When it comes to camping, there’s nothing quite like a cozy campfire. And while the flames provide warmth and light, they also offer an excellent opportunity for fun and games. If you’re a Scout, then you already know that campfires are a big part of the experience.
But what games should you play around the fire? In this beginner’s guide, we’ve compiled a list of the 15 best campfire games for Scouts. So, gather around the fire and get ready for some fun!
- Ghost in the Graveyard
Ghost in the Graveyard is a classic game that is perfect for playing around the campfire at night. To play, one person is chosen to be the “ghost” and hides while everyone else counts to a certain number (e.g. 100). Once the counting is complete, everyone sets off to find the ghost. When someone finds the ghost, they yell “Ghost in the graveyard!” and everyone runs back to base. The last person to arrive at base becomes the next ghost.
- Charades
Charades is a classic acting game that is perfect for playing around the campfire. To play, one person thinks of a word or phrase and acts it out without speaking, while everyone else tries to guess what it is. Once the word or phrase is guessed correctly, the person who guessed it goes next.
- Sardines
Sardines is a game of reverse hide-and-seek that is perfect for playing in the dark around the campfire. To play, one person hides while everyone else counts to a certain number (e.g. 100). Once the counting is complete, everyone sets off to find the person who is hiding.
When someone finds the person who is hiding, they hide with them. This continues until everyone is crammed together in the same hiding spot, like sardines in a can.
- Mafia
Mafia is a popular game that tests your powers of deduction and deception. To play, everyone is given a role: either a member of the Mafia or a member of the town. The Mafia’s goal is to eliminate all of the town members without getting caught, while the town’s goal is to identify and eliminate the Mafia members.
Each round consists of the Mafia members choosing someone to eliminate, followed by the town members voting on who they think is the Mafia. The game continues until either all of the town members or all of the Mafia members have been eliminated.
- I Spy
I Spy is a classic game that is perfect for playing around the campfire. To play, one person thinks of an object and says “I spy with my little eye something that is…” and then gives a clue about the object (e.g. a color). Everyone else tries to guess what the object is based on the clue. Once the object is guessed correctly, the person who guessed it goes next.
- Wink Murder
Wink Murder is a game that tests your powers of observation and deception. To play, one person is chosen to be the “murderer” and one person is chosen to be the “detective.” The rest of the players close their eyes, and the murderer is instructed to wink at someone.
The detective then tries to guess who the murderer is based on everyone’s behavior. If the detective guesses correctly, they win. If the murderer is able to “kill” everyone without getting caught, they win.
- Never Have I Ever
Never Have I Ever is a classic party game that is perfect for playing around the campfire. To play, one person starts by saying “Never have I ever…” and then says something that they have never done (e.g. “Never have I ever gone skydiving”).
If someone else in the group has done that thing, they must put down a finger. The game continues with each person taking turns saying something they have never done. The person with the most fingers up at the end of the game is the “winner.”
- Name That Tune
Name That Tune is a musical game that tests your knowledge of songs and artists. To play, one person plays a short clip of a song and everyone else in the group tries to guess the name of the song and the artist who performs it. The person who correctly guesses the name of the song and artist gets a point, and the person with the most points at the end of the game wins.
To make the game more challenging, you can limit the time for guessing or play only a small part of the song. You can also choose a specific genre of music or era of music to narrow down the selection of songs. This game is perfect for scouts who love music and want to test their knowledge and memory skills while having fun around the campfire.
- Truth or Dare
Truth or Dare is a classic game that is perfect for playing around the campfire. To play, one person starts by asking someone else in the group if they want to choose “truth” or “dare.” If they choose truth, they must answer a question truthfully. If they choose dare, they must complete a challenge. Once the truth or dare is completed, the person who completed it gets to choose the next person to ask.
- The Alphabet Game
The Alphabet Game is a game that tests your powers of observation and memory. To play, one person chooses a category (e.g. animals) and says a word that starts with the letter “A” (e.g. alligator). The next person must then say a word that starts with the letter “B” (e.g. bear). This continues until someone is unable to think of a word that starts with the next letter of the alphabet. The game then starts over with a new category.
- Would You Rather
Would You Rather is a game that tests your decision-making skills. To play, one person starts by asking a “would you rather” question (e.g. “Would you rather have super strength or be able to fly?”). Everyone else in the group must then choose which option they would rather have and explain why. Once everyone has given their answer, the person who asked the question can choose someone else to ask the next question.
- 20 Questions
20 Questions is a classic game that is perfect for playing around the campfire. To play, one person thinks of an object (e.g. a pencil) and everyone else takes turns asking yes or no questions to try and guess what it is. The game continues until someone is able to guess the object within 20 questions.
- Telephone
Telephone is a game that tests your listening and communication skills. To play, one person whispers a phrase or sentence to the person next to them, who then whispers it to the person next to them, and so on. The last person in the group then says the phrase or sentence out loud, and everyone compares it to the original phrase or sentence to see how much it has changed.
- Categories
Categories is a game that tests your memory and knowledge of various categories. To play, one person chooses a category (e.g. types of fruit) and says a word that fits within that category (e.g. apple). The next person must then say another word that fits within that category (e.g. banana). This continues until someone is unable to think of a word that fits within the category. The game then starts over with a new category.
- The Minister’s Cat
The Minister’s Cat is a game that tests your creativity and vocabulary. To play, everyone takes turns saying “The Minister’s Cat is a(n) [adjective] cat.” Each person must use a different adjective that starts with the next letter of the alphabet (e.g. amazing, beautiful, curious, etc.). The game continues until someone is unable to think of an adjective that fits within the sequence.
Related: What Kid Games Can Be Played At A Summer Camp?
Overall, these 15 campfire games are perfect for keeping scouts entertained and engaged while enjoying the great outdoors. Whether you’re looking for classic games like Charades and I Spy or more strategic games like Mafia and Wink Murder, there’s something for everyone.
So gather around the campfire, grab some marshmallows, and let the games begin!