This mini campfire craft is fun to make with a variety of natural materials like sticks and rocks. Just add a few bits of colored crepe paper for the flames.
Upcycle cardboard boxes cut into circles, CDs, or DVDs as the campfire base.
If you really want to make it realistic-looking, set a flameless tea candle in the middle. Your campfire will flicker and glow. It looks great in dimly lit settings.
I made about ten of these little campfire crafts to use as centerpieces for a camp themed party. They were a surprise hit, and a couple people even asked to take a few home with them to use as decor on their patio.
Kids ages 6 and up can make these with a little bit of help from an adult.
Go on a Scavenger Hunt for craft materials! My boys liked going outside to collect the rocks and sticks to build our little campfire decoration.
Materials Needed:
- Small rocks/pebbles (wash and dry to remove dirt)
- Thin wood sticks (approximately 1 to 3 inches long)
- CD/DVD disk or cardboard round
- White Craft Glue
- Red, Orange and Yellow crepe paper and/or tissue paper
- Pencil
- optional: flameless tealight candles
Directions:
- Glue small rocks/pebbles to cover the top of CD/DVD disk.
- Arrange sticks on top of the rocks to “build” a campfire. Use glue to secure.
- Cut or tear crepe/tissue paper into 1-2 inch pieces. Carefully use the pencil tip to insert pieces of the paper in and around the sticks to look like campfire flames. *Tip: Add a drop of glue to the tissue paper before inserting, so it will secure in place. Gently crinkle the tips of the paper and/or roll the ends to a point for an even more flame-like appearance.
- Put the campfire craft in an undisturbed location and allow glue to dry completely.
There is really no right or wrong way to make your mini campfire. Use as many sticks and colored paper flames as desired to create the look you want. Nestle a flameless tea light candle in the middle of your campfire for a realistic looking fire in dim light.
Do you like to camp? What is your favorite thing to do around a campfire? Tell stories? Sing songs? Roast hotdogs? Make S’mores?
Julie Wood says
I want to make this awesome Campfire Craft. My niece and nephew can help me and we would have a blast. It is a cute craft item and looks great burning.
Nicole says
I hope you have fun making this with your niece and nephew. Yes, we definitely recommend putting them outside at night or turning out all the inside lights so the candle makes it look like a real little fire. Let me know if you have any questions on how to make them – I’ll be happy to answer. -Nicole
Tammy S says
This is so cute! My daughter will love to making this. I do like them best with the little flameless tea lights. Thanks for the great idea!
shaunie says
Very cute and neat!! would love to make this for when the kids decide to play “camping”
Nikki says
These are adorable! I can’t wait to see what my daughter thinks of them!
Shannon says
This is so adorable. Thank you for sharing with us.
Alison Gibb says
That looks so realisitic! What a great DIY!
marnie ward says
I love this idea of making a fake campfire. The next slumber party we have it is a go! Thanks for such a great idea. It will be a great hit with the girls!
Nicole says
Thanks, I hope you have lots of fun! Good luck with the next slumber party, you’re a brave mama! 🙂
Jennifer Hiles says
This is one of the cutest crafts I have ever seen. How adorable. I will have to pin this one for later! I have tons of old CD/DVD discs that I could use. And a whole bag of fall leaves. I think this is the first craft I have come upon where I have everything that is needed! Just love it!
Nicole says
Hi Jennifer – Thanks so much for stopping by and for all the compliments on the mini campfire craft! I hope you have fun making it your own. Fall leaves will be really cute. 🙂 – Nicole
Rosie says
I love your campfire center pices. I’m making them for my daughter baby-shower, her theme is firefighter.
Nicole says
Thank you, Rosie. What a unique theme! These will be a perfect fit. Congratulations on your family’s new baby! –Nicole
Melissa says
This is such a fun and cute craft! I’m saving this one to make with the kids this week – Yours look perfect! #HomeMattersParty
Emily @DomesticDeadline.com says
This is so cute! It would be a great craft project to go along with my son’s scout adventure projects. #HomeMattersParty