Overnight Camp

Rockford, Michigan at Camp Roger Campus

4-DAY OVERNIGHT CAMP

(entering 1st – 5th grade in the fall)

This half-week session is an introduction for younger children to Overnight Camp at Camp Roger. Campers will have a full schedule of outdoor programming including swimming, nature hikes, a cookout, chapels and cabin devotions, an all-camp game and campfires. Your child will have exposure to a variety of camp activities with the goal of facilitating independence away from home and building friendships. While packed with fun, there is also extra staffing, structure and attention to help your child have a successful, developmentally appropriate camp experience and move toward becoming a lifelong camper.

Check-in is at Camp Roger between 12:45 pm and 2:00 pm on the day the session begins. Pick-up time is between 9:30 am and 10:30 am on the last day of the session.

8-DAY OVERNIGHT CAMP

(entering 3rd – 9th grade in the fall)

The 8-Day Session is the full Overnight Camp experience and the best value. Campers have an entire week to learn new activities, bond with their counselors and cabinmates, and grow in their faith.

The 8-Day Session includes the most epic camp games, a campout in the woods, and a closing night Honors Campfire program. The campout is a highlight of the session that really strengthens the friendships in the cabin and creates some great memories. All cabins will have an opportunity to cook over a fire and sleep in tents. Older cabins will go on a backpacking or canoeing adventure off camp property. Sunday has its own special program including a worship service, picnic, and activities like SNATI (Sunday Night at the Improv). The 8-Day is the classic Camp Roger experience that has been a staple since 1941!

Check-in is at Camp Roger between 12:45 pm and 2:00 pm on the day the session begins. Pick-up time is between 9:30 am and 10:30 am on the last day of the session.

Sample Daily Schedule

View a sample daily schedule for Overnight Camp

Camp Roger Facilities

To view the Camp Roger Rockford campus facilities, take a virtual tour, or see the cabins and lakefront, go to our campus page.

In addition, check out the latest videos and photos from Summer Camp here.

Common Overnight Camp Questions

How are cabin assignments made?

At Camp Roger, campers are grouped in cabins by gender and grade. Campers are welcome to request one to two cabinmates. As long as cabinmate requests are within two grades of each other (for example, 1st -3rd or 4th-6th) they will be placed in the same cabin. Please be aware that the older child may be placed with younger campers. Because making new friends is an important goal at Camp Roger, we cannot necessarily honor requests of large groups of campers to be together. For campers who do not request cabinmates, we take care to assign them to cabins in which there are other campers who have not requested cabinmates as well.

My camper is coming without a friend. Will that be okay?

How will my camper be cared for at bedtime?

Nighttime is a wonderful time at Camp Roger. We take our time and enjoy this part of the day. Our counselors explain the things that need to happen before the campers sit down for evening devotions. There is a bedtime checklist which includes such things as brushing teeth, going to the bathroom, washing hands and face, and putting on PJs. Once everyone has completed these tasks the campers gather on carpet squares in the middle of the cabin around a candle for a time of devotions, prayer, and conversations about the day. This is a great time in which campers learn more about who they are as a child of God and how to build a deeper relationship with him. Once devotions wrap up, campers will head to their bunk and the counselors will check in with each of them. There is always a counselor in the cabin or just outside the cabin by a light if campers are having trouble sleeping and need someone to talk to.

My camper occasionally has a night time accident or wears pull-ups. How will this be handled?

This is a fairly common occurrence, and our counselors know how to handle this in a discrete manner. Campers can take Pull-ups into the bathroom stall and put them on at bedtime. In the morning they can change out of them in the bathroom stall and throw them in the garbage can in the restroom. If an accident occurs campers can quietly let their counselor know. Any wet clothes can be put inside their sleeping bag, and when all the campers are out of the cabin doing their morning activities our nurse will wash, dry, and return the items before campers return from their activities.

What if my child gets homesick?

We want every camper to have a positive experience at camp. To help ensure that, our counselors are extensively trained to help comfort a child who is missing his or her home and family. We work with campers to get them involved in activities and help them find things that they enjoy doing to more fully experience camp. Our head counselors and other support staff encourage them and develop strategies specific to the camper’s personality that will help them have a fun and successful time at camp. If a camper is having a particularly hard time, we will not hesitate to call a parent so that we can work together to help the camper.

Will someone make sure my child will put on sunscreen and bug spray?

What if my child cannot swim?

