CELL PHONE POLICY

WHAT TO EXPECT AT MUSKOKA WOODS

This was filmed in mid-2019.

Yondr Cell Phone Pouch Rental – Mandatory if Bringing a Cell Phone

At Muskoka Woods, we strongly encourage all guests to leave technology at home for the week in order to make the most out of the camp experience. However, if you are choosing to send your child to camp with a phone this summer, we will be offering a mandatory rental pouch called Yondr. The Yondr pouch will provide a safe way for guests to access their phones at appropriate times as outlined on our website. Guests will always be able to have their phones but will be encouraged to leave them in their bags until the pouch is unlocked each day.

This will allow usage for a limited time on a daily basis while also ensuring they don’t miss out on experiencing the best that Muskoka Woods has to offer.

Rental Fee: $15. This includes a personalized pouch for the week. The Yondr Cell Phone Pouch will be collected at the end of the week by the counsellor.

Any intentional damage made to the Yondr Pouch will result in a charge of $40 CAD, replacing the broken pouch with a new one to contain your child’s phone.

$15.00

What is Muskoka Woods’ Phone Policy?

We continue to strongly recommend all communication devices stay at home. If your family reaches a decision that your child will come to Muskoka Woods with a device, here is our updated cell phone policy:

If you are a parent of a WILD (6-8) or Venture (9-10) guest:

NEW for 2025: Wild & Venture will be cell phone free!
Parents can connect with their child through program leadership.

If you are a parent of a Junior High (11-12), Senior High (13-14), Crew (15-16) or CEO (15-17) Guest:

Guests will have access to their phones daily after activities end at 5 p.m. until evening program at 7 p.m. outside of dinner time while they eat with their cabinmates.
The cell phone will be required to stay in the Yondr pouch during daily activities and evening program. We recommend that guests leave it in their luggage, but they may carry it with them.
Cell phones will be put back into the Yondr pouches shortly before evening program until the next day.
We encourage you to bring a lock for your luggage if you are bringing a phone to camp

WHAT INFORMS MUSKOKA WOODS’ CELL PHONE POLICY?

While we believe technology makes life easier in many ways, we also want to ensure that connection is at the forefront of all that we do. Our cell phone policy aligns with technology and education expert Richard Culatta’s comments on the Shaping Our World podcast.

We need to think about balance — what activities are appropriate to do given a particular day and in context with the other activities that are happening around us. (Using communication devices) might be appropriate…when there’s not really much going on is very different than when it’s a beautiful day and everybody’s outside.

Richard Culatta

Richard is an internationally recognized leader in technology and learning. He is the CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a non-profit that supports education leaders in 127 countries, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the US Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology.

Listen to the full episode for more information.

“I think that you have to set boundaries. Remember that you are the parent. You know what’s best for your own child. Having said that, it’s not easy. I recognize that we are living in an age, as Jenny said, where it’s an all-or-nothing type mentality of going, ‘Well, my child has to have a phone.’ And that age is getting younger and younger. And the logic is because they’ll be left out. And that’s true. Phones are not going away and you need them to function. But here’s the job as a parent: You need to teach your kids moving forward that in their lives, this is the proper place and time and tool that you can use this technology.

Bob Hutchins

Shaping Our World Podcast

Bob Hutchins is an organizational psychologist with a 20-year career in digital marketing and media culture. He is a an expert in digital technology trends marketing, consumer psychology, and organizational psychology and leadership.

Bob appeared on Season 03, Episode 07 of the Shaping Our World podcast. Listen to the full episode for more information.

HOW THE POUCH WORKS

INSERT PHONE

During the phone-free times, your phone will be placed in a Yondr pouch.

LOCK

Once inside, the pouch will lock but you can still connect to a charging cord or headphones.

UNLOCK

Tap your phone on the unlocking base to use your phone during access times.

FAQ

Can I reach my child while they are at camp?

Yes, though they won’t be able to come to the phone right away, you can call our office at 705-732-4373 to arrange a time for your child to call home.

Why haven't you just banned phones altogether?

Our goal with the Yondr Pouches is to empower youth to gain healthy boundaries with their technology. We believe that technology makes life easier in a lot of ways, and we also want to ensure that connection is at the forefront of all that we do. This unique solution allows us to keep an open dialogue about phone use, acknowledging both their benefits and drawbacks.

Our policy aligns with key recommendations from experts like Richard Culatta, an internationally recognized leader in technology and learning. He is the CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), a non-profit that supports education leaders in 127 countries. Before his time at ISTE, he was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead the US Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology. Have a listen to this podcast for more information.

What if they want to take photos, listen to music, etc?

Guests can bring music devices and digital cameras that will not need to go in their Yondr pouches. No tablets or laptops are allowed. Please keep in mind that Muskoka Woods is not responsible for any personal items that guests choose to bring.

Where will the phones be while they’re in the pouches?

Guests are still responsible for the safekeeping of their phones. We recommend bringing a lock for your luggage, and keeping phones inside them.

If there is still time to be on the phones, should I allow my kid to bring one?

While we recommend a phone-free experience, we recognize that technology is an ever-present part of our lives. It is up to you as a family to determine whether or not your kids bring a cell phone to camp. Our partnership with Yondr identifies this tension, and allows us to ensure that during the important moments of camp, kids are connecting with each other and their activities.

READ: Our tips to talking to your teen about disconnecting while at camp

If you have any further questions, concerns or comments, please call our Guest Relations team to discuss!

We can’t wait to see you this summer!