As the UK's Bonfire Night approaches, it's a great way to get together with family and friends and celebrate. We've compiled a variety of activities, including games and crafts, alongside essential safety tips and fun facts. Get ready for a magical evening, dive into our blog for a night filled with sparkle, laughter, and, most importantly, safety.
Safety tips
Bonfire Night is great fun, but it does come with its share of risks. Equipping your child with essential Bonfire Night safety guidelines is crucial in preventing injuries and ensuring that everyone can relish the evening without worry. You can find valuable insights on safety from the British Fireworks Association at using fireworks safely.
- Your child should not "help out" with your fireworks display.
- Your child should never touch, throw, play with or light fireworks.
- When you're watching the fireworks displays, stand well back from any firework that has been lit, even if it has not gone off.
- If you have any pets, please ensure you keep them indoors.
- keep your bonfire well away from buildings, vehicles, and trees/hedges
- only use untreated wood and paper and never include a pressurised container
- it should go without saying, but never throw fireworks onto bonfires
- never use flammable liquids to ignite a bonfire
- always supervise your bonfire and fully extinguish it once done
- never drink alcohol when tending to a bonfire and don't let smoke become a public nuisance
Homemade activities & games
It’s the perfect time of year for children to ignite their imaginations with some games & activities. Whether it’s getting creative with pop-up fireworks, making starry night sky playdough, or creating a Zooming rocket. Netmums have some fantastic Bonfire night craft ideas
Further fun and game ideas can be discovered below.
25 Hilarious Campfire Games for Adults and Kids
Celebrate!
Explore our selection of Homemade Fun to celebrate Bonfire Night with friends and family. From traditional activities like apple bobbing and crafting a mini-bonfire in your garden to the thrill of sparklers and toasting marshmallows.
Host a winter BBQ
While it may seem unconventional, enjoying some warm, delicious food is a great way to get family and friends together no matter the time of year.
Apple Bobbing
A classic game associated with Bonfire Night is apple bobbing, all you need is a bucket or large bowl filled with water, add some apples, and let the kids (and adults) get stuck in!
A Mini-Bonfire
Many gardens are not large enough for a full-scale bonfire (and it can be dangerous too), but with a fire pit you can easily create a smaller version at home.
Marshmallow Toasting
Going hand-in-hand with a mini-bonfire or fire pit, is marshmallow toasting. Simply, hover the marshmallows safely over the flame with a skewer and enjoy the gooey sugar in your mouth!
Sparklers or Glow Sticks
Sparklers are a great way to get involved in the traditions of Bonfire Night without the excessive noise, be sure to always read the instructions carefully and watch children closely whilst handling them. If you have very little ones, glow sticks are a great safe alternative whilst they can still enjoy the fun.
Outdoor cinema
Set up an outdoor cinema with your favourite seasonal films using a projector and a white sheet.
Take a look at a Bonfire Night At Home Celebration Kit
Fun Firework Facts
Did you know?...
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Fireworks were invented by accident!
It was a Chinese cook in the 10th century who accidentally invented fireworks by mixing the common ingredients found in the kitchen back then: sulphur, charcoal and a salt substitute. The mixture was set alight and resulted in colourful flames.
- It was once illegal not to celebrate Bonfire Night in Britain
Until 1959 it was illegal to not celebrate Bonfire Night in Britain
- 36 barrels of gunpowder would have destroyed how we see London today
If successful, Guy Fawkes and his accomplices would have completely destroyed the Houses of Parliament, as well as causing damage to buildings that surround it and transformed how we see London today.
- There were 13 people involved in the Gunpowder Plot.
It wasn’t just Guy Fawkes who was involved in the Gunpowder Plot.
The reason he is mentioned so much is because he is the one who got caught!