What’s Included at Summerland Camps?

• 1. Daily Group Sessions

  At Summerland Camps, each camper participates in one structured group session per day, designed specifically to help teens and young adults gain insight into their screen habits and develop practical tools for long-term change. For individuals who have relied heavily on video games, social media, or smartphones as their primary source of stimulation, these sessions provide the guidance and structure needed to reset patterns and build healthier routines.

  Key topics covered include:

  Goal Setting: Campers learn to identify meaningful, realistic objectives and break them down into manageable steps. For teens who often devote hours to screens, this skill is essential for rediscovering purpose and rebuilding momentum in school, hobbies, or personal growth.
  Self-Regulation Skills: We focus on controlling “BET”: Behaviors, Emotions, and Thoughts. This framework helps campers recognize impulses, manage frustration, and respond intentionally rather than automatically turning to screens for escape or stimulation.
  Motivation and Time Management: Excessive screen use often disrupts routines, sleep schedules, and productivity. Campers practice strategies for organizing their days, building stronger habits, and maintaining motivation through structure. These skills translate directly into better follow-through at home, school, work, and in relationships.
  Opportunity Costs: Through guided discussions and cost-benefit analysis, campers examine the real impact of excessive screen time. They explore scenarios such as gaming versus studying, scrolling versus sleeping, and impulsive purchases versus long-term financial goals. By weighing immediate gratification against long-term rewards, campers develop clearer judgment and healthier decision-making.

  These interactive discussions empower campers to understand the “why” behind their habits and give them actionable strategies for change. With increased insight, improved self-regulation, and a clearer sense of purpose, teens and young adults leave Summerland Camps better equipped to create balance in their lives and stay in control of their screen use long after camp ends.

• 2. Overnight Camping Trips

  Campers have the opportunity to embark on overnight camping trips to some of Florida’s most beautiful state parks, including Myakka River State Park and Anastasia State Park. These excursions allow campers to:

  Learn outdoor skills, such as pitching tents and cooking over a fire.
  Develop independent living skills in a supportive environment.
  Connect with nature and enjoy activities like hiking and wildlife observation.

  These experiences foster a sense of self-reliance and appreciation for the outdoors, as well as self-discovery about capabilities. Campers master new skills, learning how to navigate a new peer group, and also learn ways to manage stress, anxiety, boredom, and social needs without relying on screens.

  As an assessment tool, overnight camping trips with a new peer group help staff to see how the camper interacts in an unfamiliar environment.  Campers have the opportunity to practice in real time new ways to handle frustration, socialize, and live with others.

• 3. Beach Days

  Every session at Summerland Camps includes at least one beach day. Campers can:

  Fish along the shore.
  Swim and Bodyboard (all beaches) and surf in the waves (St Augustine trip only due to wave conditions).
  Snorkel to explore underwater ecosystems.
  Sharktoothing can be done at any Florida beach, but Venice Beach is the best. Venice Beach is known as the “Shark Tooth Capital of the World” due to its abundance of fossilized shark teeth.
  Sports and Games like volleyball, cornhole, frisbee, etc.

  From our home base, we frequently enjoy Honeymoon Island Beach, Howard Park Beach, and Clearwater Beach. Depending on the session, we may also visit beaches in Sarasota, Venice, and St Augustine. Beach days provide an opportunity for relaxation and adventure, helping campers create lasting memories.

• 4. Adventure Sports & Physical Activity

  Physical activity and outdoor adventure sports offer powerful, research-supported benefits for teens and young adults struggling with screen overuse. At Summerland Camps, we’ve seen firsthand how purposeful movement and time in nature help reset unhealthy habits, improve mood, and reignite motivation. When campers step away from screens and immerse themselves in physical challenges, they begin to reconnect with their bodies, their interests, and their sense of capability.

  A core part of our approach is teaching the importance of establishing a consistent daily and weekly routine. Most campers arrive without strong habits around structure, self-regulation, or time management skills that are crucial for reducing technology dependence. We have found that incorporating a workout or physical activity into a camper’s routine often becomes the anchor that motivates them to build and maintain structure once they return home. When teens experience the confidence boost, stress reduction, and clear-headedness that come from regular movement, they are far more likely to carry those routines into their everyday lives.

