Tweens Without Screens
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A week of “technology detox” as your child enters the world of nature for 4 days of screen-free activities. This camp is designed to help your tween reconnect with nature and peers through activities and games.
In a non-pandemic year, our young people are spending an extraordinary amount of time in front of screens. Given the past 15-months where remote learning has been integrated into so many classrooms, the amount of screen time has skyrocketed. Young people today often lack the social confidence and skills to engage in play opportunities when they are not behind a screen. This week will be devoted to providing explicit opportunities for tweens to embrace the awkward, reconnect with the silliness of play, and realize that fun can happen without a screen! Specific instruction around the benefits of nature, play and the impact of screen time will be interwoven into the activities and play opportunities provided. Time will be spent hiking, having sand castle competitions, navigating the adventure ropes course behind Souhegan, playing games and so much more!
Daily schedule varies but you can expect hiking at Peabody Mills, playing field games and community-building activities, a day at the lake, and a day on the ropes course at Souhegan.
Who: kids entering 6th-8th grades
When: June 21st - June 24th 9AM - 2PM
Where: Locations vary, all in Amherst
Fee: $200R, $230NR
Min:10 Max: 15
CIT Program
Older participants will take on leadership role and serve as role models for middle school-aged participants
Roles& Responsibilities
- Serve as a role model in all activities
- Assist counselors with facilitating activities & preparing materials
- Demonstrate emotional courage & leadership skills through authentic engagement in activities
Qualifications
-Entering 9th, 10th, 11th or 12th grades
-Must be willing to be vulnerable & silly in front of peers
-Must have a positive mental attitude
Who: kids entering grades 9-12
Where: Locations vary, all in Amherst
Fee: $150R, $170NR
Max: 5
Meet your Facilitator
Traci Cote will be hosting this week of unplugging from technology to connect with nature and the inner child we all possess. Traci has been the school psychologist for Amherst in both the middle and high schools, and is passionate about building resilience and grit in young people. She is also a yoga teacher and mindfulness practitioner who loves all things nature. Traci brings a wealth of experience and knowledge working with tweens and teens and guiding them to connect both with themselves and the world around them on a deeper, more meaningful level. She believes that providing explicit opportunities for play and structured social opportunities, as well as teaching kids to sit with stillness allows young people to develop the intrapersonal and interpersonal skills needed to feel confident navigating the world.