Traditional Camp at Camp Ondessonk | Ages 10-15 | Entering Grades 5-10
Traditional Overnight Camp for Ages 10–15
A full week to explore, belong, and grow.
Camp Ondessonk Traditional Camp is an overnight summer camp in Southern Illinois for ages 10–15. Sunday-to-Saturday sessions bring together outdoor activities, a rustic cabin community, and Camp O traditions. Campers try new skills, make friends, and practice independence with counselor support.
- ACA Accredited
- Ages 10-15
- Sunday–Saturday Sessions
- Rustic Cabin Community
- Catholic Tradition, All Faiths Welcome
A Conversation Guide, Not a Test
Is Traditional Camp a Good Fit?
A camper can feel excited, nervous, and ready at the same time. These questions help your family picture a full Camp O week before selecting a session.
Use this checklist to start a family conversation. There is no score, and answers are not submitted or saved.
Classic Camp O
Adventure With a Purpose
Campers build skills by doing. Counselors guide their unit through a balanced schedule of outdoor challenge, creativity, community, rest, and reflection.
Outdoor Skills
- Nature exploration
- Woodscraft and fire building
- Archery and riflery instruction
Horses and Water
- Age-appropriate horsemanship
- Swimming in Lake St. Isaac
- Canoeing or kayaking on Lake Echon
Community and Growth
- Handicrafts and unit activities
- Council, reflection, songs, and skits
- Challenge activities for eligible senior campers
Activities may change based on camper age, program progression, weather, staffing, safety conditions, and the week's schedule. Campers complete a swim assessment before using deeper-water features.
From Arrival to Closing Campfire
The Rhythm of a Traditional Camp Week
The daily schedule provides structure, while signature evening programs help the unit progress from introductions to shared traditions and celebration.
- Sunday Check-in, unit welcome, Catholic Mass, and opening campfire.
- Monday Activity rotations, new skills, and growing comfortable with the unit.
- Tuesday More activity rotations and the Camp O tradition of Moonlight Gold Rush.
- Wednesday Cook dinner over a fire and camp overnight away from the unit.
- Thursday Activities, unit time, and the Lodge Ceremony.
- Friday Theme activities, Marathon relay, and closing campfire.
- Saturday Pack up, reflect on the week, and reunite with family at check-out.
This is a representative flow. Times and activities may change by session.
Room for Adventure and Rest
What Does a Typical Day Look Like?
Counselors help the unit follow a shared routine, with time for meals, activities, rest, and personal care. This sample comes from Camp’s published parent guidance; the overnight campout and other special programs change the routine.
- 7:45 a.m.
- Breakfast
- 8:45 a.m.
- Morning activity rotations
- 12:30 p.m.
- Lunch
- 1:00 p.m.
- Siesta and rest
- 2:30 p.m.
- Afternoon activity rotations
- 4:45 p.m.
- Free time and showers
- 5:45 p.m.
- Optional prayer service
- 6:15 p.m.
- Flag ceremony
- 6:30 p.m.
- Dinner
- 8:00 p.m.
- Evening program
- 10:00 p.m.
- Taps and lights out
Times and activities may change by session, weather, and program needs.
Where Campers Live
Rustic by Design, Supported by a Unit Community
Traditional campers stay in rustic units, including Camp O’s distinctive three-sided treehouse cabins. Cabins have bunk beds, and the setting brings campers close to the forest. Housing varies by unit; a particular cabin or treehouse is not guaranteed.
- Units do not have electricity. Pack a reliable flashlight and follow the Traditional Camp packing list.
- Units have outhouse-style restrooms and access to nearby shower houses.
- Daily routines include time for showers and personal care.
- Camp’s coed program uses separate sleeping quarters and overnight campout groups for boys and girls under its published housing policy.
- Talk with Camp before registration about mobility, housing, or personal-care needs.
Clear Answers Before Registration
What Traditional Camp Parents Want to Know
The short answer stays visible. Open any question for practical details.
How are Traditional campers supervised?
Camp publishes an approximate staff-to-camper ratio of 1:8 for Traditional Camp.
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Camp Ondessonk is ACA accredited. Staff and volunteers complete screening and child-protection training. Camp’s rule-of-three policy prohibits a staff member or volunteer from being alone with an individual child, and multiple staff members are assigned to unit supervision.
A published overall ratio does not mean one staff member is beside each camper at every moment. Ask Camp about supervision for an individual support need before enrolling.
What happens if my camper feels homesick or does not know anyone?
Missing home is a normal response to being away. Campers can arrive without knowing anyone and still build friendships.
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Encourage your child to help choose Camp, practice a night away, and pack with you. Talk about how to ask a counselor for help. Avoid making an automatic pickup promise for homesickness.
Camp staff respond to homesickness individually and contact families when a more serious concern needs partnership. If separation has been especially difficult, discuss it with Camp before registering.
Can my camper request a friend or a specific unit?
Cabinmate requests can be entered during registration, but a specific placement or unit is not guaranteed.
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Add your requested friends in the registration system. Camp prioritizes friend requests where possible; being in the same unit does not necessarily mean sharing a cabin. Unit assignments are shared at check-in.
What will my camper eat?
Meals are shared with the Camp community. Vegetarian choices and support for medically based dietary needs are described in Camp’s parent materials.
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Provide complete allergy and dietary information. Contact Camp before registration if food allergies, cross-contact concerns, or a restricted diet need a detailed plan. Taste preferences alone do not mean a separate custom meal will be available.
What are the bathrooms and showers like?
Restrooms are outside the cabins. Units use outhouse-style facilities and nearby shower houses.
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Pack a flashlight, towel, toiletries, and shower shoes. Help your camper practice managing their own bathroom and bedtime routine. Contact Camp before registration about nighttime help, bedwetting, or other personal-care needs so your family can understand the available support.
