Outdoor family and friend camping is great fun. Prepared campers and adventurers can be ready to enjoy their experiences or regret them. Here are a few ideas that my camping family have discovered to make our trips exciting, comfortable, and safe. 
FIRE There is nothing like a warm campfire. The sound, smell, and feel of a fire are a great way to relax. Things can get bad when campers play with fire. Horseplay around a fire can lead to an accident, forest fire, or worse. Build your fire in a prepared location. Rake away leaves and debris well beyond the fire perimeter. A water bucket next to the fire may be helpful if the fire spreads into grass.
FIREWOOD Gathering wood for the fire is important. You need dry wood that is ready to burn. To make the wood into fireplace sizes, axes and saws are needed. This is when you need to be most careful. Sharp tools can quickly cut campers. Use a chopping block and safe tool handling skills. Focus on the task. Wear eye protection and protect your fingers and toes. Stack the wood away from the fire. You can also keep some wood where it will stay dry in case of rain. 
FOOD IDEAS Transport your camp food safely and securely. Pancake batter can be made ahead of time and stored in a secure container. Ice cream will never stay cold enough when camping but can be made at the camp! An ice cream ball is a fun way to make a treat on site. Transporting eggs can be done by cracking them ahead of time. They can easily be stored in a container for later use. Watermelon and fruit can be cut up and carried easily. Dried fruit and Jerky can also be rehydrated and used in cooking or just for snacks. Marshmallows can be a fun camping treat but too many may cause stomach discomfort. Other meals can be premade and stored in sealable plastic bags. You can now simply boil water to reheat the meals. The hot water is ready for cleanup. Keep all your perishable foods in a cooler that can be secured away from critters, heat, and insects. 
ANTICIPATE DANGER Consider what accidents may happen at your campsite. Look for dead limbs and trees that could fall. Snakes, insect nests, critters, and water all offer risks and danger. Most prevention is common sense. Avoiding accidents is just smarter and safer camping.
If something does go wrong, do not panic. Freaking out will just make matters worse. First Aid needs to be done First. Once the threat is gone and the problem fixed, you can Freak Out!
Camp safe and secure using good ideas!
Big Sky Vi
