Everybody loves camping! Sleeping under the stars, hiking, swimming and enjoy the wonders of nature. But many of the best times have occurred around the campfire. What can be better than telling stories, cooking food and making s’mores for dessert? How about singing!

Since the days of the old west, when cowboys used to sit around a campfire, grab a guitar or harmonica and start singing folksongs. In the old west cowboys would sing about old loves that have been lost, the scenery, work and a number of other topics. Some of the popular songs of the day were Clementine, Home on the Range, I’ve Been Working on the Railroad and Red River Valley.

Singing around the campfire conjures up images of a simpler time, and in 1993, country singer Toby Keith wrote a song called Should Have Been a Cowboy. The chorus extols the virtues of singing campfire songs:

“I should've been a Cowboy
I should've learned to rope and ride
Wearing my six-shooter, riding my pony on a cattle drive
Stealing the young girl's hearts
Just like Gene and Roy
Singing those campfire songs
I should've been a cowboy”

Today the tradition of campfire songs continues with families, scout troops and other outdoor enthusiasts enjoying a brightly burning campfire by sitting around it, playing and singing songs. Many of the same songs that the cowboys sang in the old west are still popular today. These folk song classics have been sung and passed on for many generations.

While it would be virtually impossible to compile a definitive list, we are listing some of the more popular kid-friendly traditional campfire songs, along with resources for lyrics so that you too can sing along around your next campfire. Some of the more popular campfire songs include:

• American Pie - The song by Don McLean is a classic from the 1960's.
• B-I-N-G-O - The classic children’s song is a story of a dog, and Bingo was his name-o.
• Clementine - Famous American folksong about a girl named Clementine.
• Deep in the heart of Texas - Famous American folksong, been around since cowboy days.
• Do your ears hang low - A silly children's song that is easy to sing.
• Happy wanderer - This song has its origins in Germany, and was written after World War II.
• Home on the range - Famous American folksong that has been around since cowboy days.
• If I had a hammer - American folksong made popular by Peter, Paul and Mary in the 1960's.
• I’ve been working on the railroad - An American folksong more than one hundred years old.
• Red River Valley - American folksong that has been around since cowboy days.
• This land is your land - Classic American folksong from the 1960's.
• When you’re smiling - Famous song from the 1920's originally recorded by Louis Armstrong.

Singing around the campfire has been a tradition for generations and the fun of camping and the camaraderie of joining with friends and family for song will continue to be a tradition for many years to come.