I'm old fashioned. You can have your laptop to do homework and read books online but no other play only electronics on any type of vacation. We have an Uno game, deck of playing cards and portable backgammon/chess and checkers set for "interactive" play. Mad Lib books are fun too especially for long travel time. Learning to live semi unconnected is more relaxing and focused to your surroundings in my mind.On our first trip with our triplet boys in January, 2017, we let our boys bring their iPads. They never used them at the parks or brought them to any of our meals, but used them at night or in the morning, or for down time. On that trip, they were 7–nearly 8, and while there were some moments where they asked to go back to the room for a break, and we knew it was an iPad break, it was rare. For the most part, they didn’t detract from our visit. This Trip, though, DH and I don’t even want them to have the option to use them. They will be 9–nearly 10, and seem to be more into iPads and gaming then a couple years ago. Are we wrong to take the stance “No iPads at all on this trip”? Our rationale being that we are spending a lot of money and don’t want them even tempted to waste it on an iPad. My biggest concern with not bringing them at all, though, is that it did serve as a means for DH and I to get ready for the day, pick up the room, whatever else needed to be done in the morning or evening, or while we were waiting at the airport. I have visions of missing a flight or even a flight delay for hours with no way to entertain them.
I finally gave up and bought DGD a basic phone when she was 11 y/o. This year at 13 she got an iPhone simply because our phone carrier messed up the family account and offered it as a mea culpa along with 3 months free service.
Everyone has to parent in the manner they feel most comfortable with and this works for us.