Scroll less, relax more: How to keep screen time at the cottage intentional

Picture this: you’re relaxing in an Adirondack chair beneath towering pines. Then, all of a sudden, your phone starts ringing, shattering the serene moment.  

While a completely unplugged weekend on the lake might sound like a dream come true, it’s often just not possible. Between texting teens and the pull of work or social media, going screen-free for the trip can sometimes cause more stress than it prevents.  

But that doesn’t mean you need to throw in the beach towel and give up on a relaxing weekend. By keeping screen use intentional, you can still connect with nature and spend time with loved ones without quitting cold turkey.  

Looking for ways to find balance on your family getaway? Here are tips for a screen-conscious trip.  

According to Physical and Health Education Canada, nature-based play helps build independence, fine motor skills and environmental stewardship for kids. Being out in nature has numerous psychological benefits for kids and adults. At the cottage, there are so many ways to get up and explore rather than living vicariously through people on social media.  

Go hiking and try activities like birdwatching or stargazing. Geocaching is considered the “world’s largest treasure hunt” where others in the area hide “caches” for you to find—check out if there’s one near you and go hunting.  

You can also head out on a scavenger hunt or a nature bingo. To spend a whole afternoon away from screens, plan out a treasure hunt complete with hidden prizes and a DIY map. 

Spending time in nature has been proven to reset your focus and boost your mood, so meditating, doing yoga, reading a book, taking a nap, or chatting with loved ones in the sunshine is the perfect way to spend a day. 

The best thing about the cottage is being on the lake, able to go for a quick dip or splash around whenever you like. Swimming is, of course, a great way to cool off on a hot day. Kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding are good forms of exercise that let you experience nature in creeks and along shorelines. 

Younger kids will enjoy wading in the shallows for treasures like rocks, shells and sticks. Or see who can skip stones for the furthest, or host a DIY fishing derby, and see who makes the best catch. Water balloon dodgeball is also a great way to cool off. 

Rather than getting your dopamine from hours on social media, play a team sport with your fellow cottagers to boost your mood. A study published by the Public Health Agency of Canada found that teens who engaged in 14 or more hours of outdoor physical activity per week reported being 27.1 per cent happier than those who did not engage in any physical activity during the same time period. The cottage is a great place to build these good habits.  

Beach volleyball, soccer, badminton, and frisbee are easy to set up and play on the beach or the lawn with simple rules. Other great outdoor games that are a bit more leisurely include washers, bocce, croquet and ladder toss.  

You can also keep kids off their phones by appealing to their competitive streak and rope the whole family into it too!  

A weekend at the cottage isn’t complete without an evening in front of a crackling campfire. Instead of scrolling, curl up and sing campfire songs or tell ghost stories for entertainment. 

Make s’mores, roast hot dogs or even try out a trendy charcuterie s’more with cheese and crackers. If your cottage has a barbecue, fire it up for a tasty dinner outside.  

If you’ve heard calls to create more and consume less, nature provides endless inspiration, and the cottage is the perfect place to get crafty.  

Make fairy houses with twigs and leaves or build a life-sized version as a fort to play in. If you’re in a sandy area, bring out your inner architect with a fantastical sandcastle. Leaf rubbings or texture rubbings with a waxy crayon make a great backdrop for collages.  

Painting plein air or creating miniatures on smooth rocks are also great ways to get artsy outdoors.  

The best way to keep kids, or adults, off their phones is to lead by example. The less you’re on your phone, the less others will be, too.  

If anyone in the group needs help staying away from technology, set tech-free zones and times around the cottage. For example, have a rule of no phones at the dinner table or no screens on the waterfront.  

Remember that there are healthy ways to balance tech use. Make a playlist of everyone’s favourite songs or listen to an audiobook together while crafting or doing puzzles.  

Apps can also enhance your experience outdoors. Check out the Seek app to help you identify wildlife, or Stellarium to show you what constellations you’re looking at. You can also use your maps app or a hiking-specific app like AllTrails to navigate outdoors.  

With Rogers’ reliable 5G+ network, you can have peace of mind that you’ll stay connected when it matters most, without letting screen time take over your cottage escape.  

CAA Members can save $25/month or more on exclusive 5G+ mobile plans featuring unlimited Canada-wide talk, text, and data, plus 10 per cent or more on select home internet plans. Members also get Rogers Satellite for $0/mo. for up to 24 months on select plans to keep apps and messaging working where cell towers don't reach.