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Learn a Portuguese campfire song

First suggested by Moot 2025 United Kingdom Contingent
Discover Portuguese culture through song – start with a whisper and end with a roar!

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You’ll need

  • Device to play music

Before you begin 

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. There’s also more guidance to help you carry out your risk assessment, including examples.  
  • Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help.  

The World Scout Moot is a global event for Scouts and Guides aged 18 to 25. It's held every four years in different countries, bringing young people together to make new friends, discover new cultures and enjoy exciting adventures. 

The next Moot will be held in Portugal in 2025. The event has three parts: a semi-independent expedition, a large camp with Scouts from around the world and a special experience after the main event. Portugal’s a beautiful country in Southern Europe, known for its fascinating history, stunning beaches and warm weather. This year’s participants will have the chance to explore Lisbon’s historic streets, relax by the sea and take part in outdoor activities, such as hiking and surfing. Learn more about the 16th World Scout Moot. 


Planning and setting up this activity 

  • You can use the video on this page from the 206 Scout Group in Seixal, Portugal to learn the song.  

 Running this activity 

  1. Gather everyone together and explain that you’re going to learn a special song from Portugal called Sobem às Chamas. It’s often sung around a campfire. It means ‘Rise to the Flames’ in English.
  2. Everyone should learn the chorus of the song: 
    • Lyrics: ‘Sobem Chamas, sobem chamas, mais alto, mais alto, que iluminam e aquecem, nossas vidas, nossas almas.’
    • English translation: ‘Flames rise, flames rise, go higher, go higher, that lights us and warm us, our spirits, our lives’ 

  1. It’s okay if you’re not sure how to say all the words perfectly—just try your best and have fun! 

  2. After practicing keep singing it, getting louder and louder each time until it’s as loud as possible! You could even add simple hand movements or claps to make it more fun.

This video is provided by an external platform. Scouts are not responsible for the content or any advertisements that may appear alongside it.  

To watch in full screen, double click the video

Reflection

This activity was all about learning a new language through song. How did you find it? Was it fun to learn a new song in another language? Some people find it easier to learn new languages through songs, as it can make the words easier to remember and there’s lots of repetition. Can you remember any of the words and what they mean? Do you know any other songs in another language or in Portuguese? You may have come up with actions for the songs. What actions did you choose and why? 

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.

Fires and stoves

Make sure anyone using fires and stoves is doing so safely. Check that the equipment and area are suitable and have plenty of ventilation. Follow the gas safety guidance. Have a safe way to extinguish the fire in an emergency.

  • To make this activity easier, you could have printed copies of the lyrics with pronunciation for people to follow along with.
  • To make this activity harder, you could try learning some more of your favourite campfire songs in Portuguese. 
  • If anyone’s sensitive to loud noises, try to remind everyone to be quieter or have a noise level warning system. People could wear ear defenders, you can shut doors and windows to reduce external noise, or you can have a quiet zone for people to go to if needed. You could also run the activity outside or over a larger space to reduce the noise. 
  • In noisy activities, someone with a hearing aid might feel more comfortable turning it off but be sure it’s turned back on afterward.
  • If you’re doing this as part of a campfire, for some people campfires may be overwhelming due to the smell, smoke or noise. Some people may be scared of the fire too. Allow everyone to stay at a distance from the fire that they are comfortable with and participate as much as they wish. Remind them of the safety measures in place and let them choose to wear ear defenders if they wish to. You may also want to consider alternatives, such as using a toy campfire, creating an indoor fire-free campfire with fairy lights or running some alternative non-fire activities for people to try.
  • Make sure that everyone can see the words. You may need to make the words larger, use an easy to read and large print font, or enlarge any images. You could provide digital version, so people can use of magnification software. People could also use magnifying glasses, braille versions or large print versions. If someone has dyslexia, light-coloured paper, such as cream or light pink, or coloured overlays can be helpful. 
  • Make sure anyone with hearing loss can clearly see the speaker, as this helps with lip reading and understanding body language. 
  • Make sure any actions or movements are things everyone can do. You could do them seated too.  

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Squirrels All Around Us Challenge Award
Beavers My World Challenge Award
Cubs International Activity Badge
Scouts International Activity Badge
Explorers International Activity Badge

If you enjoyed this activity, try one of our other Moot 2025 activities.