Bonfire night

Remember, remember the 5th of November… If you're celebrating on Bonfire Night, here's how to make sure you have a safe time.

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Staying safe on Bonfire Night

Did you know that during the bonfire season, most firework injuries treated at emergency departments happen at informal private displays? And sadly over half of those requiring treatment are children. So it’s always safer to attend organised public firework displays. It’s also usually cheaper, and better for the environment too. You’ll be able to find a list of public displays on the Fire Safety Scotland website.

According to RoSPA, firework celebrations can end in painful injuries, for adults and children. So if you do decide to let off fireworks in your own garden, make sure you stay safe by following the Firework Code. You can find out more about firework safety at the Fire Safety Scotland website.

In this video, Consultant Plastic and Burn Surgeon David McGill talks about the importance of staying safe and minimise the risks when enjoying Bonfire Night.

Things to think about

Remember, it's illegal to set off fireworks before 6pm and after 11pm in the evening. This is extended to midnight on 5th November and 1am on Hogmanay, Chinese New Year and Diwali. It’s also illegal to buy or give fireworks to anyone under the age of 18 and to use fireworks in the street or other public places..

For some people, fireworks can be distressing and frightening. So if you’re thinking of setting off fireworks in your garden, talk to your neighbours first to let them know, so it doesn’t come as a shock, and so they can keep their pets indoors. Remember, if you have pets, you should always keep them indoors on Bonfire Night. You can find out more about keeping pets safe on Bonfire Night on the SSPCA website.

If you’d like your children to learn more about firework safety, you can find videos, games and quizzes on the SSPCA website that you could look at together.

Using sparklers safely

Did you know that sparklers burn at 1,000-1,600°C? That’s 10 times the temperature of boiling water and 5 times hotter than cooking oil! So while sparklers may seem like a harmless way of bringing a bit of pop and fizz to Bonfire Night, they can be very dangerous. If you do decide to use sparklers, here’s how to stay safe:

Never give a sparkler to a child under 5
Always supervise children with sparklers
Wear gloves when holding sparklers
Light sparklers one at a time
When they’re done, place used sparklers in a baking tray filled with water to cool before disposing of them.

Tips for a fun Bonfire Night at home

Tip #1: Bonfire baking

No Bonfire Night would be complete without a few tasty nibbles. Try out recipes for baked apples or healthy apple muffins for a seasonal treat.

Tip #2: Make your own celebrity 'guy'

Traditionally, kids would make a dummy or ‘guy’ to represent Guy Fawkes. This would then be burnt on the bonfire. This seems pretty unkind, so how about getting the kids to make their own ‘guy’ from pillows and old clothes to invite to your firework feast? They could even model it on their favourite celebrity!

They can use a pillow for the body, then dress it up however they like – as it’s not going on the bonfire you don’t need to worry about your favourite t-shirt going up in flames! Stuff the arms and legs of the clothes with socks to form the body. The head can be made from a cushion, or a balloon covered in paper-mache, decorated with a face. Hair can be made from wool, tissue paper or even an old mop!

Tip #3: Try some science magic

Make things fizz and pop with these fun, simple science experiments from CBeebies. Make a lava lamp, a rainbow cloud or even fizzy chalk, perfect for creating a firework picture.

Tip #4: Make your own crafty fireworks

Fireworks for Bonfire Night made from toilet rolls and coloured paper

Who needs to set off fireworks when the kids can make their own from toilet rolls, tin foil and paper? Simply paint or cover a cardboard tube with paper, then roll a piece of stiff paper or card into a cone to make the firework’s nose. Attach strips of tinfoil, tinsel, tissue paper and crepe paper for a shimmering tail! Or how about making a Catherine wheel from a paper plate?

Tip #5: Create a firework picture

Another fun craft idea is to create a big firework picture on black, dark blue or purple paper. Let the kids go wild with tinfoil, tinsel, glitter, pipe-cleaners, pom-poms and paint to create an explosion of colour. The humble toilet roll comes in handy here as well – cut strips half way up the roll then fan them out to make a circle, dip them in paint and use them to print a rocket burst – check out the Learning 4 Kids website to see how this works. Another option is to blow paint through a straw to create a firework burst – messy but fun!

Tip #6: Special slime

Yes, you probably hate it, but kids love any opportunity to make slime, so why not have a go at making something glittery and gorgeous for Bonfire Night? This slime recipe on the CBeebies website is safe and easy to make – try adding biodegradable glitter, strands from tinsel or glow in the dark paint for a special firework twist!

Tip #7: Discover the history behind Bonfire Night

Why do we mark November 5th? If you don’t know the Guy Fawkes story, you could explore this video and information from BBC Bitesize together. Then check out this YouTube video from the Horrible Histories team for a more humorous twist on the tale. Your kids may have learnt about Guy Fawkes at school so may enjoy telling you all about the gunpowder plot – particularly the gory bits!

Tip #8: Make a lantern display

Even without a bonfire you can still light up your home with colour. Get the kids to collect up any empty glass jars from your recycling and cover them with different coloured tissue paper. Place LED tea-lights inside them and they’ll cast pretty, coloured shadows all around the room.

Tip #9: Make a crayon scraper picture

This simple craft activity is easy, fun and doesn’t involve glitter! Get the kids to fill a piece of paper with different coloured swirls or shapes using crayons. It doesn’t matter what they draw, as long as they cover all the paper. Then draw over the colours with a black crayon or paint over them with black acrylic paint, filling the paper again so it’s completely black. Once the paint has dried (if you use paint), get the kids to use a fork or cocktail stick to etch firework explosions into the black to reveal the colours underneath. Magic!

Tip #10: Draw and write with light

In a darkened room, ask the kids to use a torch or mobile phone to draw a picture or write a word in the air. Can you guess what it is? A great way of sneaking in some spelling!