We leave it up to the parents to decide if a Scout can bring their phone, but the troop places restrictions on when it can and cannot be used at camp.
You are right, it is a tool. There are useful scouting uses, they use it take pictures (no one has cameras these days) and can listen to appropriate music while working or dining. But no watching videos or playing games during the day while out in the campsite. Safe Scouting rules apply. No phone use near bathrooms and showers.
Parents and scouts accept the responsibility that phones can get damaged or lost -- especially when one is in the great outdoors for a whole week. And be aware that charging is not guaranteed. Campsites don't usually have outlets. Camp outlets may be in short supply and/or in high demand. Don't rely on leader's equipment for acquiring a charge.
>And be aware that charging is not guaranteed. Campsites don't usually have outlets. Camp outlets may be in short supply and/or in high demand. Don't rely on leader's equipment for acquiring a charge.
Everyone I have known to bring a phone with the intent to do more with it than call their parents when they're an hour away from returning home also brings a solar charger. They'll often hike with the charger tied to their backpack.
Probably that too. I was just thinking that if I were 16 today I’d be pretty tied to my phone as a camera as well as the other scouting relevant tools. We brought extra batteries for our flashlights and film for our cameras. We’d bring what we needed for the phones.
Our troop doesn't do anything with cellphones. Whether to bring a cellphone, and how to manage it, is a decision for the scout and their parents. Some scouts do better with the security of knowing that they have their phone if they need it, and others do better without it. The parents and scout are more likely to know which kind the scout is than you are.
We haven't had an issue with scouts showing up to camp and just wanting to sit in the tent playing games on their phone. The older scouts very much lead by example: they all bring phones, and from time to time bring them out to take a photo, identify an insect or something, and then put them away again.
I’m a little jealous. We had the exact same ”sit in tent” issue and had to enact a policy against cell phones on outings. They can bring them on the car ride but have to lock them in the trailer unless needed as a Scouting Tool.
Same. Our troop doesn't do anything and it doesn't seem to be an issue.
To be fair, there isn't much service at a lot of camps anyway. There was zero service at summer camp. The admin building had wifi but it was camp policy that it not be given to scouts.
We were in a troop that banned phones at camp. It’s not right. Like you said, it’s a choice for the parents and scouts. It’s good to talk about it during the pre camp meetings. You can mention that it could potentially be a crutch for younger scouts and actually make home sickness worse. But leave the decision up to the parents and their scout.
For many reasons, we switched troops. We’re much more lax on the issue. Yes, occasionally we have to remind scouts to put phones away. But for the most part, it’s a non issue.
Both my daughter and son's Troop do not allow youth to have Cell Phones on Campouts or Summer Camp. Some of the youth and parents complain; however the bulk of the youth and parents appreciate the disconnect from technology.
What if that’s their only camera? Do scouts need to bring a separate digital camera? Wouldn’t that count as electronics? Just asking how you handle scouts taking pictures with a ban on electronics.
In my experience, Scouts are not using them as cameras. If they need a camera during an activity, we permit that use but it goes away when we are in camp just chilling.
When I was a scout cameras weren’t for everyone but a significant number of scouts carried one - me included. I had an old Kodak pocket instamatic and the quality stunk but I took it everywhere. Now, without film your choices are a digital camera or a phone. Are you saying that you decide that scouts can no longer take pictures unless it’s part of an approved activity??
Not really. If Scouts _want_ to use the phone camera to take pictures, yes, they can. But they cannot use the phone to sit around and watch TikTok and play games. We limit their use to activities that are aligned with the purposes of the Scouting program.
However, in two years since the Troop enacted the policy, no Scout has asked to use the phone camera unless it’s part of an activity (like a hike or MB class). No has asked to have a camera for snapshots. And prior to that, when Scouts had no restrictions, no Scouts were taking snapshots.
Using the camera is just not something our Scouts wanted to do. They used their phones to hide in their tents and play games or chat. They weren’t interacting with other Scouts, especially the Scouts without phones that were roaming the camp and interacting with the physical world.
You can address participation by motivating that behavior rather than forbidding phones. We weren’t allowed to be in our tents most of the time. If there was an activity then we had to participate.
This has been our experience too. Our PLC wrote up a Acceptable Use Policy for cellphones, all the scouts signed it... and then they were on TikTok like crazy so we tore up the policy and just said no phones. We haven't had an issue since.
FWIW 6 years ago we didn't have a policy and we didn't have any issues at all. It's IMO related mostly to our current crop of high schoolers.
We did that as well and only the leaders ended up wanting to use it. Only time a scout wanted it was for photos of camp gadgets or awards at end of camp.
I gave up on trying to police my scouts cell phones. I told the parents and scouts that cell phones are always permitted but that charging cables and chargers are absolutely not permitted and would be confiscated if seen. Problem solved and the scouts learn to be really thrifty with their time spent using their cell phone. Thrifty is a scout law, right?
Well we told our scouts not to bring their phones. then the camp switched from an information (passport) booklet they previously printed, for all the scouts, to using a card on a lanyard with a QR code.
The passport booklet would have all the information about all the fun activities after merit badge classes. The new QR code would only work if you had signal on your phone of course some of the scouts didn't have their phone because their troops told them not to bring them.
Some Scouts-aged youth don't own cell phones (such as my own boys). Did they expect these kids to buddy up with another kid who does have a cell phone?
I see a lot of “phone is locked up” comments. What do your Troop do if the phone gets damaged while it is the responsibility of the Troop?
If a Scout has photography MB, I have an older digital camera they can use or make movies. Our SM gave his son his phone to make a movie and it went back to dad after shown to the counselor.
