Have a Family #MyDisconnectDay
Even if you don’t have close access to some majestic National Park… most of us can make an opportunity to slow down once in awhile, and enjoy spending some time in the Great Outdoors.
Doing so as a family can help you reconnect with each other, make some quality memories together, and typically costs next to nothing. We flat out spend too much time staring at screens (all four members of my family are guilty of this… down to the 4 year old borrowing daddy’s iPad), instead of talking, playing, and laughing together. That’s why I immediately loved Cabela’s new #MyDisconnectDay campaign.
What is #MyDisconnectDay?
According to Cabela’s, a Disconnect Day is:
“One day to put down your devices and reconnect with the great outdoors, your family and your friends.”
Watch this awesome, quick video that captures the essence of #MyDisconnectDay… and I think you’ll fall in love with the idea, too:
And if that wasn’t enough to get you to join in on a #MyDisconnectDay of your own, here is a sobering statistic:
The average time American children spend in front of a screen each day = 7 hours.
Ugh. Disturbing.
Hey, if you can’t pull off an entire camping trip – come up with your own version of a #MyDisconnectDay. Pack a picnic and go out for a family adventure day. Go fly a kite. Ride your bike to a park and read a book. Just please take some time for yourself, without a screen. And get your loved ones to join you, too.
It’s hard, I know! Personally, even when I’m without Wi-fi or phone service… it’s still really, REALLY hard for me to not be taking pictures with my phone. (You know, to post to instagram later… it’s a sickness.) So I feel you, I do. But please just try it. Take the pledge, challenge yourself, and sign up to participate on the date of your choice to have your own #MyDisconnectDay.
My Family’s #MyDisconnectDay
I cheated a little in taking these pictures (used my phone), but here are some highlights from our recent #MyDisconnectDay – camping in Dominguez Canyon of Western Colorado.
We had so much fun together, enjoying the outdoors on our Family’s #MyDisconnectDay. I hope you enjoy yours, too!
Cabela’s Giveaway for #MyDisconnectDay
Cabela’s sent my family an awesome Adventure Pack to facilitate some outdoor fun on our #MyDisconnectDay. They also offered to send one of my winning readers this kit, too!
Your Adventure Pack has a retail value of $235, and will include:
- A Daypack
- A Multitool
- Freeze dried macaroni and cheese (or equivalent food)
- Lip Balm
- A Battery Powered Lantern
- A First Aid Kit
- A Pie Iron
- Cornbread or Cobbler Mix
- 4 Cabela’s hats for your family
Open to US Residents, ages 18+. Enter using the form below. Void where prohibited.
*o* *o* *o*
I received some complementary outdoor products from Cabela’s as part of this campaign. All opinions are my own.
Comments (106)
Jen Reed
July 9, 2015 at 4:02 pm
I would like to have a family #DisconnectDay. I think hiking in Colorado anywhere would be nice.
Jeffrey
July 9, 2015 at 4:11 pm
We have a weekend disconnect day already planned in August with the kids. We are staying in a cabin in Hocking Hills, Ohio and will be ziplining and canoeing.
Eugenie
July 9, 2015 at 4:11 pm
We’re going to go for a hike in the Holyoke Range.
Katy S
July 9, 2015 at 5:00 pm
We are lucky to live near national forest areas so will be going on out with picnic supplies. Plan on enjoying the smell of pines, the call of the birds and just the relaxing with each other.
Minta Boggs
July 9, 2015 at 5:08 pm
Actually we already did disconnect day in Wva for the 4rth of July the kids played with water balloons and played corn hole and actually had loads of fun!
Howell
July 9, 2015 at 5:36 pm
We’re going to go kayaking on a nearby lake.
Heather Hardy
July 9, 2015 at 8:35 pm
We are going hiking the beginning of August with the kids by Bear Lake.
Aaron
July 9, 2015 at 9:15 pm
I will spend a day doing nothing in Colorado!
Tara L
July 9, 2015 at 9:28 pm
Yes we are going to the Black Hills in a couple weeks and the kids are not allowed to use any electronics. We will have a cell phone for emergencies.
kyla lockwood
July 9, 2015 at 11:19 pm
I do plan on it…my kids and family will be taking that well needed no electronics outdoors camping hiking trip. In fact we are planning it the firat week of August. We arr going to Willamina falls in oregon
allyson tice
July 9, 2015 at 11:59 pm
We are going to try it on July 16th! We are going to a local lake for the day!! No technology day!! woohoo!!
