Looking for a way to bring the great outdoors to your little one’s playtime? Our Campfire Dramatic Play Setup is here to spark creativity and adventure! This setup is not just about fun—it’s packed with opportunities for sensory exploration, fine motor skill development, and imaginative play. Let’s dive into what makes this setup so special, including amazing kits from Jack and Jill’s Kits for Kids.
Bin 1: Small World Campfire Adventure
The heart of this campfire-themed play setup features Jack and Jill’s Kits for Kids’ Play-Doh Campfire Kit. This kit is a sensory dream, offering brown and green Play-Doh for crafting the forest floor and bushes, along with blue stone rocks to represent a stream or lake. Kids can create their own campfire scene with the included small pieces of wood and campfire rocks, and bring their miniature world to life with animal figurines, sticks, trees, and a picnic blanket.
Not only does this setup encourage imaginative play, but it also provides hands-on learning as children engage with different textures and shapes. This sensory experience strengthens fine motor skills, creativity, and storytelling, helping kids understand the world around them in a fun and interactive way.
Materials Needed:
Brown and green Play-Doh
Blue stone rocks for water
Campfire rocks
Small pieces of wood
Animal figurines
Sticks and trees
Picnic blanket
Bin 2: Fishing Fun
Next up, we have Jack and Jill’s Fishing Play Kit—a fantastic addition to the campfire scene! Kids can grab their magnetic fishing pole and fish for colorful magnetic fish. Once caught, they can either place the fish in the blue bucket or match them onto alphabet letter cards, turning playtime into an educational activity.
This setup is perfect for practicing hand-eye coordination and early literacy skills. As kids match the fish with letters, they reinforce letter recognition while developing focus and patience. Plus, the act of fishing is just plain fun, adding an extra layer of excitement to their small-world adventure!
Materials Needed:
Magnetic fish
Fishing pole
Blue bucket
Alphabet letter cards
Bin 3: Marshmallows & Campfire Charades
No campfire is complete without marshmallows! In our final bin, kids can use two or three marshmallows for pretend roasting, bringing the camping experience to life. For an extra element of fun, try adding Campfire Charades. Use cards with simple camping-related actions like “roasting marshmallows” or “setting up a tent,” and watch your little ones act them out around their pretend fire.
The bin is filled with a fall-themed sensory filler by @wherekidsplay, adding vibrant seasonal colors and textures for kids to explore as they play. Sensory fillers like these help develop tactile discrimination, offering another layer of engagement as kids sort through the materials.
Materials Needed:
Marshmallows (real or pretend)
Campfire charades cards
Fall-themed sensory filler (e.g., leaves, acorns, or colored rice)
Why Sensory Play?
Sensory play is a cornerstone of early childhood development. Through hands-on exploration, kids engage multiple senses, which supports cognitive growth, language development, and social skills. Each of these bins taps into different aspects of sensory learning:
Bin 1 encourages tactile exploration and fine motor practice with Play-Doh and natural materials.
Bin 2 fosters hand-eye coordination and early literacy skills with fishing and letter matching.
Bin 3 builds imaginative thinking and gross motor skills with charades and marshmallow play
So grab your camp gear and set the scene for a day of outdoor adventure—right from the comfort of your home! This Campfire Dramatic Play Setup is sure to light up your child’s imagination while providing endless educational benefits.
Let the camping fun begin!
Camping Vocabulary Words
These vocabulary words will help children learn and explore the camping theme through play, allowing them to expand their language skills while having fun.
1. Tent
2. Sleeping bag
3. Campfire
4. Marshmallow
5. Flashlight
6. Backpack
7. Compass
8. Map
9. Binoculars
10. Hiking boots
11. Campsite
12. Nature
13. Wildlife
14. Picnic
15. Fishing
16. Trail
17. Lantern
18. Camp stove
19. S'mores
20. Forest
21. Adventure
22. Campground
23. Stars
24. Adventure
25. Campfire songs
