Can you imagine going one day without consulting the internet for some kind of information? Whether it’s social, business, casual research, or idly passing time, we all seem to be constantly connected to and reliant on our devices these days. Our children have never known a world without the web. Without total access to all the world’s collected knowledge, all the media, all of their friends at their fingertips all the time. What if we could give them a summer without Siri? Removed from the digital age, more connected to the tangible, is it a step back in time that needs exploring? Is there any value in returning to a simpler way of life? What might they learn if they didn’t have all the answers on demand?

We think there is good to be found in the details all around. A life less crowded can be had, if only for a few fleeting weeks of summer. At camp kids disconnect from technology in order to connect with others, with nature, and with themselves. No, we are not Luddites. We don’t think existence without the interwebs would be perfect, or even desirable. But we do believe there is another way of looking at the 21st century. A world in which problem solving, deductive reasoning, face-to-face discourse with one’s peers, and empirical observation still exists. At camp the scientific method is alive and well. You would not believe what a welcome respite it is.

As an experiment, while the kids are away, spend an afternoon without your phone or tablet or device of choice. Read a book with pages, play a board game with a friend, or stare into space from the comfort of your sofa or a hammock. You will be amazed at the thoughts that arise and the pleasure you take in letting your mind wander through the clear blue air.