Audra watts
July 10, 2015 at 12:03 am
I would love to go zip lining
Dorrie Turner
July 10, 2015 at 12:04 am
I think we will try it since we will all in the family have vacation at the same time soon. Going camping in the Shenandoah National Park, is always a blast.
Ann Fantom
July 10, 2015 at 12:47 am
Yes, our family is going to have #DisconnectDay when we go camping in the Catskills next weekend
Kimberly O
July 10, 2015 at 12:51 am
We have a weekend planned at a campsite in NJ in September. Thanks!
Ashley
July 10, 2015 at 12:51 am
We are going to go hiking
Karla R.
July 10, 2015 at 1:06 am
We are going on a hike for the day.
Katrina
July 10, 2015 at 1:36 am
A disconnect day would be perfect! We have been wanting to go camping but the packing and having 3 little kids in a tent. ..it’s all intimidating! I think we will plan a disconnect day.
mrsbrockavich48 (at)gmail (dot)com
Jessica Peeling
July 10, 2015 at 1:50 am
We will definitely do this! I would love to do this anywhere in Maine, where we live currently. There are so many nice outdoor places that it would be hard to choose.
Brittney House
July 10, 2015 at 1:51 am
Yes, we will be going on a 3 day kayaking/camping trip next month in Wisconsin.
lanae
July 10, 2015 at 2:05 am
My fiance and I were just talking about this!! We want to take a weekend and just go hiking on some great trails in northern New York and disconnect from everything!!!
Lee McKeon
July 10, 2015 at 2:58 am
Yes we are going to the grand canyon!
Rebecca
July 10, 2015 at 3:06 am
Our family is renting a cabin for vacation at the end of July! Looking forward to family time!
Kim Reid
July 10, 2015 at 3:06 am
Yes, we will be going to the lake for the day!
tracee
July 10, 2015 at 3:53 am
I don’t know if I’ll plan a day to specifically disconnect, but I will plan a day to hike or camp or canoe for most/all of the day. (Actually, I’ll plan multiple days like that. We try to do those things as often as we can). In the winter, we’ll snowshoe or ski/skijor.
Jenn H
July 10, 2015 at 4:17 am
we do this often but never had a term for it! we love hitting up an old lean to back in the woods behind our property!
Samantha Mills
July 10, 2015 at 8:14 am
Seven hours A DAY in front of a screen? That is a frightening statistic. I guess a lot of that has to do with computers these days, but that just sounds like so much time to me. I definitely plan disconnect days with my little family. We haven’t gotten to get away and go camping, but we will once out little one gets slightly bigger. We do get out to do things though – a day at the lake or the park. We’re planning on going to the lake in a couple weeks again. It’s nice to get away from all the distractions at home and just enjoy each others’ company.
Annette
July 10, 2015 at 11:20 am
I’m going to spend a #DisconnectDay cleaning my house.
Lindsey Khatri
July 10, 2015 at 12:03 pm
We go to our family cabin in northern Michigan. There is no internet and only spotty cell reception so instead we spend the time on the beach, talking, playing games, doing puzzles, fishing and just enjoying nature and each other!
deana
July 10, 2015 at 12:47 pm
I will spend it backpacking with my kids.
Rust
July 10, 2015 at 12:47 pm
I love disconnect days! A day in the garden and yard suits me perfectly, or even a white water rafting trip with my daughter!
Melanie
July 10, 2015 at 1:02 pm
We went to WV and stayed at my grandparent’s camp. We went fishing, climbing, and hiking. So fun!
Carol W
July 10, 2015 at 1:53 pm
I would like to go to the lake for a day. A family picnic and maybe some family games would be great. thanks
Geoff K
July 10, 2015 at 2:10 pm
I’d love to have a DisconnectDay with the family by taking a road trip to a cabin in the mountains and enjoying nature for the day without distractions of technology or media!
Wehaf
July 10, 2015 at 2:19 pm
I would love to have a Disconnect Day but am not sure what we would do or where – I’ll have to think about it.
Dominique
July 10, 2015 at 2:29 pm
It sounds like such a great idea! I love camping with my littles and we can all use a #DisconnectDay!
Tammy Woodall
July 10, 2015 at 3:43 pm
My family would love a #DisconnectDay. I think they are hoping for a weekend at Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, GA.
