Campfire Stories

Ranked #38 in Culture & Society, #1,093 overall

Tales to put a stitch in your side or make the hair on your neck stand on end! A good story told around the campfire has got to be one of life's most unsung pleasures.

Out in the fields a few early crops are in as Spring is in full swing. Green for the growing things and row upon row of rich earth from the tractors. There's not a cloud in the sky as bats flitter across our star filled night. Now is the time when the rough globes of light from campfires are cast. Gather everyone around.

It's time to tell campfire stories!

A Brief Introduction

A hand picked collection of campfire stories collected from a few of the dustier corners of the web.

If you decide you want to tell stories, well I think that makes you someone special! All I can say on the subject is: practice, practice, practice. Never become discouraged. Search out and investigate other storytellers to become a better storyteller yourself. Any story you take the time to tell around the campfire will be time well spent.

Have you ever heard of an overabundance of storytellers?

Glow Sticks

Look out! Flying glow sticks!

Want to be the center of attention come nightfall? Bring a package of these well priced glow sticks for sharing and you won't be left alone until they are all gone. If you are camping, before bed bring them into the tent and put them in the loops for the gear loft - no waking up in the dark!


For some fun try a knockoff of 500. Spin the glowstick around on the lanyard, release it and call the points you'll award. If the glowstick is caught they get the points. All that's needed is an open field.

Free shipping is always nice so check out if it's offered. Keep looking if not.
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Hints on How to Tell Stories

I think being a good storyteller is achieved much like being a good musician. Practice. To be exceptional you need to put all of your heart into the telling. This is a time when you want your listeners to be immersed in the moment, so act like it. Take several hours (or days, months and years) and listen to the pro storytellers. Tone, delivery, cadence and inflection are a good part of the tale being told. What you aren't seeing is also important: hand gestures, arms flapping and silly faces. What your body says is an unspoken language that can make or break your tale.

I've gathered a small group of web resources that might help bring out that storyteller in you. The information ranges in depth from one page to entire collections of articles.

Many sites stream audio and a few offer podcasts or downloads. Richard Martin has an excellent website where you can listen to an accomplished storyteller. You can try using storyteller websites as a place to train yourself. If you want to get serious look for workshops and classes to attend that are offered. Do a search for storytelling workshops in your city/state.

No time to learn a story? Don't sweat it. Practically all of the collected stories are easily printed to be read aloud around a dancing campfire.

You'll have a great time...
The Storytelling FAQ
Maintained by Tim Sheppard. I found this at Richard Martin's old website. Check his new one Tell a Tale and hover over resources for more help. From across the pond, a fully loaded FAQ page! Includes phone numbers - feel free to ring them up - just remember the time diff!
Aaron Shepard's Tell a Story
A short guide to story telling for those brand new to this entertaining campfire tradition. Only five pages long, sink your teeth in! Many of his stories are linked to below.

Yet more help from Aaron here.
The Campfire Stories Handbook - Story Telling
More tips on story telling gathered by The NetWoods Virtual Campsite, Steve Tobin, Campmaster. Steve put together many good stories and topped it off with tips. I can't link directly to the area in the page so you'll have to scroll down a bit more than halfway. A lot of work I know, but worth it.
Wenzel Story Telling Tips
Honest to goodness, Wenzel has a page on how to tell stories. Short, sweet and to the point you get an outline to work with - you noodle the rest!
Storyteller.net - Articles
A group of articles, mostly about storytelling but a little of this-n-that too. There is information here for all levels of storytellers, be ye a novice or accomplished.

Campfire Pyrotechnics

Just below are some fun products like color flame crystals. It does exactly like it sounds, adding blues and greens to the reds and golds that occur naturally. Here's an example:

flame crystals 1


Brilliant blues and purples were seen in the fire's heart after the main display was over. If you want to add some razzle-dazzle or heck, just wanna have some fun, toss some of this into the flames. If you're like me you might just empty the whole thing in one night! Use when your fire is at its largest and cheeriest.

You can save a bundle on glow sticks. When you get asked how they work here is an easy explanation.

Fellow lensmaster All Things Michigan submitted a great idea: "Another cool thing to add to your campfire for the kiddies enjoyment - toss in a handful of granulated sugar and watch it spark and crackle. It's a miniature spark show." I'm going to find a link or two for more homemade fun like this.

The science behind this - the items below contain a compound (copper sulfate) and something to suspend it in. Metals and other elements radiate a different frequency of light when burned. From Wiki here is a list of colors and elements. Neat huh?

Seymour Mfg. 30-525 Color Flame Crystals

Seymour Mfg. 30-525 Color Flame Crystals

Make sure your fire is nice-n-hot. Pour a goodly a more...2 points

Campfire Stories Guestbook

Whatsa matter, you blurbless?

Drop a note and say Hi!

  • kristalulabelle84 May 21, 2012 @ 1:30 pm | delete
    Fantastic Lens! I will be featuring it on my Camping Lens!
  • Centavo May 11, 2012 @ 3:32 pm | delete
    Great lens. Thanks for sharing and congratulations on your Lens of the Day award. I will be back to read more of your stories. Have a great weekend!
  • KateHon May 6, 2012 @ 11:12 am | delete
    I'll just bet you're the life of every party! Loved this article and can't wait to try out some of your campfire story ideas! Thanks for all the great info!
  • LaraineRose May 4, 2012 @ 8:45 pm | delete
    I'm bookmarking this for this summer's reunion. Thank you for sharing. Blessed.
  • CampingMemoriesDotCom Apr 28, 2012 @ 12:01 am | delete
    Always need a good story for the campfire, Thank you.
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Scouting Campfire Stories

Support your local Scouts!

