Best Alternatives to Fireworks this Bonfire Night at Home

The challenges of 2020 have forced us to change our routines and lifestyles. This has included the way we celebrate festivities. It’s tempting to sit at home and complain about all the ways Covid has impacted our lives for the worse, but, if you prefer to try and make the best of a bad situation, why not embrace your creative and inventive side by finding alternative ways to enjoy holidays while still maintaining social distancing and following government guidelines.

What is Bonfire Night and why do we celebrate with fireworks?

It’s important that children understand the history of Bonfire Night. It celebrates the failed assassination attempt on King James I by Guy Fawkes and a group of Catholic conspirators. They tried to overthrow the Protestant monarchy and spent months plotting to blow up the King during the opening of Parliament on November 5, 1605. This plot – known as the Gunpowder Plot – was led by Robert Catesby, but it is Guy Fawkes who is now remembered for the planned rebellion. He was found guarding the explosive barrels of gunpowder, and was arrested and executed. After the plot was revealed, bonfires were lit to celebrate the safety of the King and the failure of the plan. Since that night, November 5 has been known as ‘Bonfire Night’. It is celebrated every year with fireworks and the ceremonial burning of a Guy Fawkes puppet upon the bonfire.

Bonfire Night in 2020 – An alternative to fireworks

Some traditional activities might not be well-suited for 2020’s version of Bonfire Night. Community celebrations may be cancelled but that just means we need to improvise ways to celebrate at home. Bonfire STEM experiments, Bonfire-themed tasty treats and easy fireworks crafts are all great ways to enjoy the day at home with your family. These are my ideas for the best alternatives to fireworks this Bonfire Night at Home!

Bonfire Night Easy STEM Experiments 

Exploding Chalk Experiment

This is a great alternative to fireworks. It is environmentally-friendly and easier on your pet’s ears! Combining the concept of pavement chalk and science, this activity makes it look like fireworks are exploding on your pavement! 

Materials needed: large, clear plastic ziplock bags, cornstarch, vinegar, food colouring, baking soda

Exploding Chalk Instructions:

1. Combine 1 cup of corn starch and 1 cup of vinegar in a large ziplock bag and mix until combined.
2. Add drops of food colouring to achieve your desired colour.
3. Seal the bags tightly, without extra air.
4. Take a square of toilet paper and put 1 to 2tsps of baking soda in the middle, wrap the sides up like a little parcel. 
5. Open one side of the ziplock bag and drop in the baking soda parcel and immediately seal the bag. 
6. Shake the bag and watch the chemical reaction!
7. Once the bag stops fizzing, open carefully and use as chalk paint – it is easy to wash away when you are finished!

Scientific explanation: 

Baking soda is a base, and vinegar is an acid in water. The water in the vinegar acts as a host where the base and acid react. The reaction causes the baking soda to transform into water and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is a gas which is released during the reaction, which gives it the bubbling effect, and it expands which is why the ziplock bag expands in this experiment. 

Homemade Lava Lamp

This Lava Lamp is a great science experiment to celebrate Halloween or Bonfire Night. 

Lava Lamp Instructions:
1. Gather materials over a surface that cannot be damaged by oil or can be wiped clean.
2. Fill the jar ¾ full with vegetable oil.
3. Add water to fill the jar, leaving a little space between the water line and the top of the jar.
4. Add 8-10 drops of food coloring to the jar until a rich color is seen.
5. Break the Alka-Seltzer tablet into smaller pieces (6 to 8). Add one piece at a time observing each reaction.
7. When the bubbling stops put on the jar lid.
8. Tip the jar back and forth and observe the reaction. Tip, twist, and shake in different directions.

The scientific explanation:
The oil floats on top of the water because it is less dense or lighter than water. The food colouring has the same density as the water so it sink through the oil and mixes with the water. When you add the tablet it sinks to the bottom then starts to dissolve. As it dissolves it makes carbon dioxide. The gas is lighter than water so it floats to the top. The air bubbles bring some coloured water with them to the top. When the air comes out of the coloured water blob, the water gets heavy again and sinks. It does this over and over again until the tablet is completely dissolved.

Bonfire Night Easy Treats for Kids

Fireworks Sugar Cookies

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe

• 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Step 1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Colourful Fireworks Topping:

Make easy icing paints by sifting icing sugar mixed with a little water and then add food colouring. Place a blob of icing in the middle of the cookie and use a spoon to spread it outwards to make a firework shape. Decorate with colourful sprinkles. 

Marshmallow Rockets 

Get in the spirit of Bonfire Night with these fun and easy to make marshmallow rockets. Your kids will love to help make these and they won’t last long! 

 

Ingredients: marshmallows, chocolate chips, colourful sprinkles, wooden skewers

Instructions: 

1. Thread 2 marshmallows onto a wooden skewer leaving 2cm of the skewer sticking out of the top of the last marshmallow. 
2. Cut a third marshmallow into a triangle shape and fit onto the top of the skewer. 
3. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring after 30 seconds until the chips are completely melted. Pour the chocolate onto a plate.
4. Roll the marshmallow skewer in the chocolate until it is covered.
5. Scatter sprinkles on all sides of the rocket.
6. Stick upright into something solid (a leftover Halloween pumpkin works well) and allow for the chocolate to dry. 
7. Enjoy on Bonfire Night!

Bonfire Night Fun and Easy Craft Ideas

Fireworks Salt Painting

This is fun and easy fireworks craft for all ages. Spreading the glue and salt are great ways to practise fine motor skills. Your little ones will be amazed to watch the colours spreading in the salt and glue to create beautiful fireworks art. 

Materials: fine salt, craft glue, black coloured paper, watercolours

Instructions:

1. On the black paper, draw firework shaped lines in pencil.
2. Fill in pencil lines with craft glue.
3. Sprinkle salt over the glue, completely covering all the lines. Shake excess salt off the paper. 
4. Use watercolours – keep the colours more liquid (rather than thick paint) because the colours will spread more easily in the salt and glue. 
5. Dab the colours onto the salt and paint and watch the colours spread. Use different colours to cover the lines, creating a beautiful firework art piece.

Autumn Leaf Printing

Embrace the beauty of autumn with this easy painting activity.

Bonfire night is the perfect reason to get outside and enjoy the autumn weather. Hunt through local forests and parks in search of different shaped leaves that have fallen on the ground. These can be the perfect tool to create autumn themed artwork. 
Leaves make a great resource for printing with paint.
✔️ Find a selection of different shaped leaves.
✔️ Using autumn colours, paint on the back of the leaf and press it down onto paper.
✔️ Create amazing patterns and pictures using your leaves!

If you are still keen on exploring outside, try out this colour scavenger hunt. 

Be creative finding alternatives to fireworks this Bonfire Night at home

There are so many alternatives to fireworks this Bonfire Night. The most important thing is to be safe at home, celebrating with your close family. So rather than being disappointed by the restrictions in place, see this as a chance to re-evaluate your traditional ways of celebrating and try out some new, fun alternatives to fireworks this Bonfire Night. Who knows, these new, transformed traditions of 2020 may make an appearance in future celebrations!