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—if you have some handy, graham crackers and a chocolate bar can turn toasty marshmallows into delicious s’mores. Or break out the hotdogs and buns, spear a dog with your branch, and roast it to perfection. A campfire is also the perfect setting for singing songs and telling ghost stories. Once you’ve had your fill of s’mores and hotdogs, crack open your copy of this book (which you of course packed with you on your camping trip) and check out the following pages for campfire song lyrics. Also, see our tips on telling spooky ghost stories later in this book.

Precautions and tips

Check with the local firehouse or Park Ranger to see if campfires are permitted. Often you will need a permit to make any type of open fire outside—even in your own backyard.

Clear the fire site before you start and after you’re done. You don’t want to leave a mess behind—or anything that could potentially start another fire.

Never use flammable liquid or aerosols on a fire.

Build your campfire far enough from your tent and other trees and low-hanging branches so that stray sparks won’t start a fire outside the pit.

Do not build your fire on peat or grass.

Don’t pick up burning wood.

Wind can spread fire quickly, so make sure to build your fire in a place shielded from gusts.

Campfire Songs

SINGING SONGS TOGETHER is a fun way to pass the time around a campfire, on the school bus, or in the car (“John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt” is especially fantastic for annoying your parents on long trips). Here are some of our favorites from summer camp and family sing-alongs.

In addition to these, other great campfire songs include “Puff the Magic Dragon,” “Do A Deer,” “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” “Take Me Out To The Ballgame,” “Goodnight Irene,” “Michael Row Your Boat Ashore,” “There Is a Hole in the Bucket,” “On Top of Spaghetti,” “Red River Valley,” and “This Land is Your Land.”

JOHN JACOB JINGLEHEIMER SCHMIDT

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,

His name is my name, too.

Whenever we go out,

The people always shout,

There goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.

Dah dah dah dah, dah dah dah!

John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt,

His name is my name, too.

Whenever we go out,

The people always shout,

There goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt.

Dah dah dah dah, dah dah dah! (repeat endlessly)

(variations: sing the verse as soft as possible and the “dah dah dah” part as loud as possible; sing the song in an “opera voice”; sing the song in an impossibly slow tempo, then sing it again incredibly fast; after singing the song over and over, stop as if you’re done, then bust out another round when your friends/parents/camp counselors least expect it.)

KUMBAYA

Kumbayah my Lord, kumbayah

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbayah

Someone’s singing Lord, kumbaya

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbayah

Someone’s laughing, Lord, kumbaya

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone’s crying, Lord, kumbaya

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone’s praying, Lord, kumbaya

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbaya

Someone’s sleeping, Lord, kumbaya

(repeat three times)

Oh Lord, kumbaya

Oh Lord, kumbaya

GREEN GRASS GREW ALL AROUND

There was a hole (There was a hole) in the middle of the ground (in the middle of the ground)

The prettiest hole (the prettiest hole) that you ever did see (that you ever did see)

Well the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And in this hole (repeat)

there was a root (repeat)

The prettiest root (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And on this root (repeat)

there was a tree (repeat)

The prettiest tree (repeat)

that you ever did see (repeat)

Well the tree on the root

And the root in the hole

And the hole in the ground

And the green grass grew all around and around

And the green grass grew all around.

And on this tree (repeat)

there was a branch (repeat)

The prettiest