Because we need to know each camper’s swimming ability, we do a swim challenge on the first day of camp. Campers are supervised by counselors in the water while they swim from one side of the swim area to the other. If this is difficult for them, a lifeguard is in the water, ready to help them across. Our swim zone is clearly divided into a shallow end and a deep end. If a child finishes the swim challenge successfully they will be allowed to swim in either section. If not, the camper will be able to still go swimming, but will play in the shallow end. Campers all swim with a buddy and we do buddy calls every 9 minutes. Our waterfront is fully staffed according to the guidelines required by the state of Michigan and the American Camp Association.

What if my child leaves some belongings at camp?

Lost and found items are gathered on a daily basis and displayed at meal times on the fireplace mantel. At the end of each session, lost and found items are gathered and displayed in central area on closing day. All items left are then cleaned and stored until the end of the summer season. Parents/guardians may contact the camp office and arrange a time and date to pick up any lost items or pay the cost of shipping if we need to mail them to you. At the end of the summer all items are donated to charity.

What if my child has special dietary needs?

Camp Roger will be providing menu alternatives for various mild to moderate food allergies (ie, nuts, gluten, dairy, soy, egg), as well as, vegetarian menu options for campers. Our Special Foods Coordinator will handle food preparation for these campers and will provide safe menu alternatives that are similar to what is being served on the menu. This staff member will receive allergy training and certification through ServSafe. It is important to note that campers with allergies will be eating next to others who may be eating something they are allergic to. If your child has a life threatening allergy, please give us a call to discuss if Camp is a safe place for them.

This service will be offered to those attending our Overnight Camp sessions and our Wilderness Trips. Due to the higher cost of offering these foods, an additional fee will be charged: $25 for 4-Day and $50 for 8-Day, Pioneer and Voyager.

This system replaces the need for parents to provide supplemental food for their child; therefore, we will no longer accept food items for your child. We feel this system is safer and easier for families. We will do our best to coordinate these meals along with our existing menu while caring for your child’s dietary restrictions. If you have further questions, please feel free to contact us.

What should I expect when checking-in or checking-out my camper?

Check-in times are from 12:45pm to 2:00pm on the day your child’s session begins. The check-in process will take anywhere from 45-60 minutes. When arriving at camp anticipate a wait in your car. Many campers are excited to get to camp so they wait in line before the gate is opened. You will be shown where to park and go either up to Girls Hill or to Boys Hill. Here your child will be given a brief health screening, which includes a lice check. Next you will be greeted by counselors and shown to the cabins. After helping your child get situated in their cabin, you will go to the lodge for any remaining things to do for registration (paying your balance, handing in health forms and medications, making camp store deposits). This is also a time to shop in the camp store. Pick up is from 9:30am – 10:30am on the last day of your child’s session. You will once again be shown where to park and your child will be waiting for you in their cabin. You may again shop in the camp store and check to see if there is any camp store money left in your child’s account.

Is there a waitlist for registration? How do I get on it?

If a session is full we will post that on the website. If you are still interested in that session please call the camp office at 616-874-7286 and ask to be put on the waitlist. We will take your name, number and child’s information and put you down in the order that we receive calls. As openings become available, we will contact you. If there are other sessions that your child is able to attend, it is a good idea to register, even if you are on the waitlist for a session. If the session you are on the waitlist for opens up, you can always cancel the other session. It is just a good idea to have a back-up because we cannot promise that the waitlist campers will be called.

Are there any health checks that are required before my camper comes to camp?

A health history form completed by a parent or guardian is required each year for each camper. A doctor’s visit and signature is not necessary. Upon arrival your child will go through a brief health screening which will include a lice check. Please allow us full access to the child’s hair by removing braids,etc. We recommend checking, and treating your child if necessary, before arrival. (If lice is found, treatment options will be discussed.) If your child has experienced any illness or injury close to the start of the session, please notify us.

What health care is available for my child while they are attending camp?

Camper safety is very important to us and so we go above and beyond what is required by the State of Michigan and the American Camp Association. While accidents and injuries are infrequent occurrences at Camp Roger, we are prepared just in case. We always have a Registered Nurse on staff. We have a doctor that is on-call in case advice is needed. We are also blessed to be just two miles down the road from an EMS station. Our counselors are trained to take good care of campers, but if it requires more than a bandaid and a hug, they know the nurse is there to help them. The nurse also manages all camper medications. (Please remember to bring them in the original bottles!) Parents will turn in all medications to the nurse at the start of camp. The nurse will then make sure the medication gets properly dispensed and documented. Campers who are heading off site on a backpacking trip or on a campout are accompanied by a staff member trained in First Aid and CPR. Campers going on Pioneer and Voyager trips are sent with a staff member who has received extensive training and is a Wilderness First Responder. If you have additional questions about how camp would handle your child’s needs, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.