Safely roasting marshmallows

Learning about campfire safety for kids is a must prior to any campfire around young children. It’s also one of my biggest fears so it helps me to have a plan in place to prevent any accidents.

Campfires and camping go hand-in-hand, and can be great experience. The smell of the smoke, making s’mores, telling spooky stories, and stargazing are all things I love while gathering around the fire. However, campfires can be extremely dangerous if proper precautions are not taken.

Campfire Safety for Kids

Here’s a list of tips and things to talk about with your children before being around a campfire. This is for personal safety as well as to prevent forest fires.

Educate kids about the seriousness of a campfire

Play a pretend campfire game with kids to teach them about the fire

No rough housing, running or playing around the fire

Create a do not cross line to be aware of the appropriate distance

Adult supervision is required at all times especially for roasting marshmallows

Do not throw things into the fire

Walk behind chairs rather than in front of chairs to prevent tripping into the fire

Stop, drop and roll if anything does catch on fire

Campfire Safety for Adults

Now for the adults. These tips can help you create safe campfire experiences.

Build your fire in an appropriate area. I only use a designated firepit, but for others that may be backpacking, follow these rules by Smokey Bear.

Throw all matches in the fire or make sure they are cool before throwing away

Abide by any fire bans. Especially here in Colorado, a dry season can create a big fire hazard.

Don’t let the fire get too big

Do not use fire accelerators like lighter fluid or gas

Do not leave the fire unattended by an adult

Wear tight fitting clothing to prevent loose sleeves from getting into the fire. Better yet, wool is most fire resistant fabric while cotton is one of the most flammable.

Stay sober. I know I talk about our camping cocktails, but seriously, here at Outdoorsy Mommy, I promote camping responsibly. Know your limits and keep your wits about you.

Make sure the fire is out before going to bed, by letting burn it out, then dowsing with water until the ashes are cool.

Keep a large bucket of water, blanket and fire extinguisher nearby

In Case of an Emergency:

As mentioned earlier, teach stop, drop, and roll

Know where the closest emergency room is located

Remove all clothing from burned skin. If it is stuck, cut as much clothing away as possible, and leave anything stuck to skin in place.

Place a cool towel over a burn until you can get to medical attention

See if your camp-host has a satellite phone for faster medical attention

These Smokey Bear coloring sheets can also help with your education as well as provide a fun camping activity.

Do you have any other campfire safety tips?