This Overnight Camp in Silver Lake has Welcomed Campers Since 1946
Some of the best childhood memories are made at summer camp. Campfires, s’mores and songs are shared with new (soon be lifelong) friends. And when it was time to bid a sad farewell to campmates and counselors, we’d return home with a bolstered self-esteem and renewed confidence.
Grace Adventures in Silver Lake – near the sand dunes and Lake Michigan – offers both traditional camps and ranch camps for horse-lovin’ kiddos. Camps are one week with the exception of a half-week for the youngest group (ages 7-9).
While Grace Adventures was saddened to cancel their summer camp season in 2020, they are enthusiastically preparing for running safe summer camps in 2021!
Your child will enjoy new friendships in a safe environment guided by positive role models. They will build self-esteem and grow spiritually through daily worship activities. And you can’t ask for a better backdrop for outdoor activities than the Lake Michigan sand dunes.
Grace Adventures Summer Camp
Grace Adventures wants kids to have the perfect fit for their summer camp experience. That’s why they offer two different camping options: traditional camps and horse camps.
Each is packed with fun activities and groups campers together based upon age. Multiple age ranges offer camps simultaneously, so siblings can attend camp at the same time.
Traditional Camps
Grace Adventures overnight camps provide both traditional camp activities like archery and swimming and spiritual activities including Bible studies and chapel.
Here’s a snapshot of a typical camper’s schedule:
| Camp Schedule |
|---|
| 7:45: Rise & Shine, Cabin Clean Up 8:15: Breakfast 9:00: Chapel 10:15: Activity Groups 12:00: Lunch 12:45: Activity Groups 2:15: Free time 3:30: Personal Quiet Time 4:15: Songs, Skits, and Sillies 5:00: Dinner 6:00: Cabin Bible Studies 7:15: Large Group Game 8:15: Cabin Campfires 9:00: Cabin Time 9:45: Lights Out |
- Ages 7-9: Discovery Camp – Half-week camp to try new things and make new friends. Activities include swimming, s’mores (yay!), and slingshot.
- Ages 9-11: Explorer Camp – Build on previous skills while learning new ones. Activities include archery, bouldering wall, and dune hike.
- Ages 11-12: Challenge Camp – Serious and silly challenges. Activities include archery, tubing, and zip line.
- Ages 12-14: Rustic Warriors – Boys only. Your son will sleep in a tent on a rustic island! Activities include sword/shield making, dune rides, and a river trip.
- Age 12-14: Treasure Seekers – Girls only. Focuses on inner beauty. Activities include archery, spa night, and talent show.
- Ages 13-15: Venture Out – Team challenges with high energy. Activities include air band, ropes course, and sand boarding.
- Ages 14-16: Pathfinder Camp – Combines traditional camp experiences with Biblical leadership training. Activities include target sports, sand dunes, and evening worship.
- Ages 16-17: Quest – Students are challenged to be leaders. Activities include evening chapels, Biblical leadership training, and overnight out trip.
Horse Camps
The horse action happens at Paradise Ranch, close to Grace Adventure. These camps blend a traditional camp experience with a ranch lifestyle.
Kids learn fundamentals of Western riding, horse care, and have Bible lessons.
- Ages 7-9: Cowpoke Camp – Half-week camp for new campers and beginner horse riders. Activities include horse care, wagon rides, and banana boat.
- Ages 9-12: Trail Blazers – Campers learn the fundamentals of horsemanship. Activities include trail rides, arena lessons, and cattle herding.
- Ages 12-14: Range Riders – Your kid will bond with other horse-loving kiddos! Activities include roping, barrel racing, and trick mounting.
- Ages 14-16: Ranch Pathfinders – Students develop servant leadership while enjoying horsemanship activities. Activities include riding lessons, cattle sorting, and evening worship.
- Ages 16-17: Ranch Quest – Campers must have already attended a Pathfinder camp. Activities include trail rides, riding lessons, and an overnight out trip.
Family Camping & Horseback Riding Options
Grace Adventures encompasses much more than overnight camps, with both family options and more equestrian activities:
Paradise Ranch hosts the horse camps, but there are other options for non-campers. Riding lessons start at age seven ($25 for one hour, $40 for two hours, and $50 for three hours) and Parent-Child Retreats ($129) are scheduled for long weekends in August and September.
Have kids younger than seven? While too young for overnight camp at Grace Adventures, you can camp as a family. Dunes Harbor is a family campground with campsites, cabins, and rental RVs. Families can enjoy dune rides, swimming, crafting, and movie nights.
Onsite amenities include a playground, heated pool, and ice cream shop. Reserve your campsite here.
Technology Usage at Camp
Grace Adventures strikes a balance between staying connected with your child, while keeping campers engaged with camp and distanced from technology:
Campers & Technology
No cell phones or devices are permitted at camp. Campers benefit from no screen time in many ways:
- Spending more time outside connects them with nature
- Being active reduces anxiety and stress
- Cultivating meaningful friendships improves emotional and social health
- Trying new things expands their horizons and bolsters confidence
Parents Stay Connected
While the kids are unplugged, parents are still very much connected with their child’s activities.
Grace Adventures provides parents with an online account to view daily photos of campers. You can also send one-way emails to your kiddo.
Staff Member Training & COVID-19 Safety
Grace Adventures is licensed by the State of Michigan and makes safety a priority through comprehensive training and vetting of all staff members. They also have extensive experience (75 years!) in running safe summer camps:
| Health + Safety Measures |
|---|
| – All potential staff members are screened, interviewed, reference checked and background checked. – Once hired, all staff members undergo intensive training over multiple weeks prior to camp start. – Lifeguards are certified through the Red Cross. – A Health Officer is onsite at all times. – Grace Adventures also recognizes the importance of new protocols to address COVID-19. You can read their mitigation plan here. |
Financial Aid is Available
Don’t let finances stop you from sending kids to camp. Need-based scholarships are available for all camps. In 2019, over $28,000 was given to 230 scholarship recipients. Fill out the scholarship application here.
Additional Discounts are available:
- Sibling Discount: $25 off second child, $50 off third child, and $75 off fourth (or more) child.
- Bring-A-Friend Discount: $30 off first friend, $70 off second friend, and $120 off third friend. And who doesn’t want to attend camp with their besties? Friends can request to be bunked together in the same cabin.
2021 Summer Camp Registration is Open
Grace Adventures is enrolling campers for 2021 now. Act soon before all spots are taken! Refunds are available if your family encounters a COVID-19 related issue and cannot attend.
Click below to get started:
Partner Info
2100 N Ridge Road
Silver Lake, MI 49436
FACEBOOK | (231) 873-3662
