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ROGA Blog: Camp ROGA: Ninja Challenge

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.

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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).

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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.

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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. 

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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.    

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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.

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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.

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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).

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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.

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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!

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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!

Camper holding water balloons and roaring fiercely at ROGA summer camp

ROGA Blog: Camp ROGA: Ninja Warrior

Summer rolled on this week at Camp ROGA, and our Ninjas in training rose to every challenge for Ninja Warrior week! From climbing ropes to crafting gear, every activity helped build strength, focus, and confidence. Whether they were swinging through the air or creating something by hand, these Ninjas were learning, growing, and having a great time along the way. Here are just a few highlights from another awesome week at Camp ROGA.

Activities and games at Camp ROGA summer camp.
Activities and games at Camp ROGA

This week, our Ninjas took on a different kind of warrior, the Samurai. Samurai Coach Payton faced the Ninjas during one of our end-of-day group games, playing Samurai and Ninjas. In this game, the Samurai stands in the middle of the team floor, guarding his treasure from any would-be thieves. The Ninjas would then try to sneak past the Samurai without being seen, standing still, or hiding behind a block or another Ninja whenever the Samurai turned to look at them. Any Ninja caught would have to return to their base to regroup and try again, but they had to hurry! There was only so much treasure to go around, so Ninjas who were caught had to make up the distance they had lost before other Ninjas beat them to their prize. This game was action-packed and was one of our campers’ favorites this week.

Two girls building a block tower at Camp ROGA summer camp.

After their theft of the treasure, the Ninjas had to find a place to hide their ill-gotten gains. To do so, they engaged in one of our other games for this week, Build The Secret Hideout. Here, the Ninjas would take blocks from the ROGA foam pit and use them to build a tower to hide their treasure, racing to see who could build the tallest and sturdiest fort before the Samurai came to take their treasure back. Our precocious Ninja teams employed numerous different strategies. Some opted to build tottering single block spires as high as they could, to hide their treasure away from the prying eyes of the Samurai. Some built stocky and sturdy towers, many blocks wide, within which they would hide their hidden hoards. One of the more successful strategies involved a combination of these methods, where campers would first construct a sturdy base, then make the tower gradually more narrow as it went up. Regardless of tower-building strategy, though, when it came time to relocate, the Ninjas had a lot of fun tearing them down.

Two boys climbing the Ninja Rig at Camp ROGA summer camp.

While agility, stealth, and speed are the classic traits of any great Ninja, true warriors also need courage, determination, and a strong grip. Enter Theo. One of the training stations our ninjas participated in was a rope climb, which stretches up 25 feet to the ceiling of the gym. All our Ninjas gave the rope a good attempt, and some made it impressively high, but Theo wanted to outdo them all. Hand over hand, and foot over foot, Theo moved steadily upward, slowly at first, but gaining speed and confidence all the way. Theo’s feat of endurance did not go unnoticed either, as a crowd of spectators would gradually form at the foot of the rope to watch him make his climb. At one point, every camper in the gym was waiting with bated breath as he reached towards the ceiling, and when he slapped it, there was a thunderous cheer. Theo then slid down from the rope to the floor in a truly gracious motion, where his friends waited to say congratulations.

A girl on uneven bars and a boy practicing handstands at Camp ROGA summer camp.

Theo’s accomplishments were the talk of the dojo, but other Ninjas would not let him hog all the spotlight. Earlier in the week, another camper, Jordan, set before herself the task of jumping from one uneven bar to the other. She has seen athletes perform similar tasks in the Olympics, and confirmed with the Coaches that it was possible, but she had never tried it before the week had started. However, the fear of the unknown had no sway over Jordan, and she fought past her initial nervousness of the task day after day, until finally, on the third day, she succeeded. What made Jordan’s moment of accomplishment legendary wasn’t just the leap itself; it was also the patience, persistence, and the absolute confidence of a Ninja who never gives up. Jordan and Theo weren’t the only campers who accomplished something truly wonderful during camp; they were just a couple of those that I saw. Many more students this week took a step forward into the unknown, seen or otherwise, that might have changed them more than they knew. We hope to keep giving this opportunity to more campers as the summer barrels onwards.

