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Merriment Design

DIY projects, crafts, free sewing patterns and printables that look handmade, not homemade

Home / Project Type / Paper Crafts / Pretend Campfire and S’mores Craft: Indoor Camping Pla ...

Pretend Campfire and S’mores Craft: Indoor Camping Play Set

August 27, 2020 by Kathy

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Pretend campfire with fake wood grain logs, flames, and stone safety ring

Make an interactive pretend campfire and s’mores play set to bring camping fun indoors, rain or shine! This cute paper craft project features a toasty campfire with wood-grain logs surrounded by a stone ‘safety’ ring for kids to toast pretend marshmallows until they’re golden brown.

Keep reading to see how to download the free printable templates to make this fun, fake campfire for pretend play.

See also: ‘Ice Cream paper wreath that looks like sunshine’ »

Astrobrights Papers asked me to design a fall paper project to feature at Astrobrights.com, so I decided to keep summer alive and make an indoor pretend s’mores and campfire.

Easy-to-make campfire craft with just a few supplies

This whimsical playset is a fun and easy craft to make with kids and takes just a few supplies that you probably already have at home. The pretend fire pit, fake campfire, and s’mores ingredients are made out of paper and upcycled cardboard tubes from paper towels and toilet paper.

DIY pretend campfire play set with s'mores free printable
Supplies for making a DIY pretend campfire from paper and upcycled cardboard tubes
S’mores pretend play craft with paper marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate

Toast pretend marshmallows on real sticks

Start by building the fire: Stack paper logs, build the stone fire pit, and ‘light’ the paper flames. Whoa! That’s a toasty roaring campfire! Then slip marshmallows onto real wooden sticks for toasting. Liam decided to toast three marshmallows at once.

Liam playing pretend with campfire play set Copyright Merriment Design. Do not distribute without written permission.

When the marshmallows are ready, just pop them onto paper graham crackers and add some chocolate for a gooey s’mores treat. Yummy!

S’mores craft for pretend play with paper campfire

Too close to the flames = burned marshmallows

ACK!! This little marshmallow fell into the paper fire and now it’s all burned. Poor little charred marshmallow! Oh well, we’ll just try again.

Pretend burned marshmallow with paper campfire

Easier to make than a plush felt campfire

My DIY campfire and s’mores paper play set craft is easier to make than a plush felt campfire because there’s no sewing required. And my paper campfire design is more durable and realistic than a tissue paper fire.

Kid playing with pretend campfire and s'mores DIY play set craft

My kids totally inspired this DIY craft idea. Back in March when we were in lockdown in Chicago, the kids built indoor forts and created their own pretend campfire using balled up paper and real sticks. I saw what they made themselves and thought, hey, that’s a great idea to make with Astrobrights paper! So thanks to my kids for the inspiration.

Baby Yoda and the American Girl dolls have both been enjoying my pretend campfire and s’mores craft. Hey Joss, your marshmallow is looking great!

American Girl doll playing with paper campfire and s'mores pretend play set
Baby Yoda playing with pretend campfire play set

Great craft idea for a camping theme

This pretend campfire is a great activity for a camping theme birthday party, camping theme classroom at school, or simply for pretend dramatic play inside at home. Kids can make as many s’mores as they like with their handmade campfire, rain or shine.

DIY pretend campfire play set craft with fire and s'mores

This post contains affiliate links which means that products I recommend may give me a nominal commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks – your clicks help me make more free DIYs!

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Supplies for making pretend s’mores and campfire play set from paper:

  • Kathy’s s’mores and campfire free printables (visit Astrobrights.com to download my PDF templates)
  • Astrobrights Papers cardstock in Re-Entry Red™, Cosmic Orange™, Solar Yellow™, Solar White, Husk, Grocer Kraft, Concrete, and Eclipse Black™
  • 2 empty cardboard toilet paper rolls (makes 4 marshmallows)
  • 3 empty cardboard tubes from paper towels (makes 3 logs)
  • Paper scissors, craft knife, metal ruler, and self-healing mat
  • Glue or double-sided tape
  • Sticks (fallen from a tree)

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How to make a DIY fake campfire and s’mores play set from paper:

Visit Astrobrights.com for the full how-to instructions. Here are the basic steps:

  • Step 1:  Print templates onto Astrobrights Papers and cut out logs, stones, and fire flames, marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers.
  • Step 2:  Make marshmallows by cutting toilet paper rolls in half with a craft knife to make two ‘marshmallows’ per roll, and then glue on my free printable marshmallow templates.
  • Step 3:  Make logs by gluing my wood grain templates onto the logs.
  • Step 4:  Glue the red, orange, and yellow flames together, then fold into a triangle shape to secure into a fake campfire.
  • Step 5:  Play!

Head on over to Astrobrights.com for my full pretend campfire and s’mores tutorial and free printables.

Fake campfire wood logs craft from upcycled cardboard tubes

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Be sure to pin this pretend campfire and s’mores play set craft idea:

DIY s'mores campfire pretend play set made from paper and upcycled cardboard paper tubes

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And see more paper crafts for Astrobrights including my Bomb Pops DIY Patriotic Printables, Paper Jewelry craft, Holiday Mittens Printable Gift Card Holder, Paper Easter baskets template, Printable locker decorations, Mother’s Day DIY Paper Wreath, Father’s Day tie garland, Geometric Dinosaur Birthday Party, Valentine’s Day Jokes Cards, and Valentine’s Day heart bracelets. Yeah, that’s a lot of paper craft projects. Can you tell that I really like working with Astrobrights paper? It’s truly my favorite colorful paper.

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Copyright stuff: You’re more than welcome to use this free project and tutorial for personal use. Contact me for commercial use and Etsy sales.

 

Filed Under: Baby & Kids, DIY Tutorials, Fall, Paper Crafts, Sponsored, Spring Crafts, Summer, Under $10, Winter

About Kathy

I'm Kathy, maker of things and Chicago mom who likes simple and clever DIYs that look handmade, not homemade. I like sewing, printables, handmade birthdays, holiday decor and easy cakes. See my work at HGTV, DIY Network, Apartment Therapy, DesignSponge, more. ✂️

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