You’re on a camping trip and the day was filled with hiking, games, and fishing. Now it’s getting dark, the crickets are chirping, and the sound of a crackling fire is ready to lull you to sleep…but you can’t retire to your tent just yet. After all, what would a camping trip be without campfire songs?
There’s no better way to end a day in the woods or the park (or even your own backyard) than sitting around a fire and singing some campfire songs. We’ve rounded up the most fun, catchy songs to sing along to during your next camping trip, from classic campfire songs to funny ones to campfire songs for preschoolers. Some of the videos even have the campfire song lyrics in them. So grab the marshmallows, stoke the campfire, warm up your singing voice, and get ready to sing these 21 campfire songs with kids.
Classic campfire songs are great for all ages. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Hiebert via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Classic Campfire Songs for a Camping Trip
1. Rock the Boat
This song gets the whole family involved. One person stands up and performs dance moves correlating to the lyrics. When they’re done, they get to point to someone else to be on the spot.
2. Who Took the Cookie?
Everyone takes turns being accused of stealing the cookie from the cookie jar. It’s a great alternative to “Rock the Boat” for campers who don’t feel comfortable getting up and dancing.
3. Boom Chicka Boom
“Boom Chicka Boom” is a classic repeat-after-me song. The leader gets to pick the different styles the song is sang in, such as cowboy style, baby style, or anything else they can imagine.
4. John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt
This is a catchy tune that goes on and on and on and on…
5. The Song That Doesn’t End
Speaking of a song that goes on forever, Lamb Chop’s Play-Along introduced “The Song That Doesn’t End,” which can truly go on until the fire goes out.
6. I’m Bringing Home A Baby Bumble Bee
Hand motions and sound effects are part of what make this song so fun to sing.
7. We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
Put your imagination cap on for this song and traverse the different obstacles until you come face-to-face with a fearsome bear. The song can be changed to any animal, even Big Foot.
8. She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain
Campers can choose to do the motions with the song, such as riding horses and eating spaghetti, or just sing and clap along. Use your imagination to see what else she’ll be doing when she comes around the mountain.
9. Coconut
You can’t help but sing along to Harry Nilsson’s “Coconut” song. “You put the lime in the coconut…”
10. Herman the Worm
Herman the Worm continues to get bigger and bigger as he eats different things. Go rogue with your own interpretation of what Herman ate…maybe even your RV.
11. A Camping We Will Go
This is a fun song that goes through the steps of camping, like pitching a tent and collecting firewood.
12. There Ain’t No Bugs on Me
If you have a banjo to play along with, you’ll get extra points for this one. It’s a quintessential campfire song about different bugs landing (or not) on you.
Related: 20 Jump Rope Workout Games and Songs for Kids
Give this Spongebob Squarepants tune a try—we dare you! Image courtesy of Nickelodeon
Funny Campfire Songs for a Camping Trip
13. The Campfire Song Song
Spongebob Squarepants lovers will recognize this song. It’s quick, fun, and quirky—but the faster you go, the trickier it gets.
14. Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah
This novelty song’s lyrics are sure to make the family laugh. The catchy tune is in part thanks to the melody from the opera “La Gioconda.”
15. The Great Big Moose
These silly campfire song lyrics about a moose who drinks juice and spills it all over the place will have kids chuckling.
16. The Weenie Man Song
A song that’s sure to make the family laugh, “The Weenie Man Song” sings like a ragtime song until midway, where the lyrics are sung over a techno beat. It’s fun, silly, and perfectly strange.
17. Mahna Mahna
Are there any real words in this classic Muppet song? Not really. Does it make it any less fun to sing? Definitely not.
Campfire Songs for Preschoolers
18. The Ants Go Marching
“The Ants Go Marching” is a great counting song for toddlers and preschoolers. Kids can even come up with their own lyrics by rhyming with the numbers.
19. Five Little Speckled Frogs
Another preschool favorite, “Five Little Speckled Frogs” is a catchy tune that helps enforce counting with little ones.
Younger kids will love acting out the bear’s movements. Photo courtesy of Amazon
20. The Bear Went Over the Mountain
This song will get younger kids up and moving to act out what the bear was seeing and doing.
21. The Duck Song
It’s hard to believe this YouTube gem is over a decade old now. Older kids may already know the lyrics, and younger kids will have a blast learning them.
