Early years Bonfire Night activities are great opportunities to teach young children about history, engage in fun activities and ensure their safety around fireworks and bonfires. Whether you call it Bonfire Night, Fireworks Night or Guy Fawkes Night, it is still an important event observed on the 5th of November.
“Remember, remember, the Fifth of November
Gunpowder treason and plot
I see no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot”
The history behind Bonfire Night
Bonfire Night marks the anniversary of the famous Gunpowder Plot in 1605., A member of this plot was arrested on November the 5th for attempting to blow up the House of Lords in protest of King James I and Parliament. Guy Fawkes and his fellow plotters had placed explosives beneath the House of Lords, but he was caught whilst keeping guard. The plot’s failure is now commemorated with bonfires, fireworks, and other fun celebrations on the 5th of November.
Did you know? Even to this day, the Yeoman of the Guard searches the cellars to ensure there are no explosives before each State Opening of Parliament.
In the United Kingdom, Bonfire Night activities include bonfires, the burning of straw Guy Fawkes, parades, music, food, and fireworks – representing the explosives that were never used by the plotters. Traditionally, children would carry their straw “Guys” through the streets in the days leading up to Guy Fawkes Day asking for “a penny for the guy,” often reciting rhymes associated with the occasion.
Teaching safety for Bonfire Night
It is important to teach young children about safety around any bonfires and fireworks displays they may attend over this time. Whether they go to a large public display or a small event in your local community, they need to understand the dangers.
During the lead-up to Bonfire Night, you can share useful safety tips through a nursery parent engagement app, such as eyparent. For example:
- Putting sparklers into carrots so young children do not hold them in their hands
- Wearing gloves when handling sparklers
Fun and safe Bonfire Night activities for early years
To help celebrate this exciting time of the year, we have put together some Bonfire Night EYFS activities that you can try in your nursery or provide parents to try at home.
Make “Sparklers” out of Tinsel and Pompoms
- What You’ll Need: Pipe cleaners, tinsel, and pompoms.
- How to Do It: Encourage the children to wrap tinsel around a pipe cleaner, leaving space at the top to glue a pompom. Bend the pipe cleaner slightly to create a wand-like “sparkler.”They can then wave these around as pretend sparklers in a safe environment.
- Skills Developed: Fine motor skills, creativity, imagination.
Bonfire Night Safety – Talk to Children About Dangers and Precautions
- What You’ll Need: Visual aids like pictures of fireworks, bonfires, and safety signs.
- How to Do It: Use visual aids to discuss the dangers of fireworks and bonfires. Talk about safety measures like keeping a safe distance, not touching fireworks, and wearing protective clothing (like gloves and coats).
- Skills Developed: Listening, safety awareness, communication skills.
Make Firework Paintings Blowing Through Straws
- What You’ll Need: Paper, liquid paint, straws.
- How to Do It: Drop small amounts of paint onto the paper and give each child a straw. Let them blow through the straw to move the paint around, creating firework-like patterns. They can use different colours to represent different fireworks.
- Skills Developed: Fine motor control, breath control, creativity.
Make Rockets out of Kitchen Roll Tubes
- What You’ll Need: Empty kitchen roll tubes, construction paper, glitter, glue, markers, and stickers.
- How to Do It: Let the children decorate the kitchen roll tubes with colourful paper, glitter, and stickers. Help them attach a cone-shaped top and streamers at the bottom to look like a rocket.
- Skills Developed: Crafting, imagination, fine motor skills.
Create “Rocket” Fruit Kebabs
- What You’ll Need: Grapes, strawberries, melon chunks, and skewers (use child-safe options).
- How to Do It: Guide the children in threading the fruit pieces onto skewers, with a pointed strawberry on top to represent the rocket tip. These healthy “rockets” can be a fun snack.
- Skills Developed: Healthy eating, fine motor control, hand-eye coordination.
These ideas mix creativity, sensory play, and safety education for children in their early years to enjoy Bonfire Night to the fullest!
To learn more about how eyworks’ nursery management software can help give you more time to spend on creative idea planning, contact our friendly team on hello@eyworks.co.uk or Book a Demo today.