A collection of web resources from the Scouts and dedicated Scouting supporters. Appropriate ages are sometimes indicated, usually by Scout rank. :)
A Genius This and That
This is a fun short story but you'll need a larger group to enjoy this story completely. On page five there is this skit.

When you click this link it will download a .DOC file that is a Baloo's Bugle newsletter. It originates from the usscouts,org website.
Sneakers
A funny or scary ghost story from the Scouts. In a PDF format. Not too long and of course age appropriate, say thanks to the Scouts!
Funny Stories for Kids - short clean kid-oriented
From the Scouts!
The MacScouter -- Online Stories
The MacScouter is the one stop online place for all things about Scouting. Here I've linked to their table of contents in the stories subsection. A truly wonderful site!
Cub Scout and Boy Scout Stories
There are a ton of great stories here but they aren't hyperlinked. You'll have to cruise through, copy, paste and print to get what you want. All age appropriate material for youngsters.

World Stories

Stories and legends from across the globe.

The Boy Who Drew Cats
A tale from Japan, retold by Aaron Shepard.
Children of Lir
From Storyteller.net an Irish tale.

Funny Campfire Story Websites

Listed for your perusal are the websites stories are picked from. These sites might have just a few stories or be repositories for dozens of tales. As good a place to start as any if you are looking for more material.
Aaron's Indexes ~ Genre
More from Aaron's indexes. Here a direct link to his Tall Tales.
Tall Tales
Another section of American Folklore featuring Tall tales with many, many stories.
Legends of Paul Bunyan
The name really says it all doesn't it? A collection of stories featuring Paul and his adventures.
Tall Tales and Campfire Stories
Tall Tales and Campfire Stories. This could also be filed under the Scouts section. Here is a collection of tall tales and campfire stories suitable for telling to a group of young people.

Funny Campfire Stories Deuce Websites

two of the websites the stories are drawn from

Feel free to explore!
Chuck Larkin -- Bluegrass Storyteller
This site contains a list of long stories in a variety of genres. If you think you are a good storyteller, here are some tales to test your mettle. Don't fret though, it also includes a nice selection of short tall tales too! Most enjoyable! This is in a .pdf format.
Funny Campfire Stories
From the site: "These campfire stories are either funny from start to finish, or appear to be scary but finish with a silly ending. Some are just plain corny, and that's okay, too!"

Native American Story Websites

Tales from the First Nation

Native American myths
A collection of folklore from Native Americans. Another section from the American Folklore site.
Native American Lore Index
Here are links to a hundred and fifty stories of Native American Indian Lore.
Bear Stories
Eleven fairly short stories featuring many of the animals in Native American lore.
The Campfire Stories Handbook - Indian Legends
A collection of 8 Indian Legends, including: Why The Chipmunk Has Black Stripes; Chipmunk and Bear; How Dogs Came To The Indians; How Fire Came To The Six Nations; Tail Of Fire; The First Moccasins; Why The Mouse Is So Silky and Why The Opossum's Tail Is Bare.

These stories are of varying length and difficulty, but all fun with a lesson.

Gathered by The NetWoods Virtual Campsite, Steve Tobin, Campmaster.
The Campfire Stories Handbook - Indian Legends II
Includes the legends of: Rabbit Shoots The Sun; Spirit Animal; The Indian & The Snake; Why The Weasel Is Nervous; The Great Flood; The Origin Of The Winds; Rabbit And The Moon Man; Honeyed Words Can't Sweeten Evil; The Great Father Mosquito; The Eskimo Indian And His Fox Wife; The Loon; The Raven; The Hunting of the Great Bear;The Hungry Fox and the Boastful Suitor.

Again, many, many good tales.

Gathered by The NetWoods Virtual Campsite, Steve Tobin, Campmaster.

by

Jimi

A lens bringing tales to stand hairs on end or stitch your sides with laughter!  

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!

Mystical Fire 

Great fun!

Mystical Fire

Amazon Price: $1.85 (as of 05/29/2012)Buy Now

Have some fun and show off a little razzle dazzle during a memorable evening around the campfire. This is an great way to add a touch of magic to the night. Kids love the show and adults will be entertained.

Designed to last a few minutes and will not make your fire flare up. I suggest as many packages that seem reasonable to you. That guess will hopefully be enough and won't leave you wishing for more. Use when your fire is at its largest and cheeriest!

You know where to come back and get more for next time!

Looking for something off the beaten path? 

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Help Keeping the Skeeters at Bay 

Off! Powerpad Lamp 1 Each

Amazon Price: $7.50 (as of 05/29/2012)Buy Now

Around camp I am a huge fan of Off!'s PowerPad lantern. The candles will burn for around four hours of protection and after dark can provide a nice accent to your campsite. I've been using this lantern style mosquito repellent for three years and have to tell you - it is the best I've used. Toss every other kind of slow burning repellent you've bought be it rings, citronella or punks.

If the skeeters are especially ferocious you can combine the Off! lantern with a spray on bug repellent and remain almost ungnawed. Don't put the lantern near the fire or the updraft might suck up your protection. I've found that setting it up a pace behind our camp chairs is best at beating the bugs.