This craft is very combustible, and should be done with extreme precaution. Take care when making this craft with children. All fires should be watched at all times.

I remembered this craft after struggling to keep our fire pit burning on July 4th. I am a fire making purist, and so it pains me to use gasoline or lighter fluid. My mother was my Girl Scout troop Leader and she taught us how to make these fire starters on a camping trip when I was in second grade. I thought I should share them with you before camp fire season is over.

The photo to the right shows the fire starter after I ignited it with one match. I timed how long it burned in a pyrex dish without any other fuel and it burned a bright flame for over 9 minutes, long enough to get your kindling burning for sure.

The materials list is 100% recycled. One paper egg carton, one aluminum can to make a double boiler, a few burned down candle stubs or tea lights, and a bunch of shredded paper.

Shred up your newspapers and other scrap paper and stuff them down into the compartments of the egg carton.

Next, use your aluminum can and a pot of water to make a double boiler. Over medium to medium high heat melt your candle wax inside the can. It is important that you do not get distracted during this step as it is possible to overheat the wax and cause a fire on your stove top.

After the wax is fully melted, remove the can from the pot of water while wearing oven mitts. Place the can on a heat proof surface to cool a bit. The can will be cool to the touch before the wax solidifies, but the wax can still burn you so please be safe!

I used my bare hands to pour the melted wax from the can into the compartments of the egg carton. You might want to cover your hands, you might not, but once again, be careful as the melted wax will be very hot. You want to moisten each compartment with wax, but not to fill it up with liquid. Once you light it, the wax will melt and pool up in the bottom of the starter, too much wax will suffocate the fire.

Let the wax cool and harden. It will look like the bottom half of the carton is wet, but it will be rock hard. Separate one off, and use a match to light it with your kindling and wood in a nice tee-pee shape over top. If you do it right, you will only need one starter per camp fire.

One last thing: don’t forget the smores!