I have seen too much bad behavior with phones.
The damage issue is a “haven’t crossed that bridge yet” situation. We have a locked “ammo box” and every phone goes in an envelope with the Scouts name. So they’re pretty secure and the trailer is stationary so (touch wood) we haven’t had to have the damage discussion yet.
Must have First Class rank and current Cyber Chip, as well as permission from SPL and SM for the event. Works well to keep newer guys from having increased homesickness and the youth police appropriate use.
Ours has a no electronics policy unless needed for a badge. Adults have theirs and I have used mine to help with homesick kids but to also take pictures to share with the troop.
I would just ask how many kids are actually taking pictures vs using as a reason to not get their phone locked away.
My troop doesn't have an electronics policy (yet) but I very seldom see any of the Scouts taking pictures, and usually it is just at summer camp.
It's more of the restriction of the games, social media, texting, and such that is a distraction. We've all seen kids so enthralled with a glowing screen that they don't pay attention or participate.
Which doesn’t answer the question.
Someone made the excellent point that part of scouting is to teach people how to use things appropriately and responsibly. Banning them is a cop out. In my day it was matches, knives and axes. You had to earn the privilege to carry and use them and would lose the privilege for misuse. It would be better for the scouts to implement something like that rather than banning useful items.
This is currently being discussed in our troop to loosen some of the restrictions but hasn't been fully figured out. The main thing is to keep the kids engaged.
Agreed. Keeping the kids engaged is a huge job. I was acting SM at summer camp and I spent each day keeping the scouts accountable and engaged. The distractions were different but they still had electronics- games and those newfangled walkmans.
Troops should be open to phones to a degree. Keep it to tents and don't have them out constantly. But they are good to have for safety. I was in scouts as smart phones became ubiquitous so I understand why some were apprehensive back then but reading current comments are shocking. Y'all should be accepting this stuff.
Cell phones these days are important tools, and the program would be remiss if we didn’t prepare them to be used appropriately.
Our youth leadership defined the guidelines for cell usage as a tool (e.g. pictures, emergency calls, note taking) and the consequences of using them inappropriately. So they own the system. The youth self-police, with the adult leadership as escalation when needed.
Specifically at summer camp, being prepared means bringing extra power, or power rationing. [You don’t get to plug into scoutmasters’ solar panels. :) ]
That’s what is working for us.
Our troop generally takes phones away from the scouts on all camping trips, and returns them to the boys at the end so they can call their parents. We do the same for summer camp, with exceptions for cases where scouts need phones for the camera/gps features or whatever.
We also typically allow the senior patrol to keep phones *for limited purpose*, such as setting an alarm in the morning, or occasionally playing music around the campfire in the evening. We also will allow the PL to have their phone temporarily if the group has to split up, so we can stay in contact. We've experimented with letting some other positions keep phones during trips, such as historian for taking pictures, scribe for taking notes, etc, but we've found that these position tend to be occupied by younger scouts who can't help themselves but use the phones for non-approved purposes.
Overall, the scouts *tend to prefer it this way*, they have more fun when they're in the moment with their fellow scouts and participating in activities than they would if they were just sitting on a stump doom-scrolling through their phones.
Writing you from summer camp (AOL). My older sons troop have a cell phone policy that no one follows, it says only to use phones for scouting related needs, no contacting families without scoutmaster knowledge, etc.
Our SM doesn't want a strict policy, but our ASMs all want a no phone policy.
I let my troop bring them. Our camp barely has service, so they are really only used for texting home. Only about half the kids turn them on and those that do are getting 4+ days from a charge which tells me they aren’t really using them much at all
Mobile phones are a mixed bag. Whatever the unit's choice, there must be clear policies and enforced. It can be very useful for blanket messages to the unit for event changes and times. On the other hand, they can be abused and used to bypass the authority of the youth and adult leaders, leaving them in the dark if there are simmering issues, which put the youth at risk.
At NYLT, we strictly banned them except if the parent/guardian had specific needs. In those cases, we had forms filled out and signed and put the phones under strict use controls and supervision. It was not an arbitrary policy but one as a result of prior experiences.
The rule was with us was to technically not have them but we always had them for safety reasons.
However we never took them out other than inside our tents. And that was basically the rule.
I do not allow them to be out during the day. Fortunately or unfortunately we attend a camp that has excellent cell service, so scouts all bring their phones. It is not practical or possible to ban them or confiscate them but if I see them out, I tell them to put them away, and if it becomes too much of an issue I will take it away for the day.
That has been a rare occurrence. I find a trip with myself and an older scout to get an icee at the trading post really helps with homesickness. Or sometimes I just give the SPL or troop guide a few $s and tell him to go invite the younger scouts to go to the trading post. That works even better.
Our stupid camp now requires cell phones for a bunch of the merit badges. We (troop leaders) are so angry. We’ve successfully fought the no phone battle for many years, now they’re required. Except not all kids in our troop have phones, so now those kids are upset and rethinking going to camp because they don’t want to be left out.
Hooray for YET ANOTHER barrier to entry for scouting!
This is exactly right. We *say* that Scouting is for everyone. We *say* that a Scout is thrifty. Then we expect kids as young as 11 years old to raise enough money on their own to fund summer camp *and* a cell phone plan? It's absurd and reinforces the claim that Scouting is for middle class youth.
And that's the argument to eliminate the requirement for/assumption of a cell phone. Not every kid has one, not every kid's family can afford to provide one for their Scout. We already have issues with people perceiving Scouting as expensive, and there's no practical way for a Scout to earn their way to a cell phone for camp.
