This week at Camp ROGA, our gym was transformed into a secret ninja dojo where young warriors began their journey toward becoming true masters of the ancient arts. Throughout the week, campers trained in their ninja disciplines and crafting skills. Scaling walls, avoiding guards, and having epic ninja battles were on the agenda, and that agenda was filled to a T. With each mission completed, campers grew more confident in their abilities, proving that the greatest weapon a ninja can possess is the courage to try something new. Join us as we look back at an action-packed week of stealth and skill! 

Any good ninja needs the tools of the trade to complete their objectives. Before setting off on their daring missions, our young warriors needed to equip themselves with everything a true ninja could need. Fortunately, Camp ROGA’s dojo was stocked with all the supplies necessary to forge the perfect ninja gear.

To begin their training, every ninja needed a trusty weapon, so campers forged their very own ninja swords. Made from pool noodles with tape, stickers, and rhinestones for personalization, each sword was quenched into the hearts of the campers’ creativity to create the perfect sword for any adventure, quest, or epic dueling session with their fellow campers and coaches. Once their weapons had been completed, campers endeavored to create a legendary ninja companion who would accompany them on their missions. Most ninjas use shadows to create clones, but our campers decided that clay was the more reasonable and lasting building material. Using it, campers sculpted miniature ninjas, their poses and expressions each an extension of the campers’ personalities, one hundred tiny guardians fit to watch over the dojo. Finally, each ninja made sure to deck themselves in the proper attire for their professions. Campers designed and decorated their own ninja headbands, each one a designator of the ninja’s individual style and techniques, honed over their experiences in shinobi crafting. Ninjas endeavor to leave no evidence, but maybe a memento or two would be fine, and the campers had plenty of mementos to bring home by the end of the week.

Before they could earn the title of master of the dojo, campers had to prove their Ninja skills in the gym. The ancient ninja arts take daring to master, a quality that the campers were not lacking in. The first rule of remaining unseen is that people don’t look up, so campers climbed as high as they could, further evading the searching gazes of their pursuers with every foot they climbed. The young warriors scaled towering cliffs to infiltrate enemy fortresses using ROGA ropes and techniques to ferry them over unseen in the dead of… the brightly lit gym. Over on the bars, campers practiced swinging silently between rooftops, one failed smooth pull-over away from being captured by guards. Across the balance beam, ninjas carefully crossed narrow bridges suspended high above rushing rivers, enemy samurai snapping at their heels the whole way over.  On the floor, campers trained their agility by leaping over obstacles, rolling beneath traps, and launching themselves into the safety of the foam pit as they perfected the perfect ninja escape. With their pursuers left thoroughly in the dust, the ninjas raised their arms in celebration, a salute in recognition of their acceptance into the ranks of the dojo. 

Although the greatest of Ninjas can go seven days and seven nights without eating or drinking, asking that of our new ninja trainees did not feel fair. So, after long days of climbing, tumbling, and sneaking through the dojo, we invited the young warriors to gather and enjoy a collection of ninja-inspired snacks that kept their energy high for the challenges ahead. Our ninja chefs ensured new culinary creations every day, carefully prepared to fill each ninja up with the energy needed for another thousand kicks, jumps, and flips.

Healthy eating is an important aspect of ninja life, so we made sure to provide campers with plenty of fruits so that they might grow big and strong. One of the ways that we provided this was with colorful fruit skewers whose skewers resembled mighty ninja swords. To provide something a little sweeter but just as tasty, we uncovered mysterious pudding cups disguised with tiny ninja masks, each one hiding a delicious pudding interior below its mask of shadows. A cheesier alternative came in the form of baybel cheese, which also hid its delicious interior under a mask, though its uniform was made of wax. Finally, to make sure they were ready to fight off any samurai even during snack time, campers chowed down on edible nunchucks made from fruit roll-ups and string cheese.

