Keep you and your children safe on Bonfire Night

Fireworks displays are exciting for children and adults... we're not sure who enjoys them the best! The night sky bursts into a rainbow of colours accompanied by an orchestra of pops, bangs, and whistles.

There are so many ways to enjoy Bonfire Night. Commercially organised displays are back this year, you may be planning a bonfire party at home, or if keeping in the warm is more your thing, there are lots of firework crafts to enjoy. 

A big thing to remember on Bonfire Night is keeping everyone safe.  So here's our guide to fireworks safety on November 5th. Let's give you and your children the most spectacular Bonfire Night ever!

Bonfire Night Preparation Tips

If you're holding a private fireworks display, there are a few things to consider. These include how you're going to store your fireworks beforehand, where you're going to hold the display, and how you are going to contain any bonfires.

Tips:

• If you have the space for a bonfire, build it far away from bushes, trees, houses, buildings, and any other structure that can catch fire.
• Build your bonfire to be safe and stable, so that there's very little chance of it collapsing.
• Before the display, keep fireworks in a locked metal box away from children.

Fireworks Display Safety Tips

It's time for the most fun part of the night! Let's look at how to keep you and your children safe and protected from the chance of any mishaps.

Tips:

• Make sure that children do not wear loose or flammable clothing, and tie back their hair.
• When setting up for the display, make sure that you have at least one (but preferably more) buckets of water close by, in case you need to quickly extinguish a fire.
• Keep children supervised at all times. If they are very young or liable to go wandering off, make sure that you, or another trustworthy adult, hold their hand throughout the evening.
• Cordon off the bonfire and the area where the fireworks will be lit with rope, fencing, or something else to clearly mark the boundary. Everyone who isn't lighting the fireworks should stand safely behind the line. If you don't have anything to create a barrier, always make sure that any children are kept at a safe distance.
• It goes without saying - but read any instructions on the fireworks packaging with a torch, not a lighter!
• Light fireworks at an arm's length with a long safety lighter, and then stand way back.
• Never return to a lit firework. If a firework doesn't go off, thoroughly soak it with water and then dispose of it.

Sparklers Safety Tips

Children adore sparklers... writing their names, drawing faces, and making vibrant patterns in the air. These fizzing sticks are so much fun and they look amazing, but safety mustn't be forgotten. Did you know that they can produce the same heat as a blowtorch? Depending on the type of sparkler it is, that can mean between 1,000°C and 1,800°C! That's why it's essential to keep your child safe when they are holding one, and make sure they know they must be careful with it.

Tips:

• Only let children over five use a sparkler.
• Have children playing with sparklers wear gloves, and tell them to keep their sparkler at arms' length.
• Tell children that they should never run while holding a sparkler.
• Tell your child never to touch the hot part of a sparkler, or to let it touch anyone else.
• When the sparkler goes out, make sure your child puts the hot end into a bucket of water – not into their pocket!
• Make sure that children don't pick up fallen or spent sparklers from the floor.

And after the Fireworks Display...

The display is over, everyone was thrilled with the show, but the night isn't finished just yet.

It's important to make sure that you don't leave anything that could cause a fire or burn anyone who finds it, and to make sure that children settle down after the festivities.

Tips:

• Always pour water onto a bonfire's embers before leaving it.
• If you have any fireworks that either did not go off as planned, or landed onto your property, soak them or submerge them in water before disposing of them with your regular household waste.
• If you have children who might have become over-excited during the evening, you'd hope that they will tire themselves out during the fireworks display – but that isn't always the case. If you get home and your children are still buzzing from the evening's fun, try doing something relaxing before they go to bed. You could play calming music, try some relaxing yoga moves, enjoy some sleepy bedtime stories or give them some warm milk.

In case of an emergency

No one wants to imagine something going wrong at a fireworks display, but it's always better to be prepared in case there is an emergency.

Tips:

• A burn may be serious if it is deep, if it is larger than the size of their hand, or if it is on the face, hands or feet.
• Any eye injury may be serious, so as a general rule it is a good idea to seek medical attention if this happens.
• Anyone with a serious burn or injury should seek emergency medical help, so call 999 or 112 for assistance.

Bonfire crafts you can try at home

Fireworks create beautiful patterns and bright shining lights which children love to look at in wonder, but firework displays can be overwhelming for some children with the loud noises and big bangs. That's why we've put together some firework inspired crafts you can do at home together instead.

Firework paintings

These simple fireworks paintings are so easy to do and your children will love choosing different colours to make their very own fireworks displays!

What you’ll need:

• Cardboard tubing
• Paint
• Paper
•  Paper plates

How to make firework paintings:

1. Firstly cut one end of the carboard tubing into strips leaving them attached to the tube and the top of the tube intact spread these strips out by gently pressing down on a table so they look like spider legs
2. Pore the paint onto a plate and dip your tubing end with the strips into the paint so all the strips are covered
3. You can splat, twist twirl the painted tubing onto the paper now making firework shapes
4. Why not try using different colour of paint to make different coloured fireworks or using black paper to make the night sky           

Cardboard fireworks

Why not create your own indoor flame free fireworks where you can have lots of fun zooming these around the room and creating your own indoor displays.

What you'll need: 

• Cardboard tubing
• Paints, coloured pens, paints
• Cardboard
• Crate paper or ribbon

How to make cardboard fireworks

1. Paint, colour, stick and decorate your tube to make it your firework base
2. Cut the crate paper or small ribbon into strips and use stick these to the inside bottom of your tube
3. Make a small cone shape to fit the top of your tubing by cutting out a circle of carboard and folding this into a cone, stick this optop of your tubing and you are done
4. You can throw, whirl or dance with your cardboard firework to put on your own home display