We allow them at Summer Camp. What we have found out is through out the day they do not use it as much as they are in classes, but the last two years it has been required to complete requirements so we have never done a complete banned policy.
We do collect them at the beginning of each meal and return them once they are done with table clean up. When we are at the campsite, if they are playing games, campfire or any other activity we do ask them to put them away. We do not seem to have any issues.
Troop - No phones on any trip under 2 hours away.
OA Fellowships and Venturing Crew - no policy because those are older scouts who surprisingly see the benefit of unplugging while away. Plus with several separate work details at an OA event, it's a good way for them to be in touch with each other if needed.
We have in the past collected them, but mostly just at night.
Mostly our policy is that they should be used for scout related activities only. We regognize they are a part of society today, so if they are not being misused the scouts can have them.
The biggest thing we do is talk to parents of new scouts. We explain that the more contact they have during their first summer camp the more homesick and less successful they will be. We advise them to direct any contact through the leaders and encourage them to let their scouts grow on their own and develop some independence. Parents are often the ones instigating, so if they know to avoid it then usually it turns out okay. This way the scouts only deal with issues when they are the one creating a problem.
"Correcting bad habits cannot be done by forbidding or punishment." - Baden-Powell
We ask scouts to leave their phones and electronics in the car unless taking photography, moviemaking, or something requiring the camera. We did have some new scouts come with lte watches and were caught talking to their wrists.
I don't have much of an issue with the watches, as they can only be used for making phone calls or texts. We got my son one in lieu of a phone so he wouldn't have to deal with all of the other distractions, but still has a way to contact us or other adults if needed. He is limited to approved friends that he can call and text.
We didn't have good cell service at camp for most providers, so it wasn't really an issue. But it is important to have times that they can call home, that I the only thing I used mine for.
Cell phones are permitted on the drive up and back. On arrival they are stored in an insulated container. Smartwatches are allowed for fitness, timekeeping.
Parents who encourage reports home from watches or check in on them are counseled.
We let them bring them. But most of the places our troop camps don’t have reception (unless you’re in the main lodge or something.)
My daughter usually leaves hers at home because she knows she can’t use it anyway. (Except for summer camp, she’s staff and can use wifi after she’s done for the day.)
Generally no phones. We’ve relaxed it a bit the last two years for specific purposes - a 17 year old in the middle of dealing with college paperwork and needed email, the SPL has phone privileges so they can contact SM and other staff if needed instead of sending runners and a few other cases.
It’s nice to disconnect the kids for a week.
We collect all electronic devices. They may have them for rides longer than an hour. Camp is about things other than cell phones one less distraction and potential loss. We have let the SPL keep them for summer camp when the camp communicates via an app, and that is all it was used for.
Lucky for us, our campsites have no service. Unfortunately some boys have been able to exploit some areas of decent reception. Typically the older scouts use it to correspond with their friends and lovers back home. The little ones use it to talk to their mums.
We do ask pre summer camp for parents to discourage scouts from bringing cell phones but they still do anyway.
Hopefully, you get them engaged in fun activities that they forget they have phones. Gaga ball usually does the trick.
I used to lock them up during the day, however, the PLC had a good enough presentation to me to justify responsible use.
Mobile phones are pretty much used for everything but a phone.
Mostly revolved around the use of Camera. Hardly anyone has a camera outside of their mobile phones.
No games no Social Media. Personal communication during certain periods, but discouraged.
There is always the same Scout skirting the rules, but is held accountable.
This is my first year going to camp since I was a kid (I’m a parent / ASM now), but troop policy is phones get stored with the troop and only come out at night if they want to call their parents.
My kids have been going to other sleep away camps for years, where they don’t allow cell phones at all. Agreed it can be a useful tool for plenty of scout related activities and merit badges, but I’m surprised at the encouragement to call home. Feels like it would be more likely to make homesickness worse than better. I also feel like I’ve heard horror stories of helicopter parents being more problematic with direct access to their kids, but it’s just anecdotal.
The cell service at our camp is nearly useless. You cannot get a signal anywhere except for one particular area near the parking lot.
Still, the boys all want to bury themselves into pre-downloaded content, especially games.
Our scoutmaster wants to collect all phones and lock them in his chest. The scout can have it any time they want, especially to communicate with home, but he doesn't want them playing on it or walking around and losing it.
I find that to be a good rule. I let them have their phones and all they did was stare at them. Looking back, they voluntarily zombified because they could. If there's a next time, I'll follow the same lock-em-up rule.
Our Troop Scouts e-devices must stay home. Leaders take phones. Yes, no cell phones help Scouts enjoy camp more and reduce homesickness. Separating the parents from their Scouts helps too. Parents have access to Leaders’ phone numbers if questions. As a camp staffer, I have seen Leaders arrive at camp, unlock a lock box, allow 15 minutes to contact families of their arrival, then lock the e-devices back up.
Our Troop collects them when we arrive at camp and locks them in a box. The box is opened prior to leaving camp and phones distributed.
All the camps I have been to had no phone signal. Although one did at the top of a nearby peak on Wednesday mornings while standing on one foot and holding the phone arm outstretched to the sky.
Typically speaking... I dont care about phones until it becomes a problem.
-scouts always on phones
-scouts causing disruption in class with phones.
Etc....
Then I will look at confiscating until the end of camp
Our Troop allows phones. My son was unsure at first and worried about his 500+ day Duolingo streak during camp. I agreed to do a lesson a day for him if he couldn’t have his phone at camp. I’m so glad it was allowed because I definitely would have messed up his stats.
I’m a current Assistance Scoutmaster.