Julie Murphy
July 10, 2015 at 3:59 pm
we are going to Hannibal
Kelly Maxwell
July 10, 2015 at 4:17 pm
This sounds like an amazing idea and we definitely need to try it. We always have our phones and or tablets close by and we need to get outside more. WITHOUT our devices. I would love for the family to spend the day outside camping, hiking, and fishing.
beth shepherd
July 10, 2015 at 4:42 pm
I love disconnecting days. We play lots of cards and boardgames. Thank you!
Alejandra Corbella
July 10, 2015 at 6:14 pm
I’m trying to convince my family to have a campfire in the forest but they don’t seem to like the idea of disconnect themselves from technology
nickie
July 10, 2015 at 6:47 pm
I would love to have a #DisconnectDay in my garden.
Marnie G (Derrick Todd)
July 10, 2015 at 7:19 pm
We’re planning a #DisconnectWeekend and sending quality time together as a family outdoors.
Bonnie Day
July 10, 2015 at 9:52 pm
I actually do this very often as I love to go to the springs to swim and read I always leave my phone and laptop in the car so that I can relax and enjoy the sounds of nature
Kimberly Bauer
July 11, 2015 at 12:53 am
We are going to take a #DisconnectDay this summer and take the kids camping for the first time.
heather s
July 11, 2015 at 1:02 am
Yes, I like to have a #DisconnectDay at the park
kyl neusch
July 11, 2015 at 1:10 am
have it this weekend at the nearby park
carol clark
July 11, 2015 at 1:44 am
i will try it and were goin to go swimming so its goin to be hard as i have a 17 yr old daughter and my heavens shes glued to it
Katie J
July 11, 2015 at 7:17 am
We will have a disconnect day, spending it at the lake.
Heidi Daily
July 11, 2015 at 1:23 pm
A disconnect day sounds great! We live close to the Appalachian Trail and could spend some time hiking there.
Christina Sparks
July 11, 2015 at 2:57 pm
Yes, and I would spend it at Slide Mountain.
Jan Hammersmith
July 11, 2015 at 3:15 pm
I would like to go camping.
AmySD
July 11, 2015 at 5:01 pm
I would like to go, to the lake, with my family to do some fishing.
Kelly D
July 11, 2015 at 5:36 pm
Yes, I would spend the day hiking with my family during our #DisconnectDay.
Serge B
July 11, 2015 at 6:47 pm
Sounds like a good idea, I would spend it on the beach
Elena
July 11, 2015 at 10:40 pm
We are going camping in Yosemite
Connie Lee
July 12, 2015 at 12:15 am
My family and I would like to try a disconnect day in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Ashley C
July 12, 2015 at 3:28 am
We want to have a #disconnect day at our local state park!
Rita A
July 12, 2015 at 4:25 am
We have tried a disconnect day while in our RV….but my hubby’s phone always rings for his work. They always find him.
deana dietrich
July 12, 2015 at 6:54 am
Our disconnect day is going to be camping at Mt St Helens!
Michelle
July 12, 2015 at 7:19 am
I’m going to spend a #DisconnectDay doing laundry
Laurie Nykaza
July 12, 2015 at 9:45 am
our Disconnect Day will be at the park with a lake and trails to go walk on .
dave
July 12, 2015 at 12:09 pm
Yes, at the Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Amy M
July 12, 2015 at 3:53 pm
We don’t have any immediate plans for a disconnect day, but it sounds like fun. We did similar things when vacationing on the Olympic Peninsula.
Karen Drake
July 12, 2015 at 5:02 pm
I plan to spend a disconnect day hiking in the park.
Tanya devenney
July 12, 2015 at 6:49 pm
my family and i plan to spend the weekend in august in the mountains in upstate sc.
Luna S
July 12, 2015 at 9:53 pm
We love going camping! We are going to go camping next to the lake.
deanna
July 13, 2015 at 12:06 am
We will spend out #DisconnectDay up the canyon hiking to waterfalls. I love this idea!
Cheryl B.
July 13, 2015 at 1:31 am
I recently had my very own #DisconnectDay just last week. I traveled to the Pocupine Mountains and did a major hike.
Jill adler
July 13, 2015 at 7:38 am
my #disconnectday happens involuntarily. When I’m at a hotel in Vegas, when I go hiking anywhere and whenever my battery dies. No need to plan for an extra one! 😉
Jeanna Massman
July 13, 2015 at 7:51 am
I would love to try a disconnect day by hiking on the trails around Tucson, AZ!
Denise Christianson
July 13, 2015 at 11:37 am
I am going to have a #DisconnectDay and go to the beach.
misty w
July 13, 2015 at 2:53 pm
camping in the woods!
