Singing songs and telling ghost stories around the campfire are a thing of the past according to a survey by mobile network operator and internet service provider EE.
A study of 2,000 camping and caravanning fans found 37 per cent of the parents polled said their kids consider traditions such as putting up a tent or sitting around a campfire to be ‘boring’. Instead, families are now more likely to gather around in the evening to watch a film together on their gadgets than share scary tales before bed.
As many as 83 per cent of campers and caravanners take their gadgets and devices away with them, with 41 per cent admitting they wouldn’t feel comfortable going away without their phone.
The research, commissioned by EE, found age-old camping traditions are dying out, with six in ten adults having cooked marshmallows over a fire, while just 40 per cent of children can say the same.
The study also found two-thirds of campers rely on their gadgets to keep them updated on the weather forecast, while 51 per cent use the internet and maps to find things to do in the local area. Others update their social media pages on their camping and caravanning exploits, stream music or use a map app to go on walks and bike rides.
Almost four in ten said they would be lost without technology when they went camping, with 56 per cent admitting they enjoy it more with their gadgets to hand than if they were to go off-grid.