Now to put all of their hard-earned skills to the test, we set our warriors on one final, impossible mission: the Hidden Water Temple Trials. Within this ticky temple were sneaky water traps to avoid, surprise ambushes to foresee, and streams of water jutting from every which way that only the most acute of ninja reflexes could dodge. Campers weaved through flying water balloons and surprise splashes, relying on their many skills and tools of the trade to stay afloat. Water balloons might not look like shurikens (and they might not hang on bandoliers like them either), but the little ninjas were certainly throwing them like that. Eventually, however, even the makeshift shurikens had to run out, and when they did (and the young ninjas finally emerged victorious), they could finally enjoy some time cooling off beneath refreshing sprinklers before taking a well-earned break in the kiddie pool. 

As another unforgettable week at Camp ROGA comes to a close, we couldn’t be prouder of all our young ninjas and everything they accomplished. Mastering new skills is an important part of becoming a ninja warrior, and gymnastics is a great way to learn them, but it is also something that each camper could take home with them to improve their future endeavors and show off to their family. And the confidence that comes with those new skills goes without saying. We hope these memories inspire them long after camp ends, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back for another exciting adventure next week! 

Shadows stretched across the dojo as a new mission began, Ninja Challenge Week at Camp ROGA! One by one, eager recruits tied their headbands and stepped onto the training grounds, ready to unlock their inner warriors. Each day brought new trials: weaving through obstacle courses with speed and stealth, balancing with precision high above “danger zones,” and testing strength in challenges that demanded every ounce of focus. Between missions, ninjas crafted their own gear, sharpening not just their skills but their spirit. With every relay, every leap, and every perfectly landed move, the recruits grew stronger, braver, and more determined. By week’s end, the dojo was filled not with campers, but with a new generation of Ninjas, trained, tested, and triumphant.

The one thing that Ninjas need most is agility, so in order to foster and grow the ninjas’ abilities, their Masters threw them into a frenzied all-or-nothing competition! In this game, the Ninjas had to compete against their fellow trainees in a game of never-ending tag. As opposed to normal tag, in this game, everyone is “it,” and it’s a free-for-all to see who can tag the most people and still be standing. Anyone tagged must sit down or do exercises, but if the person who tagged you was tagged, then you were back in the game. This was not only an ultimate exercise of dexterity and agility, as tagging without also getting tagged in the process was a fraught and complicated affair, but also the ultimate exercise in perception and judgement. As more people were tagged and sent from the game, more and more people waiting to come back in were scattered like mines across the playing field. At any moment, a Ninja waiting in the shadows (out of the game) could leap out from behind the young Ninjas in training and end their time (in the game).

Ninjas had to look out for hidden threats, take out their enemies, and dodge their retaliation at the same time, making the whole game incredibly competitive and high-stakes. Many times, standoffs ended with both combatants being tagged from behind by sneakier and opportunistic Ninjas, so it was important to always keep an eye on your surroundings. The further the game went on, the more teams formed, people making pacts with each other to only tag those around them. But be careful! Some Ninjas might promise not to tag you, then tag you from behind when you are not looking. By the time the dust had settled, the Ninjas were left exhausted but with many new skills and experiences for the times ahead.

To get themselves equipped for the challenges ahead, the Ninjas had to assemble their equipment. One piece of equipment they procured was the pocket snake. This snake was meant to be hidden in the robes of the ninjas, waiting for the perfect moment, when the ninja would send it out as a distraction or a weapon. Campers would have plenty of ways to customize their snakes for whatever situation they needed them for. Some campers gave their snakes camouflage for stealthy infiltrations, and some made them as flashy as possible to attract as much attention as possible to make for better distractions. Whatever their design philosophy, the snakes provided plenty of menace, silliness, and cool factor depending on what was needed. 

The Ninjas also put the craftsmanship learned here to use in creating a number of other crafts, such as picture frames and paintings. For the picture frames, Camp ROGA decided to take pictures of each of the little Ninjas the day before and develop them, ensuring that each Ninja would have a photograph to start their physical albums off.    

