Okay parents, the Ozark Day is action-packed, high energy, all-out fun from morning wake-up to lights out. Campers can’t stop, won’t stop having a blast all day long. What’s incredible is that this schedule listed below has had very little tweaking since the 1980’s. So, to say the Ozark Day is tried and true is an understatement!
Here’s what the typical Camp Ozark Day looks like…
7:20 AM Wake-Up
*Rise & Shine! Campers are greeted with wake-up music on the PA system, which is always on-theme with the special event for the day.
7:35 AM Morning Show
*Goooooood morning, Camp Ozaaaaark! Campers sit with their cabin and are treated to a hilarious, upbeat (yet informative) show about what’s coming up for the day—complete with skits, performances, a birthday clown, and a tooth fairy!
7:55 AM Breakfast/Cabin Clean-Up
Time to fuel up for the day! *Check out this blog for more on breakfast foods offered at Camp Ozark. Now, Cabin Clean-up may not be as fun as the blobs, but it lasts just long enough to make sure dirty clothes are put away and the cabin is ready for the day.
*Note: meds are given in line outside of the dining halls before breakfast, lunch, dinner, and at the Health Center at bedtime.
8:55 AM Team Competition
*Gosh, my kids might say this is their favorite part of the day. Campers are put on the red Caddo team or blue Osage team. Campers play a competitive game to earn points for their team. It’s only a small part of the day, but it’s been so impactful in teaching my kids some real life lessons – Camp Ozark calls them the Three Flames: Maximum Effort, True Sportsmanship, and Maximum Enthusiasm.
10:15 AM Chill-Out
*Just like it sounds—time to chill! Grab a cold drink from the store or jump in the cool waterfront!
10:50 AM First Activity
11:35 AM Second Activity
12:20 PM Third Activity
*Camp Moms and other staff are out and about in between classes to help campers find their way. With more than 150 activities to choose from, campers create a schedule that is unique to their interests. The best thing is that kids can choose activities in the spring through the MyOzark Dashboard, but if they get to camp and decide to make a change, no big deal. Ozark allows them to change the first few days of camp so they will find something they definitely like!
*Note: one day during the session, your camper’s cabin (with their counselors) will spend a day at the Lake! All cabins go to the lake, no sign-up required. Check out the incomparable Ozark Lake Program at Lake Ouachita—it’s amazing!
1:05 PM Lunch
*Here’s a helpful blog with info about the lunch options at Camp Ozark.
*Note: Counselors will stop by the Camp Post Office to pick up mail right before Rest Period. Click here for details on the Parent to Camper email system. This is a great way to ensure your camper has mail!
2:00 PM Rest Period
*Yes, built in down time! Campers can write letters, play card games, read, or nap in their cabin.
3:00 PM Mish Mash
*Mish Mash is afternoon free time and is the #1, undisputed, absolute, favorite time of the day for campers. Fully supervised, but fully free! Campers can choose any activity, no sign-ups required. 2+ hours of pure fun!
*Note: Typically, one cabin counselor is assigned to work a Mish Mash duty (like lifeguarding) and the other counselor will be un-assigned to a duty, so they are free to play with the campers. Meaning, the counselor who isn’t working will plan with campers who aren’t sure what to do during Mish Mash. In the youngest cabins, counselors pay particular attention to be sure all campers have a buddy for Mish Mash if they want one.
5:20 PM Dinner
*Sometimes dinner is combined with the Special Event—like a picnic for Red, White, & Blue and a full turkey and dressing dinner served family style for Christmas.
6:45 PM Lifeline/Primetime/Ozone
*Campers attend an age-specific, non-denominational worship service with their cabin and have a blast jumping, singing, watching skits, and hearing a brief message . Camp Ozark’s spiritual emphasis is based on the theme “First Is Third.” Being F.I.T. means that by putting God first, others second, ourselves third, we actually come in first in the “race of life.”
7:30 PM Special Events
*Okaaaay, now it’s time to party! Camp Ozark goes all-out to make each and every night truly special with a different themed event—we’re talking music, snacks, games, fireworks, inflatables, costumes…all fun, all on-theme! Western Night is an all-time favorite and kids go crazy for Planet Ozark. Check out this link for more details about Special Events.
*Note: One night towards the end of the special event, campers are surprised with a secret second event—Mission Impossible! The Mission Impossible theme song begins out of nowhere and the campers just love it! They stay with their cabin and complete a seemingly impossible (wink, wink) task to receive a prize.
9:00 PM Devotional/Showers
*Campers call this time “devo.” Their cabin counselor will lead them in a discussion about what they learned earlier at Lifeline/Primetime/Ozone. It’s a great time of reflection and an awesome part of building those special camp friendships. It’s a good slowed down time as the campers prepare for bedtime.
10:00 PM Lights Out
*Whew! What a day. Let’s do it all again tomorrow!
To learn more about different parts of the Ozark Day, check out the videos on the Ready, Set, Camp! webpage.
