Sing some campfire songs
You’ll need
- Kindling (for example, small sticks)
- Firewood
- Buckets
- Access to water
- Matches
- First aid kit, including for burns
Before you begin
- Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples can be found here. Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
- Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers.
Planning the songs
- Find out who'll be at your campfire and how long the entertainment needs to last. You could choose to sing campfire songs or tell stories. It may be best to plan some extra songs in case time passes quickly. We’ve included some suggestions of our favourite campfire songs below.
- Decide who'll build your campfire, and when they’ll make it. Do you want it to be burning before you start singing, or do you want to sing as the fire is lit and the first piece of wood is added?
- The beginning of a campfire should have songs that draw people’s attention, or songs that people might recognise, so everyone is encouraged to join in. Choose two or three songs to begin your campfire.
- The middle of a campfire should have songs to get everyone energised. Choose songs that are lively and funny, so everyone can join in – songs with repetition and actions are perfect.
- The end of a campfire should let people wind down from all of the fun and excitement. Choose calmer songs – are there any that help people to relax or wind down before sleeping?
- Think about how you’ll lead the songs – do different people want to lead different songs? Will you print any words, or teach people as you sing?
- Once you’ve planned your songs (and perhaps some refreshments), you’re all set to host your campfire.
Creating your campfire safely
- Make sure everybody knows how to be safe around a campfire. You could run our fire safety activities, such as Sitting safely by a campfire, prior to building the campfire.
- A responsible adult should build the campfire safely. You can learn how to build the perfect campfire or you may want to create a fire-free campfire.
- When the campfire is ready, everyone should join in with the entertainment, in whichever way they feel comfortable.
- People may want to sing, take part in actions, do both, or do neither. Remember, you may need to adapt some actions, so everyone can join in.
Putting out your campfire
- Make sure the fire is completely extinguished before leaving it. The coals can still be hot, even after the flames have stopped.
- A responsible adult should pour plenty of water over the coals and stir round some earth with the ashes to make sure it's out.
Campfire songs
Here are some common campfire songs. You can also take a look at our list of campfire songs.
Alice the Camel
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Alice the camel has five humps
Alice the camel has five humps
Alice the camel has five humps
So go, Alice, go
Boom, boom, boom.
Repeat with four, three, two, and one hump(s)
Alice the camel has no humps
Alice the camel has no humps
Alice the camel has no humps
Now Alice is a horse!
You could do this song standing up and linking arms – then, during the last line of the song, people will bump into each other.
Alice the camel has five humps (bend knees and bob down)
Alice the camel has five humps (bend knees and bob down)
Alice the camel has five humps (bend knees and bob down)
So go, Alice, go
Boom, boom, boom (wiggle from side to side in time with the words)
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Campfire’s burning
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Campfire's burning, campfire's burning
Draw nearer, draw nearer
In the glowing, in the glowing
Come sing and be merry.
You can sing this song together, or split into four groups and sing it as a round. To sing it as a round, each group should start the song when the group to their left starts the second line.
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Jelly on a plate
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Group jelly
Jelly on a plate
Jelly on a plate
Wibble wobble
Wibble wobble
Jelly on a plate
Group porridge
Porridge in a pot
Porridge in a pot
Wibble wobble
Wibble wobble
Porridge in a pot
This song creates a fun competition. Split the audience into two groups. One group will be jelly, the other will be porridge. Each side will take it in turns to sing their song normally, and then it’s time for the competition – which group can sing the loudest?
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The Pirate Song
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When I was one I sucked my thumb*
The day I went to sea
I jumped aboard a pirate ship and the captain said to me:
’We’re going this way, that way, forwards and backwards
Over the deep blue sea
A patch on my eye, the sun in the sky
And that’s the life for me!’
*Each time you sing the verse, replace the first line with the next number up, and a rhyme. Here are some suggestions, but you can add your own:
- When I was two – I played a kazoo
- When I was three – I hurt my knee
- When I was four – I shut the door
- When I was five – I danced a jive
- When I was six – I picked up sticks
- When I was seven – I went to Devon
- When I was eight – I high-fived my mate
- When I was nine – I jumped the line
- When I was ten – I found a hen
I jumped aboard a pirate ship (jump on the spot)
and the captain said to me: (salute from the forehead)
’We’re going this way, that way, forwards and backwards (lean to the right, then the left, then forwards, then backwards)
Over the deep blue sea (wave arm in front of you like a wave)
A patch on my eye (cover one eye with your hand),
the sun in the sky (wave other hand across the sky)
And that’s the life for me!’ (slap thigh with hand in celebration)
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Goodnight, Scouts
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Goodnight Beavers*, goodnight Beavers
Goodnight Beaver, it’s time for you to go.
