A fire needs three things: fuel, heat, and air. The most common fuel is wood—main fuel such as logs cut from trees, and smaller fuel like tinder (twigs, strips of paper, or anything small that burns well) and kindling (branches and twigs about the size of a pencil and no thicker than a finger). Heat, which comes in the form of a flame or spark generated from matches, lighters, friction, or even focused sunlight, should be generated from the smaller fuel, which will then ignite the larger fuel. And of course, fire needs oxygen, so make sure that your fuel is packed loosely enough to allow for air circulation. When there’s not enough oxygen present, the fire goes out, which is why dousing flames with water or smothering a small fire with sand extinguishes the flames.
What you’ll need to build your own campfire
A fire ring, a fire pit, a fire pan, or other temporary fire site
Water or sand to extinguish the fire
Tinder
Kindling
Main fuel (thick, dry wood and logs—the thicker the wood, the longer the fire will burn)
Matches or a lighter
BUILDING THE FIRE
* * *
The first item of business when building a fire is deciding where to make it. Find a spot away from tents, trees with low-hanging branches, or other flammable elements. Once you’ve determined your location, you can begin to assemble your fire. Ideally, you can use an existing fire pit or fire ring. If there isn’t one handy, you can create a fire site yourself. One way is to clear away a space on the ground, dig a pit, line it with small rocks, and then cover that area about half an inch deep with sand or aluminum foil. Otherwise you can use a fire pan, either a store-bought metal pan for the purpose of making fires, or any round metal surface, such as a pizza pan or a trash can lid.
Once you have your site established, place your tinder (the small pieces you collected) in a small pile in the middle of the fire site. Around that, place the kindling, taking care not to pack it too tightly, as your fire will need air in order to burn. Arrange the kindling in a kind of “teepee” format, as though you are creating a small tent around your tinder. Leave an opening so that you can light the tinder, and keep some of your kindling in reserve, so you can add more to the fire as it takes hold.
Using a match, lighter, or your preferred method of ignition, light the tinder and gently fan or blow on it until it becomes a strong flame and ignites the kindling around it. Once the kindling is burning, you can add your main fuel—those large, thick logs that will burn long and bright. Add more kindling to the fire to keep the fire burning, but take care to keep the fire manageable. Also make sure to place your wood carefully, and not just throw it onto the fire.
Once the fire is dwindling and it’s time to put it out, use water to douse the flames completely. You can also use sand, if that is available, to smother the fire. Water is the most thorough method of putting out a fire, and when it comes to extinguishing fires, you definitely want to be thorough. Check to make sure there’s nothing still smoldering, even when it seems like the fire is out. Everything—the fire site, the burned fuel, the area around the fire—should be cool to the touch before you leave. A fire that is carelessly put out, or not put out thoroughly enough, can flare up again.
WHAT TO DO AROUND THE FIRE
* * *
If you have some long sticks or branches handy, and a bag full of marshmallows or a pack of hotdogs, you can use them to cook over the open fire. Skewer a marshmallow and hold it over the flames to toast it—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 branch (repeat)
that you ever did see (repeat)
Well the branch on the tree
And 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 branch (repeat)
there was twig (repeat)
The prettiest twig (repeat)
that you ever did see (repeat)
Well the twig on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And 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 twig (repeat)
there was a nest (repeat)
The prettiest nest (repeat)
that you ever did see (repeat)
Well the nest on the twig
And the twig on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And 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 in this nest (repeat)
there was an egg (repeat)
The prettiest egg (repeat)
that you ever did see (repeat)
Well the egg in the nest
And the nest on the twig
And the twig on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And 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 in this egg (repeat)
there was a bird (repeat)
The prettiest bird (repeat)
that you ever did see (repeat)
Well the bird on the egg
And the egg in the nest
And the nest on the twig
And the twig on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And 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 bird (repeat)
there was a wing (repeat)
The prettiest wing (repeat)
that you ever did see (repeat)
Well the wing on the bird
And the bird on the egg
And the egg in the nest
And the nest on the twig
And the twig on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And 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 wing (repeat)
there was a feather (repeat)
The prettiest feather (repeat)
that you ever did see (repeat)
Well the feather on the wing
And the wing on the bird
And the bird on the egg
And the egg in the nest
And the nest on the twig
And the twig on the branch
And the branch on the tree
And 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.