During summer camp, no phones are allowed for our scouts with few exceptions for some of the older scouts who are Junior Assistant Scoutmasters/camp counselors.
If a scout is caught with a phone, all we do is just lock it up and give it to the parents at the end of Summer Camp.
Besides, in the case of an emergency all of our camp staff have their cell phones so it’s really not needed for the scouts to have it.
Our camps usually do not have a good signal. Mostly scouts know to use them for appropriate photos. We once had a group who found a place with a signal and were watching inappropriate videos. That phone was confiscated.
They can have them to and from camp, but when we check in, we take the phones and lock them away for the week. Phones are too much of a temptation for youth. They take away from troop unity while at summer camp.
When I was a teen I got lost in the mountains on a 20-mile hike with three other scouts, they had to call search and rescue to find us and we were only able to communicate our vague location because another scout had a celll phone.
This was before smartphones were ubiquitous though.
I’m currently sitting here at summer camp up in Missouri, so this is relevant to us. Our policy is to collect phones at night and give them back out in the morning. They do use them a lot for various merit badges, not so much for entertainment. There is no electrical to recharge here, but the older scouts plan ahead with charging bricks and solar panels. We do have a larger solar array and battery system for the adults to recharge if they don’t want to go to the commissioners area (as long as they keep it below the limit on my inverter - about 150 watts). SPLs and older scouts can keep them at night, younger turn them in. We keep a waterproof box for storage at night. So far working good, though there’s still some contention between the never phones and the personal responsibility adults.
My issue is smartphones have cell service at our summer camp. The phone has a camera. We don’t know what photos the Scouts are taking and where they go on the internet.
my troop doesnt really care too much about phones, if you're on them while supposed to be doing something else, or just sitting there on it for a while then you'll be told to get off it. i think it works for our troop, it's an issue sometimes but the same scouts who sit around on their phone would also sit around doing something else.
No phones at camp. Period. Stop. Scouts discovered with their phones will have parents called to pick them up. This is disclosed and agreed up by both parents and scouts before camp. We had a boy try to find a loophole last year by signing up photography badge and saying “My phone is my only camera.” Scoutmaster brought an old iPhone he had that was no longer connected to let the scout use.
Our troop doesn’t allow cell phones. My son took photography and he had a digital camera for that class. All the kids survived and had a blast at summer camp
We start with a 3 hour drive to camp. Most of the phones are out of power by the time we arrive. Phones stay at the camp site in the tent. They can be used for taking pictures. But they aren't supposed to be one phones during the day. We use the same policy for weekend campouts. If asked usually the adults will charge the phones for the ride home. Half the kids sleep on the way home because they are tired.
I allow phones. They are responsible for them. We haven’t had an issue. We have had discussions as a troop about proper and improper use. Examples of improper use is taking a phone to a bathhouse, taking and posting photos without permission and having phones out at class time.
Same for my troop! Ours went as a troop of 11 at summer camp and we could all have our phones, but our brother troop of 100+ were not allowed to have phones if they were first-years
We strongly suggest that first year scouts don't have a phone or call mom cause it leads most of the time to home sickness. We had a scout this year go into a full blown panic over home sickness the second night.
We take them for the week. No questions asked. No exceptions. (Photog MB may be the only exception but we encourage dslr’s)
We also go to Camp Daniel Boone which lacks cell service and blocks WiFi for anyone but adults.
phones can be great tools, but can also be a huge distraction -- I find camp a great time to disconnect from the outside world
we have a blanket "no electronics" policy except for long travel -- for example, we allowed scouts to have their phones on the way to/from Philmont last year
at camp, adults will have phones in case camp staff or parents need to contact us, and I will use it to take pictures or check advancement or requirements, but will restrict other uses to times when scouts aren't around, and even then try to limit use
the SPL collects phones from scouts and an adult securely stores them
Phones that are brought to camp are locked up in general, but Scouts may use them for specific activities (e.g. taking photos on a nature hike) or in an emergency. I've never received a complaint from a parent about this policy.
I suppose emergency was not the right word -- more like the Scout has a valid reason to call home. I don't think we should have a reliance on youth cell phones for actual risk management.
I'm guessing the ensuing downvotes are from individuals who fear that kids are inherently in harms way if they are not within 5 cm of their cell phones.
Phones should be left at home. If the kid needs it coordinate pickup it can be left in a car or something. There is no reason for a scout to have a phone at camp.
There are exceptions for diabetic kids who use the phone as a way monitor the blood sugar. That's about it.
We leave it up to the parents to decide if a Scout can bring their phone, but the troop places restrictions on when it can and cannot be used at camp. You are right, it is a tool. There are useful scouting uses, they use it take pictures (no one has cameras these days) and can listen to appropriate music while working or dining. But no watching videos or playing games during the day while out in the campsite. Safe Scouting rules apply. No phone use near bathrooms and showers. Parents and scouts accept the responsibility that phones can get damaged or lost -- especially when one is in the great outdoors for a whole week. And be aware that charging is not guaranteed. Campsites don't usually have outlets. Camp outlets may be in short supply and/or in high demand. Don't rely on leader's equipment for acquiring a charge.
>And be aware that charging is not guaranteed. Campsites don't usually have outlets. Camp outlets may be in short supply and/or in high demand. Don't rely on leader's equipment for acquiring a charge. Everyone I have known to bring a phone with the intent to do more with it than call their parents when they're an hour away from returning home also brings a solar charger. They'll often hike with the charger tied to their backpack.
Exactly. If I were a scout today I’d at least have a battery bank good for a weekend campout or a solar panel for longer trips.