Agility and perception are all well and good, but all good Ninjas know that stealth is a Ninja’s best friend. To train this, the Masters of the Ninjas in training devised another training activity. In this game, the Ninjas would be tasked with infiltrating a base and sneaking up on an enemy samurai. The Ninjas would have to stay out of the Samurai’s sight while they approached them, and if the Samurai turned around to look at them, they would have to run out of their line of sight or remain very still to fool the Samurai. In order to achieve victory, Ninjas would have to tap the Samurai on the back without getting noticed. The ninjas had to be sneaky, but they had to be fast, too! If the samurai got to their destination without all the Ninjas sneaking up on them, all the remaining Ninjas would be out. During the game, the person playing the Samurai would be switched out frequently, and each would have different strategies to catch the Ninja. Some would walk quickly to the objective, some would turn around constantly trying to catch the Ninjas, and some played it somewhere in between. Ninjas had to rely upon the knowledge they had of their teammates to know who would do what in order to choose the optimal strategy for victory. Sometimes, people who constantly rushed the Samurai would come out victorious; sometimes, those who played slowly would prosper. It all relied upon the stealth and judgment of the little Ninjas, both of which would constantly grow with every round.

To better get across buildings (and to pull off some stylish tricks), the little Ninjas also dedicated themselves to the study of acrobatics. One set of students decided that what they wanted, more than anything else, was to learn how to do a front handspring. These students had some gymnastics experience, but had thus far never done one before. To help them, their Masters (coaches) helped them prepare by using mats, barrel mats, and other preparatory exercises before sending them off to the Tumbl Trak. It took the Ninjas many tries and several rounds of advice, but eventually everyone in that group had managed to pull off a front handspring. With a round of cheering from their fellow Ninjas and coaches, the athletes left the Tumbl Trak on the top of the world with a valuable new skill acquired.

Even the fiercest ninjas need to refuel, and Camp ROGA made sure our warriors-in-training had plenty of stealthy snacks to keep their energy high. Here’s what was on the menu during Ninja Challenge Week:

Banana Sushi – With a quick slice and roll, bananas became “sushi” wrapped in crunchy cereal. Sticky, sweet, and just the right amount of silly—this treat had ninjas lining up for more.

Ninja Sword Mix – Veggie straws, pretzels, and Cheetos joined forces in a crunchy mix that looked like a bundle of Ninja swords. Our recruits crunched their way through this snack like true warriors, defeating hunger one bite at a time.

Ninja Pudding – Hidden in plain sight, this pudding came in clever disguises—just like a Ninja! Campers enjoyed uncovering the secret treat before devouring it.

Popcorn Power – No mission is complete without popcorn, and our Ninjas munched their way to victory with bucketfuls of this classic camp favorite (plus plenty of seconds for the hungriest warriors).

Fresh off their refueling, the Ninjas were sent to one last training session, tying together all the skills they had gained along the way. The obstacle course tested their agility, dexterity, and stealth as they leapt through hoops, high-stepped across the ladder, and crept beneath the detection ropes. All the while, they raced side by side, determined to prove their speed and sharpened instincts. The competition was fierce, but by the time the last Ninja crossed the finish line, the cheers and high-fives showed that victory was shared by all.

This week’s Water Day gave our Ninjas the perfect chance to put their stealth training to the test. Usually, Water Day is all about splashing, relaxing, and cooling off under the sun—but not this time. Our clever recruits had a mission: turn the tables on their coaches. Armed with buckets in hand, Ninjas crept up behind their unsuspecting targets and unleashed surprise attacks that sent water flying. Chaos erupted in a storm of shrieks, laughter, and soggy reprisals, but when the splashing settled, the coaches were drenched head to toe. Victory, at last, belonged to the Ninjas!

With their training complete and challenges conquered, our Ninjas slipped back into the shadows tired, proud, and armed with new skills, sharper instincts, and unforgettable memories from the dojo. While their missions may pause for now, the adventure is far from over. Next week, the dojo transforms into a kingdom of wonder as Camp ROGA dives into Disney Magic Week, where imagination takes center stage!