  Outdoor adventure and purposeful physical activity form the backdrop of the entire Summerland Camps experience. Campers participate in activities designed to prioritize fun over competition while still promoting fitness, teamwork, and resilience. Our program includes a wide range of engaging options such as:

  Mountain Biking
  Hiking
  Fishing (freshwater and saltwater)
  Archery
  Paddling (canoe and kayak)
  Swimming
  Air Boating
  Wilderness Survival Skills
  Calisthenics
  Physical Training with Dumbbells

  These activities not only build strength and endurance but also encourage cooperation, persistence, problem-solving, and a healthy sense of challenge. As campers push themselves in new environments, going the distance on a mountain bike, learning to paddle through the mangroves, or mastering a basic workout routine, they learn to tolerate discomfort, work through frustration, and celebrate progress without relying on digital stimulation.  By helping teens and young adults establish routines centered around movement, Summerland Camps provides a natural, sustainable pathway toward healthier relationships with screens and their own well-being.

• 5. Social Skills Development

  Building genuine connections is a vital part of the Summerland Camps philosophy, especially for teens and young adults struggling with screen overuse. Many campers arrive relying heavily on online interactions, often lacking confidence or practice in face-to-face communication. By intentionally shifting campers into activities that promote real-world social engagement, we help them rediscover the joy and ease of connecting with others offline.

  Campers are introduced to fun, low-pressure ways of socializing through activities such as:

  Board games and card games
  Role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons
  Outdoor games, including cornhole and other group activities

  These shared experiences become an essential part of the growth process. As campers sit around a table strategizing during a board game, role-play collaboratively in an RPG, or cheer each other on in a friendly outdoor competition, they begin practicing the interpersonal skills that excessive screen time often erodes.

  Through these activities, campers strengthen:

  Communication Skills: Learning to read social cues, hold conversations, and express ideas clearly.
  Empathy: Understanding others’ perspectives and emotions in real time, not through avatars or text.
  Collaboration: Working together toward shared goals and solving problems as a team.
  Confidence: Experiencing success in social spaces without the pressure or comparison culture of social media.

  For many campers, these meaningful interactions become stand-out moments, proof that offline friendships can be engaging, rewarding, and much more fulfilling than the virtual connections they’ve grown accustomed to.

  By providing a supportive environment where face-to-face interaction feels safe and fun, Summerland Camps helps teens and young adults rebuild essential social muscles and carry these skills back into their everyday lives long after camp ends.

• 6. Special Activities

  Each session at Summerland Camps includes unique opportunities to explore some of Florida’s most exciting attractions. For teens and young adults who are accustomed to spending most of their free time behind a screen, these outings offer a much-needed shift, immersing them in real-world experiences that spark curiosity, social connection, and healthy adventure.

  Depending on the session, campers may:

  Visit the Kennedy Space Center or Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
  Explore the Ringling Museum
  Enjoy thrilling rides at Busch Gardens Tampa or Adventure Island
  Take airboat and banana boat rides
  Tour Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and browse the St. Augustine shopping district
  Spend time at the St. Petersburg Pier & James Museum
  Visit the Tampa Zoo & Florida Aquarium
  Experience the Ringling Museum of Art
  Relax at Honeymoon Island Beach
  Enjoy Venice Beach and Pier

  For campers who have relied on digital stimulation for entertainment, these trips are transformative. They provide opportunities to practice social skills in new environments, engage with hands-on learning, and discover sources of enjoyment that don’t involve screens. Whether they’re exploring historic landmarks, bonding with peers during a beach day, or experiencing the thrill of an amusement park ride, campers begin to replace passive screen time with active, meaningful experiences.

  These special outings add an exciting dimension to the Summerland experience, ensuring there’s something for every interest, and helping campers reconnect with the world beyond their devices.

• 7. Knighting Ceremony and Decision Night

  In a castle of stone and timber, overlooking 8,900 acres of wild, unspoiled Florida wilderness, the young adventurers of Summerland gather for one of the most meaningful traditions of their journey: Decision Night. For teens and young adults struggling with screen overuse, this ceremony becomes a powerful moment of ownership, an opportunity to choose a future defined not by algorithms or impulses but by intention, structure, and personal growth.

  Here, under the guidance of trusted mentors, each camper steps forward to declare a personal quest, a commitment designed to strengthen habits, build self-discipline, and create a healthier relationship with technology. These vows help campers internalize what they have learned at camp and prepare to bring those skills back home.

  With a sword crafted from hand-forged steel, each participant is ceremonially knighted into the Order of the Summerland Knights. It is a symbolic reminder that real courage is found not in virtual achievements but in the daily choices that shape a balanced and meaningful life. Every camper receives a scroll, a certificate bearing the seal of Summerland Camps, marking both the completion of their camp journey and the beginning of their new path.