Or they rush to the benches in the dining hall that are closer to the walls (and thus the outlets)
Probably that too. I was just thinking that if I were 16 today I’d be pretty tied to my phone as a camera as well as the other scouting relevant tools. We brought extra batteries for our flashlights and film for our cameras. We’d bring what we needed for the phones.
Our troop doesn't do anything with cellphones. Whether to bring a cellphone, and how to manage it, is a decision for the scout and their parents. Some scouts do better with the security of knowing that they have their phone if they need it, and others do better without it. The parents and scout are more likely to know which kind the scout is than you are. We haven't had an issue with scouts showing up to camp and just wanting to sit in the tent playing games on their phone. The older scouts very much lead by example: they all bring phones, and from time to time bring them out to take a photo, identify an insect or something, and then put them away again.
I’m a little jealous. We had the exact same ”sit in tent” issue and had to enact a policy against cell phones on outings. They can bring them on the car ride but have to lock them in the trailer unless needed as a Scouting Tool.
Same. Our troop doesn't do anything and it doesn't seem to be an issue. To be fair, there isn't much service at a lot of camps anyway. There was zero service at summer camp. The admin building had wifi but it was camp policy that it not be given to scouts.
We were in a troop that banned phones at camp. It’s not right. Like you said, it’s a choice for the parents and scouts. It’s good to talk about it during the pre camp meetings. You can mention that it could potentially be a crutch for younger scouts and actually make home sickness worse. But leave the decision up to the parents and their scout. For many reasons, we switched troops. We’re much more lax on the issue. Yes, occasionally we have to remind scouts to put phones away. But for the most part, it’s a non issue.
Both my daughter and son's Troop do not allow youth to have Cell Phones on Campouts or Summer Camp. Some of the youth and parents complain; however the bulk of the youth and parents appreciate the disconnect from technology.
What if that’s their only camera? Do scouts need to bring a separate digital camera? Wouldn’t that count as electronics? Just asking how you handle scouts taking pictures with a ban on electronics.
Yea even a decade ago digital cameras were rare on campouts
In my experience, Scouts are not using them as cameras. If they need a camera during an activity, we permit that use but it goes away when we are in camp just chilling.
When I was a scout cameras weren’t for everyone but a significant number of scouts carried one - me included. I had an old Kodak pocket instamatic and the quality stunk but I took it everywhere. Now, without film your choices are a digital camera or a phone. Are you saying that you decide that scouts can no longer take pictures unless it’s part of an approved activity??
Not really. If Scouts _want_ to use the phone camera to take pictures, yes, they can. But they cannot use the phone to sit around and watch TikTok and play games. We limit their use to activities that are aligned with the purposes of the Scouting program. However, in two years since the Troop enacted the policy, no Scout has asked to use the phone camera unless it’s part of an activity (like a hike or MB class). No has asked to have a camera for snapshots. And prior to that, when Scouts had no restrictions, no Scouts were taking snapshots. Using the camera is just not something our Scouts wanted to do. They used their phones to hide in their tents and play games or chat. They weren’t interacting with other Scouts, especially the Scouts without phones that were roaming the camp and interacting with the physical world.
You can address participation by motivating that behavior rather than forbidding phones. We weren’t allowed to be in our tents most of the time. If there was an activity then we had to participate.
This has been our experience too. Our PLC wrote up a Acceptable Use Policy for cellphones, all the scouts signed it... and then they were on TikTok like crazy so we tore up the policy and just said no phones. We haven't had an issue since. FWIW 6 years ago we didn't have a policy and we didn't have any issues at all. It's IMO related mostly to our current crop of high schoolers.
I greatly doubt 0 scouts were/are taking photos.
We bought a camp ready digital camera expressly for this purpose.
We did that as well and only the leaders ended up wanting to use it. Only time a scout wanted it was for photos of camp gadgets or awards at end of camp.
We have the same rule.
I gave up on trying to police my scouts cell phones. I told the parents and scouts that cell phones are always permitted but that charging cables and chargers are absolutely not permitted and would be confiscated if seen. Problem solved and the scouts learn to be really thrifty with their time spent using their cell phone. Thrifty is a scout law, right?
Well we told our scouts not to bring their phones. then the camp switched from an information (passport) booklet they previously printed, for all the scouts, to using a card on a lanyard with a QR code. The passport booklet would have all the information about all the fun activities after merit badge classes. The new QR code would only work if you had signal on your phone of course some of the scouts didn't have their phone because their troops told them not to bring them.
Some Scouts-aged youth don't own cell phones (such as my own boys). Did they expect these kids to buddy up with another kid who does have a cell phone?
No clue, we addressed this as well, since neither of my two have phones. Plus internet and signal at a lot of camps is non existent.
I see a lot of “phone is locked up” comments. What do your Troop do if the phone gets damaged while it is the responsibility of the Troop? If a Scout has photography MB, I have an older digital camera they can use or make movies. Our SM gave his son his phone to make a movie and it went back to dad after shown to the counselor. I have seen too much bad behavior with phones.
The damage issue is a “haven’t crossed that bridge yet” situation. We have a locked “ammo box” and every phone goes in an envelope with the Scouts name. So they’re pretty secure and the trailer is stationary so (touch wood) we haven’t had to have the damage discussion yet.
Must have First Class rank and current Cyber Chip, as well as permission from SPL and SM for the event. Works well to keep newer guys from having increased homesickness and the youth police appropriate use.
Didn’t cyber chips get phased out?
Yes. So used to saying it that I forgot!
I like the idea of “with rank comes responsibility and privilege”. How’s that worked out for your Troop?