Sadly it’s time to part, time to part, time to part,
Sadly it’s time to part, and to say goodnight.
*Change the audience as you dismiss different groups from the campfire.
This song is great to dismiss part of the audience at a time. With each verse, the person leading the song can dismiss part of the campfire – whether it’s grown ups, Squirrels, Beavers, Cubs, Scouts, or Explorers.
The person leading the song should announce who’ll be leaving next (for example, Beavers), then everyone can sing.
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If you would like to download this video, or play it full screen on mobile, you can watch the video directly on Vimeo.
Yogi Bear
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I’ve got a friend that you don’t know
Yogi, Yogi.
I’ve got a friend that you don’t know
Yogi, Yogi Bear.
Yogi, Yogi Bear, Yogi, Yogi Bear
I’ve got a friend that you don’t know
Yogi, Yogi Bear.
Other verses
He’s got a friend that you don’t know
Boo-Boo, Boo-Boo Bear.
He’s got a girlfriend you don’t know
Cindy, Cindy Bear.
They have an enemy you don’t know
Ranger, Ranger Smith.
They all live in Jellystone
Jelly, Jellystone.
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If you would like to download this video, or play it full screen on mobile, you can watch the video directly on Vimeo.
Boom-chick-a-boom
I said a boom chicka boom
I said a boom chicka boom
I said a boom chicka boom
I said a boom chicka boom
I said a boom chicka rocka chicka rocka chicka boom
I said a boom chicka rocka chicka rocka chicka boom
Uh huh
Uh huh
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
One more time
One more time
[Name of style or person to lead]
This is a fun repeat-after-me song. The person leading the song chants the line, then the rest of the group repeat.
Each time the song is sung, a new style is chosen. This could be louder, quieter, whisper, high, low, underwater style (wiggle your fingers over your lips as you sing), fast, slow or computer-generated.
Flee Flo Fly
Flee
Flee
Flee fly
Flee fly
Flee fly flo
Flee fly flo
Vista
Vista
Coomalah coomalah coomalah vista
Coomalah coomalah coomalah vista
Oh no no no, not the vista
Oh no no no, not the vista
Eeny meeny decimeeny
Eeny meeny decimeeny
Oo-ah loo-ah lameeny zimeeny zalimeeny oo-ah loo-ah
Oo-ah loo-ah lameeny zimeeny zalimeeny oo-ah loo-ah
Ah beat belly oh bo bo do da dee-bah
Ah beat belly oh bo bo do da dee-bah
Shhhhhhh
Shhhhhhh
This is a fun repeat-after-me song. The person leading the song sings the line, then the rest of the group repeat.
Reflection
This activity helped you to build friendships. Did you feel closer to people in your community when you shared the campfire with them? Did you make any new friends? Did you strengthen friendships by sharing memories?
This activity also helped you to be responsible. Were you trustworthy around the fire? What does it mean to be responsible and trustworthy around fire? Did you help others to stay safe and be responsible?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
- Food
Remember to check for allergies, eating problems, fasting or dietary requirements and adjust the recipe as needed. Make sure you’ve suitable areas for storing and preparing food and avoid cross contamination of different foods. Take a look at our guidance on food safety and hygiene.
- Fires and stoves
Make sure anyone using fires and stoves is doing so safely. Check that the equipment and area are suitable and have plenty of ventilation. Follow the gas safety guidance. Have a safe way to extinguish the fire in an emergency.
- Cooking
Teach young people how to use cooking equipment safely. Supervise them appropriately throughout. Make sure it’s safe to use and follow manufacturers’ guidelines for use.
- Outdoor activities
You must have permission to use the location. Always check the weather forecast, and inform parents and carers of any change in venue.
- Flammable items
Always take care when using flammable items, especially if you’re near fire. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines.
- Hot items and hot water
Kettles, cookers and microwave ovens produce a lot of heat by the very nature of them. Caution is needed when in contact with items that have been heated and young people should use them under adult supervision. Use on a suitable surface, protecting it if necessary. Never leave hot items unattended and make sure there’s a nearby first aid kit, with items to treat burns/scalds.
Adapt the songs to your audience. Some songs may have lots of moving around or need people to hold hands or link arms, so you may want to change the actions so everyone can be included.
If you're having refreshments, remember to check your ingredients against any allergy or dietary requirements to ensure everyone can enjoy the recipe. This may mean using alternative ingredients.
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