  Past Decision Night vows have included commitments such as:

  To continue using the Behavior Planning Journal (BPJ) to track habits, reflect on choices, and stay accountable.
  To self-monitor and limit screen time, replacing mindless scrolling or gaming with purposeful activities.
  To maintain a consistent gym schedule, using SMART goals to build structure, confidence, and routine.
  To dedicate 2 hours each day to studying, even when no homework is assigned, reinforcing focus, responsibility, and academic momentum.

  For teens and young adults who have struggled with impulsive screen use or disorganized routines, Decision Night becomes a defining moment, a ritual that transforms new skills into personal promises. It is a celebration of growth, a declaration of independence from old habits, and a ceremonial first step into a balanced life beyond the castle walls.

• 8. Parent Involvement & Ongoing Support

  A successful transition home is strongest when families stay connected to the progress their camper is making. For teens and young adults with screen overuse challenges, the structure and accountability provided at Summerland Camps need to continue at home to support long-term habit change. Parent involvement is therefore an essential part of the Summerland experience.

  Online Behavior Coaching is one of the most valuable forms of support we offer after camp. This service helps ensure that campers follow through on the commitments they made, stay consistent with their routines, and continue practicing the self-regulation strategies they learned. Coaching provides guidance, accountability, and a structured space to troubleshoot challenges related to screen limits, time management, and personal goals.

  Parents stay closely informed throughout the camp session. Campers place a phone call home every weekend so families can hear directly about their progress, challenges, and successes. In addition, staff upload photos daily to a shared Google folder, allowing parents to see their camper’s activities, friendships, and growth in real time. This level of transparency helps families feel connected and reassured, while also reinforcing conversations at home about effort and perseverance.

  Families also participate in a comprehensive workshop hosted live on Zoom. The workshop focuses on maintaining the momentum created at camp and offers parents practical strategies for supporting their camper back home. Topics include implementing behavior contracts, setting and enforcing screen limits, and using effective parenting techniques that promote responsibility and independence. We review the terminology and definitions used at camp so parents and campers can communicate using the same language and expectations.

  A major component of the workshop is the Behavior Planning Journal (BPJ). Campers learn how to use the BPJ at home to monitor habits, regulate screen time, manage routines, and stay accountable toward their goals. Parents learn how to support this process so the BPJ becomes a daily tool for structure and reflection rather than something set aside once camp ends.

  Through online coaching, weekly camper phone calls, daily photo updates, and a well-designed family workshop, Summerland Camps offers a complete support system. This ongoing involvement strengthens the transition home, keeps campers on track, and helps families continue the progress and balance their child achieved at camp.

• 9. Summerland Workbook and the Behavior Planning Journal (BPJ)

  Two of the most powerful tools campers take home from Summerland are the Summerland Workbook and the Behavior Planning Journal (BPJ). These resources give teens and young adults clear structure, practical strategies, and daily accountability as they continue working toward healthier habits and reduced screen time.

  The Summerland Workbook is a comprehensive guide that mirrors many of the lessons and exercises campers complete during their sessions. It includes components such as:

  Goal-setting exercises that help campers break large objectives into manageable steps
  Self-regulation and emotional awareness activities that teach campers how to recognize triggers and make intentional choices
  Time management worksheets that guide campers in planning productive, balanced days
  Cost-benefit and opportunity cost reflections that help campers understand the real impact of excessive screen use
  Motivation-building exercises that reinforce the value of purpose, consistency, and long-term thinking
  Healthy routine templates that make it easier to maintain morning, afternoon, and evening structure at home
  Screen-use tracking tools to monitor habits and identify patterns that need adjusting

  Each section is designed to reinforce the cognitive-behavioral strategies used at camp. For teens and young adults who have relied heavily on screens for stimulation or avoidance, the workbook becomes a roadmap for daily decision-making and long-term success.

  The Behavior Planning Journal (BPJ) is the camper’s day-to-day tool for accountability. At camp, learning to use the BPJ effectively is a major milestone. Once home, it becomes the camper’s anchor for healthy routines. The BPJ helps campers:

  Track screen time and recognize patterns
  Monitor behaviors, emotions, and thoughts
  Plan and evaluate daily routines
  Keep written goals visible and top-of-mind
  Celebrate progress and identify setbacks early
  Maintain consistency with gym routines, study schedules, and other commitments
  Strengthen follow-through by recording intentions and reviewing outcomes

  For teens and young adults with screen overuse issues, the BPJ creates a daily habit of reflection and personal responsibility. It replaces passive, impulsive use of devices with intentional choices and structured planning.

  Together, the Summerland Workbook and Behavior Planning Journal form a powerful support system. They help campers stay mindful, organized, and motivated long after camp ends, reinforcing the skills they need to maintain balance, limit screen use, and move confidently toward their goals.