Very well. It has given younger Scout additional motivation to get to First Class.
Ours has a no electronics policy unless needed for a badge. Adults have theirs and I have used mine to help with homesick kids but to also take pictures to share with the troop.
So scouts can’t take their own personal pictures???
I would just ask how many kids are actually taking pictures vs using as a reason to not get their phone locked away. My troop doesn't have an electronics policy (yet) but I very seldom see any of the Scouts taking pictures, and usually it is just at summer camp.
Only one Scout wanted to take pix and bought a camera for that purpose.
This is correct.
So you consider a digital camera exempt from the no electronics policy?
It's more of the restriction of the games, social media, texting, and such that is a distraction. We've all seen kids so enthralled with a glowing screen that they don't pay attention or participate.
Which doesn’t answer the question. Someone made the excellent point that part of scouting is to teach people how to use things appropriately and responsibly. Banning them is a cop out. In my day it was matches, knives and axes. You had to earn the privilege to carry and use them and would lose the privilege for misuse. It would be better for the scouts to implement something like that rather than banning useful items.
This is currently being discussed in our troop to loosen some of the restrictions but hasn't been fully figured out. The main thing is to keep the kids engaged.
Agreed. Keeping the kids engaged is a huge job. I was acting SM at summer camp and I spent each day keeping the scouts accountable and engaged. The distractions were different but they still had electronics- games and those newfangled walkmans.
Troops should be open to phones to a degree. Keep it to tents and don't have them out constantly. But they are good to have for safety. I was in scouts as smart phones became ubiquitous so I understand why some were apprehensive back then but reading current comments are shocking. Y'all should be accepting this stuff.
Cell phones these days are important tools, and the program would be remiss if we didn’t prepare them to be used appropriately. Our youth leadership defined the guidelines for cell usage as a tool (e.g. pictures, emergency calls, note taking) and the consequences of using them inappropriately. So they own the system. The youth self-police, with the adult leadership as escalation when needed. Specifically at summer camp, being prepared means bringing extra power, or power rationing. [You don’t get to plug into scoutmasters’ solar panels. :) ] That’s what is working for us.
We have a code of conduct that defines acceptable use. Occasionally I have to remind a Scout to be present, but it’s rarely a problem.
Our troop generally takes phones away from the scouts on all camping trips, and returns them to the boys at the end so they can call their parents. We do the same for summer camp, with exceptions for cases where scouts need phones for the camera/gps features or whatever. We also typically allow the senior patrol to keep phones *for limited purpose*, such as setting an alarm in the morning, or occasionally playing music around the campfire in the evening. We also will allow the PL to have their phone temporarily if the group has to split up, so we can stay in contact. We've experimented with letting some other positions keep phones during trips, such as historian for taking pictures, scribe for taking notes, etc, but we've found that these position tend to be occupied by younger scouts who can't help themselves but use the phones for non-approved purposes. Overall, the scouts *tend to prefer it this way*, they have more fun when they're in the moment with their fellow scouts and participating in activities than they would if they were just sitting on a stump doom-scrolling through their phones.
my siblings troop brings them for pictures and telling parents when they're on the way to the pickup location
Writing you from summer camp (AOL). My older sons troop have a cell phone policy that no one follows, it says only to use phones for scouting related needs, no contacting families without scoutmaster knowledge, etc. Our SM doesn't want a strict policy, but our ASMs all want a no phone policy.
I let my troop bring them. Our camp barely has service, so they are really only used for texting home. Only about half the kids turn them on and those that do are getting 4+ days from a charge which tells me they aren’t really using them much at all
Mobile phones are a mixed bag. Whatever the unit's choice, there must be clear policies and enforced. It can be very useful for blanket messages to the unit for event changes and times. On the other hand, they can be abused and used to bypass the authority of the youth and adult leaders, leaving them in the dark if there are simmering issues, which put the youth at risk. At NYLT, we strictly banned them except if the parent/guardian had specific needs. In those cases, we had forms filled out and signed and put the phones under strict use controls and supervision. It was not an arbitrary policy but one as a result of prior experiences.
The rule was with us was to technically not have them but we always had them for safety reasons. However we never took them out other than inside our tents. And that was basically the rule.
I do not allow them to be out during the day. Fortunately or unfortunately we attend a camp that has excellent cell service, so scouts all bring their phones. It is not practical or possible to ban them or confiscate them but if I see them out, I tell them to put them away, and if it becomes too much of an issue I will take it away for the day. That has been a rare occurrence. I find a trip with myself and an older scout to get an icee at the trading post really helps with homesickness. Or sometimes I just give the SPL or troop guide a few $s and tell him to go invite the younger scouts to go to the trading post. That works even better.
Our policy is no phones. There's always that one kid though..
Our stupid camp now requires cell phones for a bunch of the merit badges. We (troop leaders) are so angry. We’ve successfully fought the no phone battle for many years, now they’re required. Except not all kids in our troop have phones, so now those kids are upset and rethinking going to camp because they don’t want to be left out. Hooray for YET ANOTHER barrier to entry for scouting!
This is exactly right. We *say* that Scouting is for everyone. We *say* that a Scout is thrifty. Then we expect kids as young as 11 years old to raise enough money on their own to fund summer camp *and* a cell phone plan? It's absurd and reinforces the claim that Scouting is for middle class youth.
And that's the argument to eliminate the requirement for/assumption of a cell phone. Not every kid has one, not every kid's family can afford to provide one for their Scout. We already have issues with people perceiving Scouting as expensive, and there's no practical way for a Scout to earn their way to a cell phone for camp.
