INSPIRATIONS - Fire

A collection of practical fire-based activities covering site choice, fire building, lighting techniques, and simple campfire cooking and crafts for outdoor learning groups.

Introduction

Welcome to Muddy Faces Inspirations: bringing together activities & ideas with a specific theme, to inspire your time outdoors playing, learning & connecting with nature. Follow the highlighted links to take you to our step-by-step activity guides.

This inspiring collection of fire-focused activities supports practitioners in confidently introducing fire into outdoor learning. From choosing a safe and suitable fire site to understanding how to build, light and manage a fire, the guidance progresses through essential skills with a strong emphasis on safety, respect and responsibility.

Ideal for Forest School leaders, teachers and group facilitators, these activities help learners develop practical bushcraft knowledge while deepening their connection to the natural environment. Participants can explore the full experience of working with fire, including preparing natural materials, learning different fire lays, and maintaining a steady flame for warmth, cooking or creative projects.

A valuable resource for anyone looking to responsibly introduce fire into group learning, offering structured inspiration while allowing space for exploration, creativity and skill progression.

What you'll need

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Useful items from our shop

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Environmental Considerations

Consider the environmental impact of preparing, carrying out & completing this activity. Could this impact be reduced? Specific considerations for this activity could include:

Health & Safety Considerations

Follow your usual operating procedures and carry out appropriate risk benefit assessments.
Some considerations particular to this activity include:

Please note – each individual activity has its own health and safety considerations and will need your own assessment.

Fire basics

Fires: fire safety guide

A guide to the essentials of campfire safety and points to consider with any fire activity.

Fires: fire area preparation

A comprehensive guide to preparing and building a fire area in an outdoor setting.

Fires: fire pit designs

Pros and cons of a range of different styles & materials for creating your fire pit.

Fire Lighting

Fires: methods of ignition

There are many ways to start a fire. We look at the pros and cons of some of the main ones.

Fires: how to use a fire steel

All you need to know about fire steels (ferrous rods) and some top tips on how to use them.

Fires: traditional flint & steel

Both simple and complicated at the same time - here’s the what & how of flint & steel fire lighting.

Campfire cooking

Fires: building a cooking fire

Many campfire cooking activities need embers to cook on, rather than flames - here's how to prepare your fire.

Make a campfire cooking fork

Make a campfire cooking fork -simple to make and perfect for cooking little tasty treats like pieces of apple!

Using a storm kettle

A step-by-step guide to using a storm kettle aka Kelly kettle.

Scroll to the bottom to download our free pdf: Step-by-Step Guide to Using a Storm Kettle.

Campfire Recipes

Campfire bread on a stick

Freshly baked bread smells even better on a campfire! Here’s a quick unleavened (non yeast) recipe to try.

Campfire baked potatoes

A campfire cooking classic! So simple but ohhhh so yummy, healthy and filling!

Popcorn

Campfire popcorn in a pan

A simple way to cook a large quantity of great tasting (and not smoky) popcorn on a campfire.

Make a sieve popcorn cooker

Cooking popcorn in sieves is a wonderful visual experience - here's how to make your own.

Campfire popcorn in a sieve

Cooking popcorn kernels over a campfire using sieves is a fascinating campfire cooking activity.

campfire craft

Making oak gall ink

A campfire craft activity making ink from earth (oak galls), air, wind and fire - who'd have thought?!

wellbeing

Sitting around a fire is a wonderfully therapeutic and sensory experience; just watching the flames and feeling the warmth from the fire feels timeless and cosy. Obviously you need to move occasionally if the smoke blows in your face!

Having a focal point helps to ease people into conversation.

Sitting around fires is great for storytelling and singing too.

Disclaimer: Muddy Faces cannot take any responsibility for accidents or damage that occurs as a result of following this activity.You are responsible for making sure the activity is conducted safely.