Ken C
July 13, 2015 at 3:56 pm
My family loves to hike, Yes we want to siconnect the the giveaway would come in handy.
beth
July 13, 2015 at 4:17 pm
We try to do a disconnect evening twice a month and I think we will try for a day. Probably go to the park and laze around.
courtney b
July 13, 2015 at 5:49 pm
yes we plan on camping this coming winter here in Arizona !:)
Thanks! xoxoxox
LaTanya
July 13, 2015 at 6:03 pm
We are going to a lake that is near our home.
Soo
July 13, 2015 at 6:12 pm
Disconnect Day is such a great idea! I think we’ll try a day at the local lake.
David
July 13, 2015 at 6:23 pm
Neither my wife, our kids or myself have cellular phones, so disconnect day would be a little easier for us because we would only be eliminating internet and TV.
Jessica To
July 13, 2015 at 8:47 pm
I would like for my son and I to do a disconnect day and visit the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Lisa L
July 13, 2015 at 11:06 pm
We had a #DisconnectDay last weekend, we stayed at a walk-in site in a beautiful MN state park. It does the soul good.
Courtney
July 13, 2015 at 11:26 pm
Sounds fabulous! We’d probably go to Eldorado Canyon.
DJ
July 13, 2015 at 11:48 pm
I would love to spend it at a National State Park.
Amber L.
July 14, 2015 at 2:18 am
We are going to Rock Springs in Florida for camping and tubing.
Melissa M
July 14, 2015 at 3:49 am
We are going camping.
Leigh Anne Borders
July 14, 2015 at 3:56 am
I love love love this idea! We are actually having our own disconnect day at the end of July when we travel to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Ellie Wright
July 14, 2015 at 5:18 am
My husband and I took a short trip to the Ozarks last month. We were disconnected for 2 days.
Erica B.
July 14, 2015 at 12:55 pm
I’ll try it when we go to the beach.
Tamra H
July 14, 2015 at 5:31 pm
I would love to try a Disconnect Day! Would be a mental vacation 🙂 Would like to go camping or river rafting!
Ty
July 14, 2015 at 5:57 pm
We should have a disconnect day and I will plan one. We love to go camping and on nature walks but these phones!! lol
Katherine
July 14, 2015 at 7:56 pm
We try to do it at least once a month by taking a short trip to the beach
Paula Michele Hafner
July 15, 2015 at 1:06 am
Yes, we plan to spend it on Skyline Drive in the Blueridge Mountains.
Daniel M
July 15, 2015 at 1:43 am
would hike one of the local trails
Robin W
July 15, 2015 at 3:11 am
I don’t have any plans at the moment…but my hubby and I have them whenever we are together. Totally disconnected and we love it.
joe gersch
July 15, 2015 at 8:51 am
i would go hiking in the mountains
Danielle
July 15, 2015 at 1:43 pm
We do plan on having a disconnect day and it will be at the lake where we will kayak, mountain bike and hike trails.
Nicole Carter
July 15, 2015 at 2:02 pm
I would love to try a disconnect day! I think we would go up to Mount Hood Meadows and visit the beach and hike in the mountains.
Marty C.
July 15, 2015 at 7:05 pm
I’d love to have a family disconnect day; unfortunately, both grown-ups are on call and tied to their devices most of the time. A nice internet outage would be required (Stoopid Google Fiber, always working fine… )
Ashley
July 15, 2015 at 8:13 pm
Kind of, we’re going to Chicago this weekend!
Lisa V.
July 15, 2015 at 10:50 pm
I am an avid backpacker, and I actually spend at least a month a year disconnecting and spending time on the Appalachian Trail (one more state to hike through and I will have completed the Trail).
Lauren
July 15, 2015 at 11:33 pm
I want to spend a #DisconnectedDay at Yosemite.
Valeen N
July 16, 2015 at 12:48 am
We are heading up this weekend for some camping up in the cool Pines!
Rebecca Peters
July 16, 2015 at 1:10 am
Hiking up a mountain with my kiddos
Laurie Emerson
July 16, 2015 at 1:53 am
I am going to use a #DisconnectDay when we go hiking and camping for a week next month. It sounds like such a great idea and a great way for us to really get to know each other without distractions.
tina reynolds
July 16, 2015 at 1:57 am
Yes we try and have a few every month so good for the kids and family. I am thinking a nice walk on one of the long greenways and pack dinner with us #DisconnectDay
mike
July 16, 2015 at 4:32 am
cool gear