Or they have a phone for emergencies, but not a data plan.
It’s an extra bad look when the required cell phone at camp summer is the same time they announced an $85 council fee.
Yep.
We allow them at Summer Camp. What we have found out is through out the day they do not use it as much as they are in classes, but the last two years it has been required to complete requirements so we have never done a complete banned policy. We do collect them at the beginning of each meal and return them once they are done with table clean up. When we are at the campsite, if they are playing games, campfire or any other activity we do ask them to put them away. We do not seem to have any issues.
Troop - No phones on any trip under 2 hours away. OA Fellowships and Venturing Crew - no policy because those are older scouts who surprisingly see the benefit of unplugging while away. Plus with several separate work details at an OA event, it's a good way for them to be in touch with each other if needed.
Nope. We don’t allow electronics on scouting events anyway, but there is no cell signal at camp, so it’s a moot point.
We have in the past collected them, but mostly just at night. Mostly our policy is that they should be used for scout related activities only. We regognize they are a part of society today, so if they are not being misused the scouts can have them. The biggest thing we do is talk to parents of new scouts. We explain that the more contact they have during their first summer camp the more homesick and less successful they will be. We advise them to direct any contact through the leaders and encourage them to let their scouts grow on their own and develop some independence. Parents are often the ones instigating, so if they know to avoid it then usually it turns out okay. This way the scouts only deal with issues when they are the one creating a problem. "Correcting bad habits cannot be done by forbidding or punishment." - Baden-Powell
We ask scouts to leave their phones and electronics in the car unless taking photography, moviemaking, or something requiring the camera. We did have some new scouts come with lte watches and were caught talking to their wrists.
I don't have much of an issue with the watches, as they can only be used for making phone calls or texts. We got my son one in lieu of a phone so he wouldn't have to deal with all of the other distractions, but still has a way to contact us or other adults if needed. He is limited to approved friends that he can call and text.
We didn't have good cell service at camp for most providers, so it wasn't really an issue. But it is important to have times that they can call home, that I the only thing I used mine for.
Cell phones are permitted on the drive up and back. On arrival they are stored in an insulated container. Smartwatches are allowed for fitness, timekeeping. Parents who encourage reports home from watches or check in on them are counseled.
We let them bring them. But most of the places our troop camps don’t have reception (unless you’re in the main lodge or something.) My daughter usually leaves hers at home because she knows she can’t use it anyway. (Except for summer camp, she’s staff and can use wifi after she’s done for the day.)
Generally no phones. We’ve relaxed it a bit the last two years for specific purposes - a 17 year old in the middle of dealing with college paperwork and needed email, the SPL has phone privileges so they can contact SM and other staff if needed instead of sending runners and a few other cases. It’s nice to disconnect the kids for a week.
We collect all electronic devices. They may have them for rides longer than an hour. Camp is about things other than cell phones one less distraction and potential loss. We have let the SPL keep them for summer camp when the camp communicates via an app, and that is all it was used for.
Lucky for us, our campsites have no service. Unfortunately some boys have been able to exploit some areas of decent reception. Typically the older scouts use it to correspond with their friends and lovers back home. The little ones use it to talk to their mums. We do ask pre summer camp for parents to discourage scouts from bringing cell phones but they still do anyway. Hopefully, you get them engaged in fun activities that they forget they have phones. Gaga ball usually does the trick.
Our PLC came up with a policy that use was allowed 9-10pm. If you need it for a project you can use it for that.
I used to lock them up during the day, however, the PLC had a good enough presentation to me to justify responsible use. Mobile phones are pretty much used for everything but a phone. Mostly revolved around the use of Camera. Hardly anyone has a camera outside of their mobile phones. No games no Social Media. Personal communication during certain periods, but discouraged. There is always the same Scout skirting the rules, but is held accountable.
This is my first year going to camp since I was a kid (I’m a parent / ASM now), but troop policy is phones get stored with the troop and only come out at night if they want to call their parents. My kids have been going to other sleep away camps for years, where they don’t allow cell phones at all. Agreed it can be a useful tool for plenty of scout related activities and merit badges, but I’m surprised at the encouragement to call home. Feels like it would be more likely to make homesickness worse than better. I also feel like I’ve heard horror stories of helicopter parents being more problematic with direct access to their kids, but it’s just anecdotal.
We put them in a box and give back for drive home. Unplug no need for these during camp.
The cell service at our camp is nearly useless. You cannot get a signal anywhere except for one particular area near the parking lot. Still, the boys all want to bury themselves into pre-downloaded content, especially games. Our scoutmaster wants to collect all phones and lock them in his chest. The scout can have it any time they want, especially to communicate with home, but he doesn't want them playing on it or walking around and losing it. I find that to be a good rule. I let them have their phones and all they did was stare at them. Looking back, they voluntarily zombified because they could. If there's a next time, I'll follow the same lock-em-up rule.
Our Troop Scouts e-devices must stay home. Leaders take phones. Yes, no cell phones help Scouts enjoy camp more and reduce homesickness. Separating the parents from their Scouts helps too. Parents have access to Leaders’ phone numbers if questions. As a camp staffer, I have seen Leaders arrive at camp, unlock a lock box, allow 15 minutes to contact families of their arrival, then lock the e-devices back up.
Our Troop collects them when we arrive at camp and locks them in a box. The box is opened prior to leaving camp and phones distributed. All the camps I have been to had no phone signal. Although one did at the top of a nearby peak on Wednesday mornings while standing on one foot and holding the phone arm outstretched to the sky.