Girls showing off their Ninja pouch craft at Camp ROGA summer camp.

In the quieter parts of the Dojo, our Ninjas were hard at work crafting new gear to add to their stealth kits. One of these pieces was the Bottomless Ninja Pouch, each of which was crafted to resemble its Ninja users. Above, you can see one camper in the process of putting the final touches on her own pouch, readying it to carry important other parts of her Ninja gear. Designs like pictured were quite popular, but were far from the only ones that campers made. One design I made note of had 9 eyes, and another had three scarves. One camper even decided to seal her pouch and its contents away forever (with glue) so that none could ever glimpse her secrets again. 

Campers showing off their Substitution Dolls at Camp ROGA summer camp.
Campers showing off paper ninja stars at Camp ROGA summer camp.

The pouches were a good start, but what use was infinite storage if you had nothing to fill it up with? Luckily, Camp ROGA had a steady stream of gear to fill the pouches to the bursting. Two such pieces were the Ninja Stars and the Substitution Doll. First, the Substitution doll. This craft was one of the more difficult ones of this week for the campers, as they had quite a few parts (beads, hollow straws, pipe cleaners, etc.) and a lot of directions on how they should be put together. However, our campers’ diligence and patience paid off, as by completing their doll, they could use the Shadow Substitution technique. This technique calls for great speed and misdirection abilities, as Ninjas used the dolls as a distraction, throwing them before vanishing in a flash, leaving only the doll where they stood. This technique mystifies coaches and delights campers with their newfound abilities of evading detection. Also pictured are some of the Ninja stars our campers made, throwable objects requiring great precision and skill (and needing to be aimed away from other Ninjas). Camp ROGA provided one design for campers to decorate as they please, but some Ninjas decided to spend some long hours in the workshop and create their own designs in a stunning display of ingenuity and creativity. 

Ninja themed snacks at Camp ROGA summer camp.

All of these activities were hard work; even Ninjas need refueling every so often, and we made sure they got it. During our themed snack break, campers were treated to two fun, camp-favorite creations that brought a little extra excitement to the day. First up: Ninja Clementines. These peeled oranges had faces drawn on the rinds and little black bandanas (made with fruit by the foot) wrapped around them, turning each one into a sneaky citrus warrior. Even Ninjas have to get all their vitamins, and dressing them up can make a healthy snack a fun experience. Also pictured was our ROGA Camp “Sushi”. This treat was made from Rice Krispies bars rolled in fruit by the foot, with a Swedish Fish tucked inside to look just like a piece of sushi. Campers loved how they looked, but even more how they tasted.  

Camper holding water balloons at Camp ROGA summer camp.

After a week spent training and arming up for battle, our Ninjas were raring for a battle of the ages, and the opportunity came on Thursday with our weekly end-of-camp Water Day. Camp ROGA always keeps a large stockpile of reusable water balloons, but this week the Ninjas were playing for keeps. Alliances were formed, and sides were chosen as Ninjas scrambled to stockpile as many water balloons as they could for their own armies. As supplies grew scarce, raids were mounted on opposing camps to claim their water balloons for themselves. Pictured above is one warrior as she prepares to charge into an enemy camp along with all her brothers and sisters in arms. The battle would be long, gruelling and filled with uncertainty, with betrayal taking place regularly, and with both sides claiming victory in the end. But one thing remained clear as the dust settled: everyone had a lot of fun.

Group photo of campers at Camp ROGA summer camp.

And with that final climactic battle, Camp ROGA Ninja Warrior week came to its conclusion for the 2025 season. Many memories were made and challenges overcome. The energy and teamwork we saw this week reminded us why summer at the gym is such a unique experience. We are proud of our Ninjas and hope you will join us next week as we take on an Amazing Race Around the World!