Safe Fire Starting Skills Outdoors

A fire pit, fire ring, or cleared area of dirt with nothing flammable within 10 feet

Matches or a lighter (kept with the adult at all times)

Tinder — dry grass, bark shavings, dryer lint, or crumpled paper

Kindling — pencil-thin dry sticks, about a double handful

Fuel wood — wrist-thick dry branches

A bucket of water nearby for safety

Start with safety. Clear the fire area. Remove all dry leaves and debris for at least 5 feet in every direction. Place a full bucket of water within arm's reach. The adult controls matches at all times.

Go on a gathering mission together. Collect tinder, kindling, and fuel in three separate piles. Everything must be dry — snap test your sticks. If they snap cleanly, they're dry. If they bend, they're too green.

Build the tinder bundle first. Place it in the center of your fire pit. Make it loose and fluffy — fire needs air circulation. Tightly packed material smothers before it burns.

Lean kindling sticks against the tinder in a teepee shape. Leave gaps between sticks for airflow. This is the most important step — get this right and the fire will take.

Light the tinder at the base. Once it catches, blow gently at the base to feed oxygen. Watch the flame climb from tinder to kindling. This transition is the critical moment.

As kindling catches solidly, add fuel sticks one at a time. Lay them on gently. Never dump a pile of wood — you'll smother the fire. Build gradually from small to large.

Fire-building is a sequence: tinder lights kindling, kindling lights fuel. Skip a step and it fails. That sequencing discipline transfers to every multi-step project your child will face.

Dry is everything. Morning dew, recent rain, or green wood will make fire-starting nearly impossible. Collect materials from under tree cover where they stay driest.

This is a supervised activity. The adult lights the match and controls access to fire-starting tools. Your child does the building, gathering, and problem-solving.

Always fully extinguish the fire when done: pour water, stir the ashes, pour more water, feel with your hand (carefully) for heat. "If it's too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave."