6 Fun Family Campfire Traditions
1. Ghost Stories. We’ve all heard about this creepy campfire activity, but have you passed it down to your own kids? Perhaps you don’t remember the ghost stories from your youth, or you could use a little help with some new ghost stories your kids haven’t heard a thousand times! Check out American Folklore – which has a section designated to ghost stories, one for spooky campfire stories and one for supernatural romance. Or try these books: 50 Real American Ghost Stories and Creepy, Book 1.
2. Campfire Songs. Of course you’ve probably sung a campfire song or two in your day. This tradition is still a great one for kids to take part in. If you’ve gotten rusty over the years, there are a lot of sources that can help you out. The site Songs for Teaching has a section devoted to campfire songs both silly and traditional. Bonus: along with the written lyrics, you can also play either the vocal or piano musical tune! If you play the guitar, you might like a book of lyrics and chords, like this one, so you can learn to play along!
3. The Great Cookout. If you’re spending time at home during your summer vacation, you could designate a day for “The Great Cookout.” Come up with a menu for the whole day comprised entirely of meals that can be cooked over the campfire! If you’re sick of the age-old hot dogs and s’mores, here are some ideas for campfire breakfasts, here are more hardy meals, and here’s some sweet treats you’ll definitely want to try! Let everyone participate in the planning process, from picking the meals, to shopping for ingredients. Then cook together and eat outside.
4. Campfire techniques. Use your campfire as a teaching tool for the family. Each time you make a fire in your pit or while you’re camping, try out different techniques. For instance, try different methods of stacking the wood to build the fire. Did you know there are actually 9 different ways to light a fire without matches? Try each one! Make a few different “fire starter kits” and test them out to see which work best. Your kids are guaranteed to remember all they’ve learned with you around the fire!
5. Roast new things. Sure, you’ve roasted hot dogs on a stick and probably marshmallows as well, but have you ever roasted a Starburst and eaten them when they’re bubbly and warm? Or fruit kebabs – with strawberries and pineapple? How about roasting campfire cones or banana boats? There are a ton of things your kids can have fun roasting, so why not switch it up and try roasting new things each time? Here are a few savory ideas of what to roast.
6. Family Meeting. When everyone’s gathered together around the campfire, feeling safe and cozy, it can be the perfect time to have a “family meeting.” Your family meeting can be personalized to your family’s needs – there are so many ways to incorporate this idea. You could have each person take a turn talking about the positive things that happened that week. Or let each person talk about something that’s bothering them and come up with solutions together. Or you could incorporate a religious devotional into your campfire night. Let someone else plan a message or scripture each time you gather by the campfire. Another possibility is to take turns having each person talk about their faith and what they believe in. You may even want to incorporate a “talking stick” to pass around – when someone holds the stick, it’s their turn to share!
Kimberly Mueller is the “me” over at bugaboo, mini, mr & me, a blog that highlights her creative endeavors. She especially likes to share kid crafts, sewing attempts, recipes, upcycled projects, photography and free printable gift tags/cards. When she’s not enjoying being married to her best friend, chasing after the natives (AKA her three kids) and attempting to keep the house in one piece, you can find her with a glue gun in one hand and spray paint in the other. Aside from DIY pursuits, she also enjoys writing, reading, music, singing (mostly in the shower) and the color yellow. Kimberly recently published a craft book entitled Modern Mod Podge. You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest,Bloglovin’ and Instagram. Email her at: bugabooblog(at)yahoo.com
More summer ideas:
Camping Breakfasts Camping Desserts Camping Crafts
Kimberly Mueller is the “me” over at bugaboo, mini, mr & me, a blog that highlights her creative endeavors. She especially likes to share kid crafts, sewing attempts, recipes, upcycled projects, photography and free printable gift tags/cards. When she’s not enjoying being married to her best friend, chasing after the natives (AKA her three kids) and attempting to keep the house in one piece, you can find her with a glue gun in one hand and spray paint in the other. Aside from DIY pursuits, she also enjoys writing, reading, music, singing (mostly in the shower) and the color yellow. Kimberly recently published a craft book entitled Modern Mod Podge. You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin’ and Instagram.
