Home Firework Displays and Child Safety

First thing to be determined is whether your child is mature enough to participate in a home display. Bright, sparkly things often cause very young children to clamor for a try but obviously their safety around flaming objects must take priority. Age is only one factor to consider, though, since there can be a fairly wide maturity gap between youngsters of the same grade. For example, one four year old may need to be held tightly in someone's lap for the entire excursion while another child might be responsible enough to help light a single small fountain with proper supervision. Judge their readiness by how they behave during other celebrations as well as during a normal day. Many personalities that may be calm during ordinary moments can become over-excited on special occasions. Only you as their parent can know their limitations and decide whether your child can be a participant or should remain a bystander.

For beginners, finger poppers are perfect as they are truly safe enough to hold in even the tiniest of bare hands. They also make a very satisfying snap as they are thrown to the ground. The only real concern is to emphasize that these small items should not be squeezed too tightly while still held and they should not be tossed at people or animals but only towards the ground. Fortunately, even if an accident should occur the resulting burn is more of a static shock variety than anything serious. A strike to the body or even to the face may be startling to the recipient, but the possibility of getting even the slightest true burn is almost nil.

When you feel right about adding more, the next stage is usually little fountains, bloom flowers/spinners, tanks or other rolling or small-shot vehicles, bright flashers, smoke bombs, noise bombs and an almost dizzying array of other small items. I do not include sparklers in this group because I rarely use them. I remember when I was young how these little wands could be swirled around to make patterns in the air but stricter safety regulations over the years seem to have converted them into something far more likely to fizzle before you can get the first letter of your name spelled out. I am also not a big fan of any flaming item that needs to be held by young fingers for any duration. This is just asking for trouble with small children due to possible physical coordination problems and other lack of awareness of not only their own bodies but of those surrounding them. While colorful and pretty to look at, this is still a living flame and if brushed against clothing, hair or skin it can cause a significant burn. Best to leave this particular item alone.

Another item to avoid when trying to entertain smaller children are the M16's and other loud bangs. Tiny ears are far more sensitive to these big booms than an adult. Listening to them could cause a deep fear reaction in your child. This is supposed to be a fun experience and if thunder storms or other loud noises are disturbing or frightening for your youngster, just imagine how badly these controlled explosions will also be received. There is also the very real danger of causing permanent as well as temporary hearing impairment. Delicate ears as well as sensibilities can be damaged for life so it's best to leave this particular type of firework alone, too.

Once you have purchased your bag of goodies and are ready to light them off, you'll want to get a few more items ready before you start to set things ablaze. Set a clear perimeter for where the display is going to occur. Using sidewalk chalk to mark the area works well. Also make sure you have a bucket of water and or sand along with a set of long-handled tongs. Having a fire extinguisher handy is not a bad idea, either. No matter how careful you try to be, accidents can still happen and you want to have at least one if not several means to douse any flames that may erupt where they don't belong. It's also a good idea to use the long-nosed or barbeque style of lighter. Keeping distance from the fire is always a good idea.

When you have more than one person willing and able to set things off, take turns so that only one person is in the display zone at any one time. It's very easy to get caught up in a flurry of activity as one fountain after another is torched to provide a bigger and better show. Double check everyone's location before lighting the next fuse. This can be done by maintaining a constant dialogue as well as flicking a diligent eye around the area.

Make sure spectators stay in one place. I've found using the curb of the sidewalk works well to give children an obvious boundary. They are to keep their toes, hands and heads on their side of the line, pretending that there is an invisible wall that projects up from the edge. This is also a good rule for the adults and teens when it is not their turn to be in the display area lighting fuses.

In the case of a child who has a tendency to dash away or otherwise literally jump into trouble, have another adult or an older teen hold your child in their lap. Another option would be to have said child remain inside the home where they can watch through a window. Even in the cases of well-behaved children, taking the precaution of having them stay indoors and behind a sheet of glass might be a safety option to consider. Stray sparks as well emissions of curly-cued flights of 'bees' or other tiny fireballs can still land on an unsuspecting spectator despite keeping what should be a sufficient distance from the activities.

Once the sparks and flames have been spent, wait at least ten minutes or more before cleaning up. Use the tongs to pick up all fireworks, even if it's just a finger popper, to then be dropped into the bucket. Duds happen but many a sad news article has also been written about lost fingers or other flesh as supposedly dead fireworks suddenly spring back to life. Using your long-handled tool will keep the chance of this occurring to a minimum. Best to give a full twenty four or even forty eight hours before placing possibly smoldering items in with your main garbage. Again, despite seeming to be truly dead, some embers may hide deep within larger items to erupt later, setting the entire trash can ablaze.

Most of all, be sure that you are setting a good example as well as talk with your child about what is going to happen. Remind them often to be safe around fire before you set up your fireworks area, while lighting up your show and after the smoke and sparkles have faded. This holds just as true for older children and teens as it does for tiny tots. The excitement of the moment can cause temporary memory lapses and that's when accidents are most likely to happen.

And, of course, while maintaining safety don't forget to enjoy yourselves. This is a holiday after all and should be a fun experience for everyone. So have fun, stay safe and have a Happy 4^th of July!