Meet Campfire

Where your family gathers, safely.

A better messaging app for families — built so kids can stay connected with the people you choose. No open contact lists. No strangers. No social network.

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Campfire parent app — family members list
Parent view
Campfire Kids app — chat with Dad
Kids view
Mark is chatting with Dad
Whitelist-only contacts
Why Campfire

Most messaging apps weren't made for kids.

They come with open contact lists, searchable usernames, group invites from strangers, ads, and endless distraction.

Campfire is different. A private, parent-controlled space where you decide exactly who your children can talk to.

How it works

Three steps. Then a cozy circle.

Set up your family in minutes. Approve contacts one by one. Nothing appears in your child's world without your approval.

1

Create your family

Add your kids in seconds. They log in with a simple 4-digit PIN. No email, no public username, no profile to find.

2

You control every connection

Only people you approve can appear in your child's app.

G
Grandma
Connected
C
Cousin Mia
Connected
U
Uncle Ben
Off
3

Install on any device

Campfire is a Progressive Web App. Open the link, add it to your home screen, and you're done. Campfire stays updated without connecting to the App Store.

Campfire
For parents
Add to Home
Campfire Kids
For kids
Add to Home
Parent dashboard

Parent controls, done right.

See exactly who your child is talking to. Set bedtime windows. Pause access in one tap. Manage everything from one clear dashboard — full visibility and peace of mind, without constant hovering.

  • Approve or revoke contacts per child, in seconds.
  • Bedtime windows that quiet the app outside chat hours.
  • Pause access anytime — homework, dinner, bedtime.
  • Activity feed with every message, by every member.
Parent app — contacts list for one child with toggle switches
Per-child whitelist Approve each contact yourself
Sleep schedule 8:00 PM — 8:00 AM
Kids app — clean conversation list with Dad, Mom, Bing Bong, Zara
Only approved people No feeds. No strangers.
Built to feel fun Emoji avatars, warm theme
Kids chat

A simple experience, just for them.

Kids get a clean, friendly chat app with only the people you've approved — warm messages from family and trusted friends. No feeds, no search, no strangers, no public profiles.

  • Whitelist-only conversation list — no discovery surfaces.
  • 4-digit PIN login. No email, no username, no profile.
  • Plain messages — text and emoji. No ads, no algorithm.
  • Emergency contact tray so you're reachable, even when paused.
Safety first

Built to be trusted.

A small, independent app designed by a fellow parent. No ads, no tracking, no data selling — ever.

Encrypted at rest

Message bodies are AES-256-GCM encrypted in the database. DB dumps and backups leak nothing readable.

No ads, no tracking

Zero analytics. No ads or tracking cookies. No data selling, ever. Your family's conversations stay your family's.

No public profiles

Kids can't be searched, discovered, or added by strangers. Only their parent can add a contact to their world.

Full parent visibility

An activity tab shows every conversation, every member. You see what your kids see — without hovering over a shoulder.

No discovery surfaces

No search. No suggested contacts. No "people you may know." Nothing appears that you didn't approve.

Built by a parent

Made for my own kids first. Shared with families who feel the same way.

Why I built it

A thoughtful middle path.

I wanted my kids to be able to message their grandparents and cousins, without handing them a full social app, an open internet, and a feed of strangers.

The options felt extreme. Total isolation, or open messaging that's clearly not built for children. Neither one fit.

Campfire is the result: a small, deliberate space where family stays connected and parents stay in charge. No ads. No algorithm. Just the people who matter, inside the boundaries you set.

Frequently asked

Everything parents ask first.

Can kids message anyone outside the approved list?
No. Campfire is strictly whitelist-only. Kids can only see and message the people you've explicitly approved — there's no other way to add someone to their world.
What if I want to add a grandparent, aunt, or family friend?
You (as the parent/owner) add them to your family or approved contacts and control exactly who they can talk to. You stay fully in charge — adults are whitelist-gated just like kids.
Do both families have to use Campfire to connect?
Yes. Family-to-family connections only work between two Campfire families, and both parents must approve the connection before anything opens.
Is Campfire free?
Yes. I built this for my own family and am currently sharing it with other interested families at no cost.
How does screen time work?
You can set bedtime windows and pause access anytime. The kids app automatically respects these limits and shows a friendly "All done" screen outside allowed times.
Can kids have their own email or username?
No. Kids log in with a simple 4-digit PIN and have no email or public username. This keeps them completely private — they can't be searched for, and strangers can't find them.
What if my child needs to reach me while the app is locked?
There's an optional "Need help?" emergency contact button — you control whether it's available per child. It lets them reach you even when the app is otherwise paused or outside their allowed time window.
Are messages private?
Yes. Message bodies are encrypted at rest in the database, and you have full visibility into your child's conversations as their parent.
Get started

Ready to try Campfire with your family?

We're a small project focused on doing one thing well. If this feels like the right fit, I'd love to have you join us.

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Free for families  •  No ads  •  No data selling  •  Made by a parent