Every summer you ask us the same question: ‘Will my child be able to use their phone?’ The short answer is yes, for one hour a day, from the fourth day. The long answer is the one we give you here, because the rule has its reasons and it is the same at all our camps.
The rule in three lines
- On the first day, each camper hands their phone to their camp counsellor, who keeps it.
- From the fourth day there is one hour of calls a day, at a time we will let you know.
- During that hour you can call the camp phone or your child's mobile. You can talk to their counsellor from the first day.
Why wait until the fourth day?
The first three days decide how the camp is going to go. That is when groups form, names are learnt and children spend their first night away from home. With a phone to hand, a homesick child finds it harder to settle in, because they retreat into the screen; without it, by the third day they are usually right in the thick of it. We are a family business and we have seen this every summer since 1985, so the rule is not negotiated case by case: it is the same for everyone.
What they do instead of looking at a screen
It depends on the location. In Santander and Tarifa there is surfing; in Gredos, the mountains and horse trekking; in Toledo, sport, the pool, horse riding and workshops. At every location there are evening activities, team games and group challenges, and the days fill up on their own.
What if you need to talk outside that hour?
Call time is for day-to-day contact. If you need to talk outside those hours, the camp team facilitates communication between parents and children.
A tip before you leave
Talk about the rule at home before the trip. A child who arrives knowing they will have their call time from the fourth day takes it much more calmly than one who finds out on the coach.
If you are looking at locations, our summer camps page has the ages and dates of each session.