How do you like to enjoy a campfire?
It’s nice to relax while watching the flames or chat with your friends, but it’s also fun to put on performances or play games together!
In this article, we’ll introduce some activities you might want to try during a campfire.
Along with skits, songs, and dances, we’ll also share plenty of easy games that everyone can enjoy—be sure to use them as a reference!
- [Campfire] Carefully selected fun games recommended for recreation!
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Performances to liven up a campfire (1–10)
It fell, it fell.
This is the “Ochita Ochita” (Falling, Falling) game, which is also often used as a recreation activity in kindergartens and nursery schools.
Everyone sings, “What fell?” and then reacts based on the answer: for “apple,” put both hands out in front; for “fist,” put your hands on top of your head; for “thunder,” hide your belly button, and so on.
You can add your own twists too—like making a sour face for “pickled plum,” or striking a wish-making pose for “shooting star”—and enjoy it with a free, creative spirit.
Doing it around a campfire, in that out-of-the-ordinary atmosphere, makes it even more exciting than usual.
They say the same things and do the same things.
“Say the same, do the same” is a fun game that engages both body and mind.
The leader says, “Say the same, do the same!” and then calls out one of left, right, forward, or backward.
Players follow the leader’s instruction.
For example, if “forward” is called, you jump forward while saying “forward.” The game offers various versions and difficulty levels, such as “Say the opposite, do the opposite” and “Say the same, do the opposite.” Please enjoy adjusting it to the players’ ages.
Piyo-Piyo-chan
Let me introduce “Piyo-Piyo-chan,” a recommended activity for campfire games.
It’s played by splitting into a parent bird and the piyo-piyo chicks.
Adults take the role of the parent bird, and the children become the piyo-piyo chicks.
It starts with the call-and-response, “Piyo-Piyo-chan!” “Yes?” Then the parent bird says, “Can you do this and that?” while moving their body.
The piyo-piyo chicks reply, “We can do this and that!” and imitate the parent bird’s movements.
If they can copy the moves without making mistakes, they succeed!
Child of Abraham
With its unique lyrics and a gentle, easy-to-remember melody, “Abraham’s Children” is an unforgettable hand-clapping song.
Try singing and playing it with all your energy around the campfire.
When the song reaches the parts that call for physical reactions, exaggerate your movements and go big.
As the number of body parts to move keeps increasing—by the time you get to “your bottom!!” and finally “spin around!!”—everything gets delightfully chaotic, which is exactly what makes it so much fun for the kids.
Rock-Paper-Scissors Train
In scenes where people gather around a campfire, you often have a mix of ages, right? In those situations, a game using rock-paper-scissors lets anyone join easily.
You pair up and play rock-paper-scissors; the loser lines up behind the winner.
Repeat this to form an ever-longer line—simple rules.
The person at the front at the end is the champion, so preparing a prize could make it even more exciting.
The more participants you have, the longer—and more entertaining—the line looks.
Let’s go hunt wild beasts.
For a setting where people are gathered around a campfire, the game “Let’s Go Hunt Wild Beasts” fits perfectly, doesn’t it? The leader calls out the name of an animal, and everyone has to form groups matching the number of syllables in that name; anyone who can’t join a group is out.
It’s a simple game, but the catchy chant and easy movements leave a strong impression, and the fun comes from the sense of unity among participants.
It starts to feel like the flow leading up to each prompt is more important than the game’s content itself.
While there is a win-or-lose aspect, it’s the kind of game that makes you want to focus on getting everyone excited together.
Wink Killer
A game where you enjoy bluffing using winks.
First, choose the culprit by drawing lots or similar.
The culprit winks at someone when they make eye contact; if only that person notices, they drop out and the game continues.
You keep enjoying the mind games until either someone other than the target accuses the culprit, or everyone except the culprit has been eliminated.
In a dim setting, like gathered around a campfire, winks are harder to spot, which raises the difficulty and makes it more fun.
Haizuka
It’s a dance where participants circle around a central campfire while singing.
It’s said to originate from a pre-battle ritual of Indigenous peoples in Canada, and the stirring sense of exhilaration is quite striking.
The movements and the song are very simple, so it’s easy for anyone to learn, which is part of the fun.
It’s nice to build a sense of unity among participants by moving steadily to the music, but it might also be interesting if the leader suddenly picks up the pace midway through the song.
Where are you from?
“Antagata Dokosa” is famous as a temari (handball) song.
As children, we often played a game where, in time with the song, whenever the lyrics hit the syllable “sa,” you lift one leg and pass the ball under it.
At a campfire, why not try a recreation where, on each “sa,” you slap your own thigh with your left hand and the right thigh of the person on your right with your right hand? Once you get used to it, switch to different poses instead of the thigh slap or speed up the tempo—surprisingly tricky even for adults, and guaranteed to get everyone excited!
Evolution Rock-Paper-Scissors
A situation where people gather around a fire outdoors is something you don’t often get to experience.
In a game with repeated matches, participants can deepen their interactions and enjoy it even more.
Evolution Janken is a game that incorporates rock-paper-scissors, so it’s easy for anyone to understand.
The simple rule is that by winning at rock-paper-scissors, you gradually evolve into bipedal walking in stages.
Originally, you start face-down and evolve into bipedal walking, but since you might get dirty outdoors, it’s better to adjust the growth stages and enjoy it that way.