S'more tips for making your camping trip fun

From pitching a tent, to rolling a sleeping bag, to plucking out a splinter, there are so many things to know when out in the woods that there could be an entire dictionary devoted to camping.

Whether this summer is your first time going off to sleep-away camp or if you're a regular in the woods, you can look like a pro with a little help.

Sure, there are a million things you need to know when living it up out in the woods, but we've chosen five that experts deem worthy of the short list (for their practicality or just because they're fun). So before spraying on the bug repellent, packing up the cooler and the car and heading off to the open spaces, there are a few fundamentals to keep in mind.

"An educated camper is a safe camper," says Jordan Fisher Smith, author of "Nature Noir: A Park Ranger's Patrol on the Sierra." While camping is meant to be fun and nature enjoyed, people should keep their eyes and ears open, he adds, and learn about fires and food storage before hitting the woods.

First things first. Camping just isn't camping without a campfire. How do we build a fire that produces a sea of flames and not a pile of smoldering wood?

Before getting started: It's safety first, when dealing with fire. So clear the area of all debris and avoid areas with overhanging branches. Then surrounded the area with rocks.

What you need: Gather dry wood of various sizes with small twigs, wood shavings, dry leaves or grass, dry needles, bark or dryer lint to act as a base. This should burn immediately with a lighted match. Have a fire extinguisher or buckets of water nearby.

1. Pile a couple handfuls of tinder in the center of your fire ring.

2. With your back to the wind and match protected by the cup of your hand, ignite tinder with a match. Discard used match into the fire.

3. Slowly add more tinder. You may need to blow softly at the base of the fire.

4. Once the tinder has fully started to burn, add smaller pieces of kindling. Keep close together but allow space for air. Gradually increase the size of the kindling you add to the fire. You can place the wood on the fire in a tepee or box form in the center of the fire (like a log cabin).

5. When you have a good fire going, add the fuel one piece at a time. Continue to do so periodically.

How to make s'mores

What you need: Graham crackers, marshmallows, chocolate bars and a skewer for toasting the marshmallows.