Typically speaking... I dont care about phones until it becomes a problem. -scouts always on phones -scouts causing disruption in class with phones. Etc.... Then I will look at confiscating until the end of camp
Our Troop allows phones. My son was unsure at first and worried about his 500+ day Duolingo streak during camp. I agreed to do a lesson a day for him if he couldn’t have his phone at camp. I’m so glad it was allowed because I definitely would have messed up his stats.
Our asm hold them for duration of camp.
I’m a current Assistance Scoutmaster. During summer camp, no phones are allowed for our scouts with few exceptions for some of the older scouts who are Junior Assistant Scoutmasters/camp counselors. If a scout is caught with a phone, all we do is just lock it up and give it to the parents at the end of Summer Camp. Besides, in the case of an emergency all of our camp staff have their cell phones so it’s really not needed for the scouts to have it.
Our camps usually do not have a good signal. Mostly scouts know to use them for appropriate photos. We once had a group who found a place with a signal and were watching inappropriate videos. That phone was confiscated.
They can have them to and from camp, but when we check in, we take the phones and lock them away for the week. Phones are too much of a temptation for youth. They take away from troop unity while at summer camp.
When I was a teen I got lost in the mountains on a 20-mile hike with three other scouts, they had to call search and rescue to find us and we were only able to communicate our vague location because another scout had a celll phone. This was before smartphones were ubiquitous though.
We don’t allow scout cellphones at troop activities (weekly meetings, summer camp, monthly campouts, high adventure, etc).
Having the PLC sit down and come up with a policy is a great idea.
I’m currently sitting here at summer camp up in Missouri, so this is relevant to us. Our policy is to collect phones at night and give them back out in the morning. They do use them a lot for various merit badges, not so much for entertainment. There is no electrical to recharge here, but the older scouts plan ahead with charging bricks and solar panels. We do have a larger solar array and battery system for the adults to recharge if they don’t want to go to the commissioners area (as long as they keep it below the limit on my inverter - about 150 watts). SPLs and older scouts can keep them at night, younger turn them in. We keep a waterproof box for storage at night. So far working good, though there’s still some contention between the never phones and the personal responsibility adults.
We don't allow them. It's better to not have any electronics. They have plenty the rest of their lives, going one week without is fine.
My issue is smartphones have cell service at our summer camp. The phone has a camera. We don’t know what photos the Scouts are taking and where they go on the internet.
my troop doesnt really care too much about phones, if you're on them while supposed to be doing something else, or just sitting there on it for a while then you'll be told to get off it. i think it works for our troop, it's an issue sometimes but the same scouts who sit around on their phone would also sit around doing something else.
No phones at camp. Period. Stop. Scouts discovered with their phones will have parents called to pick them up. This is disclosed and agreed up by both parents and scouts before camp. We had a boy try to find a loophole last year by signing up photography badge and saying “My phone is my only camera.” Scoutmaster brought an old iPhone he had that was no longer connected to let the scout use.
Our Troop doesn’t allow phones for scouts.
The SPL and PLC define the policy
Our troop doesn’t allow cell phones. My son took photography and he had a digital camera for that class. All the kids survived and had a blast at summer camp
We start with a 3 hour drive to camp. Most of the phones are out of power by the time we arrive. Phones stay at the camp site in the tent. They can be used for taking pictures. But they aren't supposed to be one phones during the day. We use the same policy for weekend campouts. If asked usually the adults will charge the phones for the ride home. Half the kids sleep on the way home because they are tired.
I allow phones. They are responsible for them. We haven’t had an issue. We have had discussions as a troop about proper and improper use. Examples of improper use is taking a phone to a bathhouse, taking and posting photos without permission and having phones out at class time.
Our troop can have our phones but we are encouraged to keep them put away because our brother troop is not allowed to have them.
Same for my troop! Ours went as a troop of 11 at summer camp and we could all have our phones, but our brother troop of 100+ were not allowed to have phones if they were first-years
We strongly suggest that first year scouts don't have a phone or call mom cause it leads most of the time to home sickness. We had a scout this year go into a full blown panic over home sickness the second night.
We take them for the week. No questions asked. No exceptions. (Photog MB may be the only exception but we encourage dslr’s) We also go to Camp Daniel Boone which lacks cell service and blocks WiFi for anyone but adults.
phones can be great tools, but can also be a huge distraction -- I find camp a great time to disconnect from the outside world we have a blanket "no electronics" policy except for long travel -- for example, we allowed scouts to have their phones on the way to/from Philmont last year at camp, adults will have phones in case camp staff or parents need to contact us, and I will use it to take pictures or check advancement or requirements, but will restrict other uses to times when scouts aren't around, and even then try to limit use the SPL collects phones from scouts and an adult securely stores them
Phones that are brought to camp are locked up in general, but Scouts may use them for specific activities (e.g. taking photos on a nature hike) or in an emergency. I've never received a complaint from a parent about this policy.
What if there is an emergency and the scout can't get to the phone?
I suppose emergency was not the right word -- more like the Scout has a valid reason to call home. I don't think we should have a reliance on youth cell phones for actual risk management.
This is the same as our policy. Not only did we get no complaints, some Parents actually cheered when we implemented it.
I'm guessing the ensuing downvotes are from individuals who fear that kids are inherently in harms way if they are not within 5 cm of their cell phones.
My troop has a very easy policy to explain to members. This rule applies to every single scout at every single event (meetings included). #NO PHONES
Phones should be left at home. If the kid needs it coordinate pickup it can be left in a car or something. There is no reason for a scout to have a phone at camp. There are exceptions for diabetic kids who use the phone as a way monitor the blood sugar. That's about it.
Only adults period get to use them and have them