you’re being 1000% honest with yourself, you’re also zoning out on your high school friend’s insta stories. A lot. And you’re scrolling through Tasty videos on Facebook. And you’re playing that dumb game you play on your phone. And . And. And….
And then, there are the never-ending notifications that keep you picking up your phone every other minute (second?).
So, here’s the problem. This kind of Pavlovian dog response – ring a bell get a treat – is causing your brain to fire an influx of chemicals from the “feel good” ones (dopamine) to the stress and anxiety related ones (cortisol). We’ve become so addicted to our phones that the affliction now has its own acronym: SPD – smart phone dependence. And it’s becoming especially dangerous for teens. Studies have shown that teenagers who spend more than three hours on the phone a day are far more likely to have thoughts of suicide than teens that have less screen-time. And as far as your littlest ones are concerned, their brains need a break too from the stimulation of electronics. Excessive, unsupervised time spent playing Xbox can lead to anxious, stressed, and irritable kids. And listen, there’s zero shame in plopping your kid in front of cartoons sometimes. Or having screen time with boundaries. But you really set the example, and most of us are showing very addicted phone-related habits.
So. Take a break. And a great way to dip your toe into the feeling of screen-free togetherness, is with a vacation. Short, long, close, far, pricey, cheap, many great options exist for a tech-free vacay. So here are a few.
1. Discuss going “tech-free” as a family.
You can pretty much bet that any talk you have with your kids about not taking their games on vacation is going to be met with some potentially screechy resistance. If wise parenting advice has taught us anything it is that you get a much better response by telling your kids what they can do than telling them what they can’t.
So approach the conversation from a place of, “We want to spend as much time together as a family as possible on this next vacation. And one of the best ways for us to do that is spend less time on our devices.” And then assure them that mom and dad are in this too. It’s important that you set the example by putting your phone down. They are going to mirror what you do and not what you say. So if you are still glued to your phone, good luck getting them to put down their games without a fight. Even make a game out of it where you have to put money in a jar if you pick up your phone during designated times. Kids LOVE calling you out. They’ll be into it.
Talk to your kids about your own reliance on your smart phone and the possible complications of giving up your devices for a week or two. There are bound to be concerns: ‘What about my friends!’ ‘How am I going to check Facebook?’ ‘How do we get anywhere?’ There are real inconveniences associated with going tech free, so come up with workable solutions as a family.
2. Let your kids be part of vacation activity planning.
You want your kids so engaged that they don’t even have time to miss their manifold devices. A sure bet for buy-in and getting them enthusiastically involved and excited about the trip is letting them choose things themselves.
They are on the computer anyway, so why not give them some guidelines and let them search for themselves. You can provide them with an initial list of ideas just to get their juices flowing or simply tell them “This is how much we can spend.” Or, “These are the types of things we can do. You come up with what you like.” Challenge them to come up with activities that the whole family would enjoy.
Give them the option of picking at least one thing that they really want to do on the vacation. That way everyone feels like their wishes are being fulfilled and it also helps them have patience going along with things that other family members have chosen. Wins all around!
3. Don’t make it about the money.
Quality bonding time doesn’t have to cost a bajillion dollars or involve fancy resorts. Simple activities that involve everyone taking part are enough to help you all feel close.
Read together about the places you’ll be visiting. Take a trip to the library and let them check out all the books they want on the destination. This will help build their excitement for the trip.
If long drives are a part of your trip choose some audiobooks that everyone will enjoy listening to and talking about. Here are some audiobook options to get you started.
If the vacation rental or hotel includes a kitchen, get the kids involved in making meals, especially the kid’s favorites. Lots of youngsters enjoy cooking with their parents and you’ll be creating memories they will cherish forever. Or give them power to choose the restaurants, and DEFINITELY let them eat what they want when you dine out.
4. Shower them with attention and playtime.
Kids enjoy vacation simply for the fact that mom and dad aren’t working and can give them all their attention. The power of your attention on your kid’s well-being can’t be overstated. By giving them your attention you’re saying, ‘You’re important. You matter. I see you.’ Your attention paves the way for their high self-confidence and self-esteem. So engage them as much as you can.
Board games and even travel-sized board games are always winners. Depending on your luggage size and mode of travel, you can take as many or as few as you like. And if long layovers at airports are in your future then the board games will be a Godsend to pass the time. Here’s a great list of travel-sized board games the whole family can get into. Another sure-fire game for almost all ages is the ridiculously fun, Farkle. You can get it on Amazon, here. Dice, weird strategy, insane rules, everyone loves it.
