Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Firework Safety Poster: Free Printable Chart for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Firework Safety Poster is a free printable chart for Reception (ages 4 to 5). It has cards to cut out and use, with short rules for staying safe around fireworks. It takes about 5 minutes, needs only paper and scissors, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas and a stretch task.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children use a set of cards to cut out and use. Each card holds one short rule for fireworks night, such as staying back, staying with a grown up, not touching fireworks and keeping pets safe indoors. Children listen to each rule, say it back and talk about it with a grown up. There is no rush. The aim is for a young child to feel calm and clear about what to do on the night.
- Stay back
- Stay with a grown-up
- Do not touch fireworks
- Cover your ears if it is loud
- Keep pets safe indoors
- Tell a grown-up if you are scared
How to build a calm fireworks night routine
Talk before the night
Look at the cards a few days before. Children cope better with loud events when they know what to expect and what their job is.
Agree a safe spot
Choose where your child will stand or sit. Make sure they know it is the place to stay while the grown up is close by.
Practise the words
Say the rules in the same short way each time. Simple, repeated words are easier for a four year old to remember when it is noisy.
Check in on the night
Ask how they are feeling. Remind them they can always tell a grown up, and listen without hurrying them.
Why teach firework safety in Reception?
Bonfire Night is on 5 November in the UK, and fireworks are also part of other celebrations through the year. Children in Reception often see posters, hear bangs and talk about it with friends. Learning a few clear rules before the night helps them feel prepared rather than worried.
Young children learn best through play, talk and acting things out. Short rules said aloud, one at a time, give them something they can remember and repeat. Sharing the cards with a grown up also shows children that it is always fine to ask for help or to say they feel scared.
Fireworks, sparklers and bonfires are for adults to handle. Adults do all the lighting and set up, and children stay well back at all times. Sparklers get very hot, so young children should not hold them. Keep pets indoors somewhere quiet and safe.
Fireworks night facts for children
- Bonfire Night is on 5 November in the UK.
- Fireworks are very bright and very loud.
- Light travels faster than sound, so you often see a firework before you hear it.
- Loud bangs can worry people and animals.
- It is fine to feel nervous about loud noises, and a grown up can help.
Skills and curriculum link
- Staying safe
- Listening
- Talking
- Following simple rules
- Asking for help
What children will be able to do
- I can say some rules for staying safe near fireworks.
- I can stay with a grown up.
- I can say who to tell if I am worried.
Ideas to help you talk about fireworks
- Loud noisesSome children find sudden bangs upsetting. Let them know it is normal to feel this way and that there are things they can do to feel better.
- Staying closeA busy crowd in the dark can feel confusing. Talk about what it means to keep a grown up close at an event.
- Looking after animalsMany pets find loud noises frightening. Ask your child how they might help a pet feel calm and cosy.
- FeelingsFireworks can be exciting and scary at the same time. Both feelings are fine, and talking about them helps.
Key words
- FireworkSomething an adult sets off that makes bright lights and loud bangs in the sky.
- SafeNot likely to be hurt or harmed.
- RuleA clear instruction that helps everyone stay safe.
- Grown upA trusted adult who looks after you, such as a parent, carer or teacher.
- ScaredFeeling afraid or worried. Everyone feels this sometimes.
- LoudA big noise that can be hard on your ears.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for you.
- Cut out the cards, or ask a grown up to do it. Read each rule aloud, one at a time.
- Talk about each rule together. Ask your child why they think it matters, and let them answer in their own words.
- Check your talk against the notes on page 2. Act out the rules together if it helps.
- Come back to the cards on another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Act out each rule together. Take a big step back, stand close to a grown up, or put your hands over your ears. Look at one card at a time and keep the talk short. Stop when your child has had enough.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to draw themselves keeping safe next to a rule card. Then ask them to explain their drawing to someone at home. Can they say why that rule matters and what they would do?
Make it a game
Play Stay back. Choose a word, such as the word stay. Whenever a grown up says it, everyone takes a big step back. Swap roles so your child can be the one to say the word.
Talk about it
- What do you like about fireworks night, and what do you find tricky?
- Who will you stay close to at a fireworks night?
- Why do you think we keep back from fireworks?
- How does a loud bang make your body feel?
- What could you do if you felt scared?
- How could we look after a pet on fireworks night?
Take it off the page
Rule role play
Take turns being the child and the grown up. Practise each rule with a toy, then swap places and say it in your own words.
Quiet corner
Make a cosy den with blankets and cushions. Talk about it as a calm place to go if noises feel too much.
Listening walk
Go outside and listen for different sounds. Which are quiet and which are loud? Talk about how each one makes you feel.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child and let them lead. Keep it light and short. If they seem worried, stop and cuddle first. Come back to the cards before any fireworks event.
Teachers
Use it as a circle time starter in the weeks around Bonfire Night, or as a PSHE table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting, and the notes on page 2 give support and stretch ideas.
Home educators
Pair the cards with picture books, outdoor play and everyday talk. Because the sheet is free to print, you can use it again for brothers and sisters, or revisit it before any family event.
Where this fits in
Before this, children learn about their feelings and about the grown ups who look after them. They also learn to listen to short instructions and join in with simple talk about what keeps us safe.
After this, children build on safety rules in other places, such as at school, near roads and outdoors. They learn to name their feelings more clearly and to explain who they can ask for help.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Who should you stay close to at a fireworks night?
- Why do we keep back from fireworks?
- What would you do if you felt scared?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Firework Safety Poster for?
It is written for Reception, ages 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger children can join in with help from a grown up, and older children can use the stretch idea.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 5 minutes. Read each rule aloud, talk about it, and stop when your child has had enough. You can come back to it on another day.
- What will children practise?
Children learn simple rules for staying safe around fireworks. They practise listening, talking and saying who they can tell if they feel worried. The sheet supports PSHE through short, focused talk.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Act out each rule together and look at one card at a time. Keep the talk short and calm. If your child feels worried, stop and come back later.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can colour in the cards if they like, but it is not needed.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a circle time starter, a plenary, a table activity or a homework task. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting out the cards.
- Is it free, and is it screen free?
Yes to both. It is free to print for home and classroom use, and it needs only paper, scissors and a pencil. It works for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.