Material you can use for skits: a roundup of recommended acts for campfires
The performances held during a campfire are called “stunts.” The unique atmosphere of gathering around a fire outdoors creates a different kind of excitement from performances held in a brightly lit room, which is part of their appeal.
Here are some easy-to-use ideas for stunts at campfires.
It’s important to plan the program while considering the balance and sequence of calm and active elements—ranging from activities that get everyone moving to more relaxed segments focused on talking or watching.
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Material you can use for skits: A roundup of recommended acts for campfires (1–10)
chorus
How about layering your voices in a large group to feel a sense of unity? It’s a classic activity whenever people gather, but doing it in the unique atmosphere around a campfire lets you experience a special excitement that’s different from everyday life.
Rather than formal choral pieces, songs that match the scene—like children’s songs themed around night or fire—are recommended to really highlight the mood.
Don’t focus on choral perfection; value the act of blending your voices with friends sharing the same moment and nurturing a shared sense of togetherness.
One-Minute Game
It’s a game that tests your focus, letting you feel the unique atmosphere of flames flickering and rising with your whole body.
At the starting signal, everyone stops talking and concentrates, then measures one minute using only their own sense of time.
Each person quietly raises their hand when they think a minute has passed, and the one closest to the actual one-minute mark wins.
By stopping conversation and quietly sensing the passage of time, you can really take in the sound of the fire burning and the calm night air.
Birthday chain
A classic icebreaker activity where you try to convey your intentions without speaking and see if it works.
Using only facial expressions and gestures, participants communicate their birthdays to each other and aim to line up in order of their birth dates.
During a campfire or skit, the only light may be the flames, making it harder to see others’ expressions and raising the difficulty.
Since everyone stops talking and proceeds in silence, it’s an activity that really lets you feel the quiet nighttime atmosphere and the sound of the fire burning.
Material you can use for skits: A roundup of recommended performances for campfires (11–20)
God of Fire
This is a classic skit used when lighting the flame to mark the opening of a campfire.
You enter carrying a torch as the god of fire, kindle the flame in a sacred atmosphere, and create the sense of leaving everyday life behind.
A key point is that there’s no set costume for the fire god—choose attire that, in your own way, conveys something sacred and other than human.
You can emphasize the mysterious mood with exaggerated lines, or go in a different direction by using no lines at all to make it eerier.
There are many ways to have fun with it.
Gesture Game
This is a game where you express a given theme using only gestures without making any sounds, and see how much you can convey within the time limit.
It’s a simple game, but if you play it in situations where faces are hard to see—like around a campfire or during a stunt—the difficulty goes up and it can get really exciting.
Precisely because facial expressions are hard to see, body movement becomes crucial to convey the theme, so be mindful to make bigger, more deliberate motions.
It’s a game where you can enjoy noticing which parts of the theme each person focuses on and how they choose to express them.
Yamanote Line game
It’s a party-game classic where you line up words that fit a given theme to a steady rhythm.
While it’s a word-focused game, the unique, firelit setting really heightens the mood.
Because it’s hard to read each other’s expressions, everyone tends to concentrate more, trying to catch what words others put down.
Staying on beat and choosing the right words matter, but we recommend approaching it with the mindset of enjoying a conversation.
ring passing through
This is a team-based game that fosters a sense of unity through cooperation within each team.
Players stand in a single line holding hands, and the rule is to pass a ring—hooked onto one end of the line—along the chain; teams compete to see which one can move the ring to the other end the fastest.
The key to winning is how you move your hands to let the ring travel smoothly and how efficiently you communicate that intention.
If you play it as a stunt in a situation where facial expressions are hard to see, it may further heighten the concentration needed to convey your intentions.