And if you’re thinking, ‘That’s all fine but I’d like to go bigger,’ then 1st) we like your style and 2nd) consider then a trip to a destination built entirely around play, like the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY. This place was literally built for your kids to learn about play. It’s an interactive wonderland. You can visit the National Toy Hall of Fame and the World Video Game Hall of Fame. Well, since this is a “tech detox” maybe skip that one or better yet, make it a reward for leaving the video games at home. Your kids will think it’s awesome! From the architecture, to the areas dedicated to Sesame Street and the Bernstein Bears, to the, get this, “Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden” (I wanna go to that!) the place is impressive and truly something special.
5. Encourage their creativity.
Children are natural creators with endless imaginations. Being on vacation, where everyone is relaxing and enjoying themselves, is a wonderful time to encourage their creative expression.
For smaller kids, prepare an activity/craft bag for each kid complete with crayons, colored pencils, Crayola magic pens coloring books, stickers (plenty of stickers), small toys, and playdough. Then you’ll want to outfit them with a lapboard so can play where ever they are with everything in one place. There are some pretty cool ones you can buy with all they’ll need already fixed to the board. But you can also achieve the same thing with a cheap magnetic cookie sheet and some magnetic strips.
If they like drawing, get them a sketch pad or travel journal for the trip. You can encourage them to look up your destination ahead of time and start filling their journal with drawings and thoughts about what they think it will be like to be there. It’s a great way for them to record their experiences while away and will make a sentimental souvenir when they return.
Or you can gift them with an Instax mini camera and introduce a little healthy family competition seeing who can capture the best image. There is a camera to fit most budgets with the cheapest being under twenty bucks.
There are numerous destinations meant to excite a child’s imagination (cue Disneyland) but if you are looking for something off the beaten path that not only sparks kid’s imaginations but adults too, make your next vacation a wondrous wilderness adventure complete with your own treehouse! Vertical Horizons Tree House Paradise (the name pretty much says it) is a surreal B&B in Southern Oregon that provides you with pristine 360 degree forest views, beautifully constructed and comfy treehouse cabins, and complimentary, organically sourced breakfasts each morning.
This is a dream vacation for the outdoorsy family. What kid would say no to running around within the canopy of trees (safely secured by ropes and pulleys, of course) as they play out their best Tarzan? There’s fishing, white water rafting, and hiking all nearby. Southern Oregon boasts simply gorgeous natural surroundings that you and your kids will instantly fall for.
6. Get active and introduce your kids to something new.
With so much time spent on devices many of us are in sore need of some physical activity (you know, that moves more than our thumbs). Vitamin D deficiency and limited contact with the wider world are some not-so-great side-effects of too much screen time. To remedy that and have a blast doing it include some new sports into your travel itinerary.
Kids take to climbing things like fish take to water so take them rock climbing. Children as young as four can take part in this activity. And Zion National Park in Utah is a great place to get started. Prepare to be awed by the red rock formations that immediately make you think of the Grand Canyon. Zion Rock and Mountain Guides will show you and your kids the basics and familiarize you with the gear involved in scaling the cliff face. Best part: no experience needed.
For an experience that puts you up close with your surroundings and is also fantastic exercise take your vacation by bike. This can be smaller stints like a trip to the Great Lakes’ Mackinac Island where cars are not permitted. Just take the ferry over and peddle around this charming island. There’s loads to explore like the Native American Cultural History Trail, historic Fort Mackinac, woods, beaches, and rock formations. Oh, and make sure to stop along the way for the fudge. It’s “world famous.”
If you want to go a bit bigger and make your trip even more unique, introduce your kids to another culture by biking through a foreign country. France and Chile score high on the “must-sees” of anyone wanting to travel by bike. Both have great roads through magnificent country, new language opportunities, and delicious food. A couple of pros to biking is that you travel at your own pace and you’re not all cramped into a car or plane. And you’ll most likely never hear “Are we there yet?” because the journey becomes the destination.
And yes. You can go back to Candy Crush now. Level 147 is a doozy.
Tamara Jefferies is a So-Cal based freelance wellness copywriter. In her downtime, she’s testing out recipes from around the world or traveling and exploring new places with her partner. You can find more of her articles here.