DARLING CLEMENTINE
In a cavern, in a canyon,
Excavating for a mine,
Dwelt a miner, forty-niner,
And his daughter Clementine.
Refrain:
Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling Clementine
You are lost and gone forever,
Dreadful sorry, Clementine.
Light she was, and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine,
Herring boxes without topses,
Sandals were for Clementine.
Refrain
Walking lightly as a fairy,
Though her shoes were number nine,
Sometimes tripping, lightly skipping,
Lovely girl, my Clementine.
Refrain
Drove she ducklings to the water
Ev’ry morning just at nine,
Hit her foot against a splinter,
Fell into the foaming brine.
Refrain
Ruby lips above the water,
Blowing bubbles soft and fine,
But alas, I was no swimmer,
Neither was my Clementine.
Refrain
In a churchyard near the canyon,
Where the myrtle doth entwine,
There grow rosies and some posies,
Fertilized by Clementine.
Refrain
Then, the miner, forty-niner,
Soon began to fret and pine,
Thought he oughter join his daughter,
So he’s now with Clementine.
Refrain
I’m so lonely, lost without her,
Wish I’d had a fishing line,
Which I might have cast about her,
Might have saved my Clementine.
Refrain
In my dreams she still doth haunt me,
Robed in garments soaked with brine,
Then she rises from the waters,
And I kiss my Clementine.
Refrain
DOWN BY THE BAY
(call and response)
Down by the bay (Down by the bay)
Where the watermelons grow
(Where the watermelons grow)
Back to my home (Back to my home)
I dare not go (I dare not go)
For if I do (For if I do)
My mother will say (My mother will say)
“Did you ever see a whale
With a polka dot tail?”
Down by the bay.
Down by the bay (Down by the bay)
Where the watermelons grow
(Where the watermelons grow)
Back to my home (Back to my home)
I dare not go (I dare not go)
For if I do (For if I do)
My mother will say (My mother will say)
“Did you ever see a bear
Combing his hair?”
Down by the bay.
Down by the bay (Down by the bay)
Where the watermelons grow
(Where the watermelons grow)
Back to my home (Back to my home)
I dare not go (I dare not go)
For if I do (For if I do)
My mother will say (My mother will say)
“Did you ever see a moose
Kissing a goose?”
Down by the bay.
Down by the bay (Down by the bay)
Where the watermelons grow
(Where the watermelons grow)
Back to my home (Back to my home)
I dare not go (I dare not go)
For if I do (For if I do)
My mother will say (My mother will say)
“Did you ever see a fly
Wearing a tie?”
Down by the bay.
Down by the bay (Down by the bay)
Where the watermelons grow
(Where the waterme
lons grow)
Back to my home (Back to my home)
I dare not go (I dare not go)
For if I do (For if I do)
My mother will say (My mother will say)
“Did you ever see some llamas
Wearing pajamas?”
Down by the bay.
Down by the bay (Down by the bay)
Where the watermelons grow
(Where the watermelons grow)
Back to my home (Back to my home)
I dare not go (I dare not go)
For if I do (For if I do)
My mother will say (My mother will say)
“Did you ever have a time
When you couldn’t make a rhyme?”
Down by the bay.
ERIE CANAL
I’ve got a mule,
Her name is Sal,
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.
She’s a good old worker
And a good old pal,
Fifteen years on the Erie Canal.
We’ve hauled some barges in our day
Filled with lumber, coal and bay
And ev’ry inch of the way I know
From Albany to Buffalo.
Low Bridge, ev’rybody down,
For it’s Low Bridge,
We’re coming to a town!
You can always tell your neighbor,
You can always tell your pal,
If you’ve ever navigated
On the Erie Canal.
Low Bridge, ev’rybody down,
For it’s Low Bridge,
We’re coming to a town!
You can always tell your neighbor,
You can always tell your pal,
If you’ve ever navigated
On the Erie Canal.
We better get along
On our way, old gal,
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.
Cause you bet your life
I’d never part with Sal,
Fifteen miles on the Erie Canal.
Git up there, mule, here comes a lock,
We’ll make Rome ’bout six o’clock.
One more trip and back we’ll go
Right back home to Buffalo.
Low Bridge, ev’rybody down,
For it’s Low Bridge,
We’re coming to a town!
You can always tell your neighbor,
You can always tell your pal,
The Daring Book for Girls Page 16