Can I call, text, or visit my camper?
Routine calls, texts, and visits are not part of Traditional Camp. Families can contact the Camp Office about an urgent concern.
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Camp’s parent resources explain letters, Bunk1 photos, and currently available messaging options. Photos show only parts of the day; an individual camper may not appear every day.
Camper cell phones are not part of the program. Camp notifies families about serious illness or injury and other situations that require parent involvement. For an emergency, call 618.695.2489 and follow the after-hours instructions if the office is closed.
What health care is available?
Camp has a centrally located Health Center and procedures for illness, injury, and medication management.
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Complete the required health information and review the current medical instructions before arrival. Bring medications in their original containers and follow Camp’s check-in procedures for handing them to Health Center staff.
Discuss significant health needs with Camp before registration. Read the current parent handbook for medical coverage, emergency care, and parent-notification details.
What happens during rain, heat, or severe weather?
Camp monitors weather and uses emergency procedures when conditions require a change.
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Outdoor plans may change because of rain, heat, storms, or other conditions. Staff give campers directions and move activities as needed. Camp uses its established family communication channels for important updates.
Pack for ordinary summer weather, including rain gear, sun protection, suitable shoes, and a refillable water bottle.
Does my camper need to be a strong swimmer?
Camp uses a swim assessment to determine the swimming areas and features appropriate for each camper.
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Your camper does not need to arrive as an advanced swimmer. Tell Camp about swimming confidence or support needs, and review the current waterfront guidance with your child before arrival. Swimming and boating follow Camp’s activity-specific supervision and safety rules.
Does my family need to be Catholic?
No. Camp Ondessonk is inspired by its Catholic tradition and welcomes campers of all faiths.
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Camp's faith identity shapes its emphasis on community, reflection, service, and care for God's creation. Sunday programming includes Catholic Mass, and optional prayer or reflection opportunities are part of the daily schedule.
Cost and Payment Options
One Camp Experience. Three Pricing Choices.
Every Traditional camper receives the same program, regardless of the rate a family selects. Camp Ondessonk uses a three-tier honor system to help families choose a workable cost.
Rate A
Reflects the estimated actual cost of participation.
Rate B
A partially subsidized rate for the same Camp experience.
Rate C
A more heavily subsidized rate for the same Camp experience.
Plan Payments Around Your Budget
- Log in and make payments according to your schedule and budget.
- To arrange monthly payments, call the Director of Finance at 618.695.2489 ext. 101.
- All balances are due 30 days before your camper’s arrival.
- Review current Early Bird, discount, and scholarship rules. Not all offers can be combined.
Rates and availability change by season.
Review current tuition, session dates, and payment policies on Dates & Rates. Campwise shows the registration options available for your camper. For scholarships, check the application period and process before paying.
For Returning and Multi-Session Campers
Additional Traditional Camp Options
Lodge Camp
Lodge programs have their own age, membership, and session requirements. Compare the current options on Dates & Rates before selecting a program.
Super Camper Layover
Families planning eligible back-to-back sessions can review the supervised layover option for ages 10–16. Check the available weekends and additional cost. Pack for the full stay; camper laundry service is not available.
Start Here
Four Steps From Interested to Registered
You do not need to know every detail before you begin. Start with the session that fits your family, then complete the items that secure your camper's place.
Compare Sessions
Review the current Traditional Camp dates, rates, and payment terms. Choose a session that works for your family.
Open Your Campwise Account
Returning families can use their existing account. New families can follow the account setup instructions in Campwise.
Choose Your Camper and Program
Select the camper and an available Traditional Camp session. Add requested cabinmates and complete the required registration information.
Review Payment and Confirmation
Follow the payment instructions and review your registration confirmation. Contact the Registration Team if you are unsure whether your camper’s place is secured.
Need scholarship assistance? Review the scholarship process before making a payment, and ask the Registration Team about your next step. A saved application alone is not proof of a confirmed registration.
Choose the Week That Fits
Your Camper's Camp O Story Can Start Here.
Find a week that works for your family, then open Campwise to choose Traditional Camp. If you are still weighing readiness, accommodations, or registration details, the Camp O team can help you decide your next step.
Registration questions: 618.695.2489 ext. 131 or registration@ondessonk.com
For over 60 years, Traditional Camps have been the Ondessonk favorite. Traditional Camp allows children to learn and perfect skills like canoeing, archery, riflery, horseback riding, and more. At night, campers roast marshmallows over campfires, take part in songs and skits, or play an all-Camp game of Moonlight Gold Rush. Each unit will also have the opportunity to cook dinner over a campfire and sleep under the stars on Wednesday night. Traditional campers get to live in our unique, rustic units and spend their time at Camp building skills and confidence and making new friends.
Traditional Coed Camp
Age Range: Entering 5th grade or 10 years old – 10th grade or through 15 years old
One of the biggest advantages of Coed Camp is that it mirrors and prepares campers for everyday living! Units on one side of Lake Echon are designated for male campers, the other for females. Overnight campouts and sleeping quarters are gender-specific, with boys and girls supervised by the appropriate gender of staff.
The Traditional Coed Camp schedule includes horseback riding, archery, riflery, council, swimming, nature exploration, handicrafts, woodscraft, canoeing/kayaking, campfires, an overnight campout, marathon, tug-of-war, and much more. Learn more about Camp’s programs and activities.
Super Camper Layover Weekend
Age Range: 10-16 years old
Campers that choose to attend multiple sessions back-to-back may take advantage of the layover program. This two-day, one-night session may include swimming, hiking, and relaxing at Camp, all meals, and other activities under the supervision of Counselors. Campers should pack enough clothes and supplies for their entire stay, as laundry facilities are not available. The layover session is automatically included for O.W.L. campers!