Contain the Flame by Jill Urban Donahue

There aren't too many kids books out there about camping. This one is nice because it is told in story format but acts like a non-fiction text by giving lots of hints and tips for keeping safe around a fire. Read before you go camping. Read it before dealing with any type of fire. Or simply read it for fun!
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​⚈​ 1 Play ideas  ⚈​ 2 Classroom Activities 
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Shape hunt - Age 2+

Some books have shapes popping out at you all over, unexpectedly. This book certainly did. Very round heads and rectangular logs were everywhere! You can cut out a few simple shapes and challenge your kids to find them throughout the book. Maybe you have a set of shape toys or mosaics that you could use. Have them lay the shape on top of the page where they find it. Older siblings are great little helpers, if they know how to guide rather than take over.
Trail symbols - Age 4+

Whether you are camping, following a camp theme or just playing in your backyard, learning trail symbols is always fun. Kids can collect sticks and rocks outside, then shape them into arrows or crosses. Once they have the hang of it, find an open space or forest and try laying them for each other to follow. Older kids can discuss how these symbols could be used in an emergency situation.
Tent building - Age 4+

Do you have a park nearby with lots of trees? If so, challenge kids to build a tent or another structure using some large sticks. This can be quite a tricky task, so encourage them to keep trying! Once they figure out how to balance them, they'll be building for hours. Bringing an old sheet along means they can throw it over their structure and create a real tent to hide in.
  • Write safety instructions for building campfires
  • Collect wood outside and then build a variety of campfire shapes to see which stands up the best (Pile them up like a log house? Teepee style? Just throw them down?)
  • Research ways to start a fire without matches or a lighter (survival skills) and test each method
  • Invite the fire department in for a fire safety talk
  • Make fire safety posters
  • Have a camping role play area
Click below for other books and activities about camping/outdoors: