Camp, True Fun, and the 2026 Tri-State Conference!

In the off-season camp cycle there are two phases: pre-Tri-State and post-Tri-State.

In the former, our planning is big-picture. We are interviewing staff, reviewing building plans, researching new products, and reflecting on the previous summer as we lay the groundwork for the one ahead.

In the second phase, planning is no longer theoretical. Construction projects break ground. Staff hiring shifts to staff placements (...we’ll never tell). And it’s time to fine-tune the logistics for those exciting program ideas (an in-camp coed soccer tournament is coming to Scatico in 2026) and systems (our master transportation spreadsheet is a work of art).

We imagine a similar shift occurs in your homes just as Spring Break comes to a close. Duffels taken out of storage. Green shorts swapped for the next size up. And that “when I’m at camp…” conversation starts to carry a little more weight.

While the logistical preparation for summer is exciting, the conference also reminds us to zoom out from the never-ending to-do list and stay grounded in the larger mission of camp. A major theme this year was the importance of keeping your camp’s core values at the center of every decision — from staff training and daily activities to family communication and camp policies.

Closing keynote speaker Catherine Price framed the growing importance of camp as one of the rare places where kids can experience what she calls “True Fun,” a magical confluence that happens when we are undistracted by screens and able to fully engage and connect in the moment. Price is the author of The Amazing Generation, a handbook written for kids and teens on how to live a life not hijacked by screens, and her self-proclaimed goal is to help people “scroll less and live move.” We left her talk wishing a recording could be sent to every member of the Scatico community. Instead, we’ll settle for sharing a few of the takeaways that stuck with us most.

You KNOW what True Fun looks and feels like.

You can probably imagine True Fun, but Price described it as being truly alive; lit up from within. True Fun, she said, lies at the intersection of  “playfulness, connection, and flow,” and happens when you are so present and engaged in the moment, you lose track of time. At it’s essence, it echoes one of Scatico’s core values: “Time to be a kid.” When we close our eyes and imagine True Fun we see kids floating on lake noodles, cracking up in the deep end. We see a rainbow of College Bowl shirts sprinting down the golf course hill. Price had her own True Fun images, but here are some of ours.

True Fun is powerful. 

Price feels people often talk about “fun” in a frivolous, superficial way. But, True Fun (something that isn’t marketed to us, or is fun as “product” or “content”) is the key to a happier and healthier life. There is nothing frivolous about it. Price had a lot of scientific research to back her up, and it all pointed to how True Fun leads to increased… creativity, happiness, engagement, resilience, mindfulness, attention span, restful sleep… and decreased… stress. 

True Fun can’t happen with screens around.

Screens take us out of the moment, and break connection. When we are distracted or passively absorbing content, we are unable to engage in True Fun. 

Camp will be the longest stretch of time many campers spend without their devices in their entire lives.

This fact feels obvious once said, but the power of that reality cannot be overstated. Without the constant pull of screens, kids rediscover how to immerse themselves fully in the moment and experience True Fun. And with that comes all the benefits listed above. And it’s not just kids who tap into True Fun at camp… staff go much of their day phone free and part of the playfulness, connection, and flow, too. 

Education is key.

Price shared data to emphasize her message, and her website is chock full of wonderful resources. A lot of what she shared we all know on a basic level, but having the actual numbers makes it click. One stat she shared is how the average teen spends 4-5 hours daily on their phone, which roughly breaks out to two full months of every year. Two months of nonstop scrolling or, in our framing, an entire summer at camp. 

We cannot wait to put our phones down and get back out there for a summer of True Fun with our extended Scatico family!