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). A grown up reads each safety card aloud, and children listen, talk about what it means and act it out. The cards are then stuck on a wall as a poster. It is screen free, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
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, use page 1 with your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children meet a set of simple safety cards about staying safe at a firework show. A grown up reads each card aloud and asks, "What does this mean?" Children listen, talk and show the idea with their bodies. The cards are cut out by an adult, and the child helps choose where to stick them on the wall. The finished poster stays up as a reminder.
- Stay back
- Hold a grown-up's hand
- Watch from far away
- Never touch fireworks
- Never pick up sparklers alone
- Cover your ears if it is loud
Making the poster together
Choose the spot
Pick a wall, door or noticeboard at a child's eye level. Children are more likely to look at a poster they can see easily and that they helped to place.
Cut and sort
An adult cuts out the cards. The child can then put them in the order they like and say which one they think is most important.
Add their own touch
Let your child colour around the cards or add a small drawing of a family watching a display from a safe place.
Visit it again
Point to the poster on the way past. Ask your child to say one rule in their own words. Short, regular visits help the ideas stick.
Why talk about fireworks with young children?
Fireworks are exciting, but they are also loud, bright and sudden. Many children in England see them every autumn around Bonfire Night, and again at other celebrations. Young children do not yet judge danger well, so simple, clear rules told calmly and often are the best way to help them feel confident rather than worried.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children learn about keeping themselves safe through talk, play and stories. Acting out a rule makes it easier to remember than being told once. A poster on the wall gives families a shared reminder, and it opens the door for a child to say how they feel about loud noises or crowds.
Fireworks and sparklers are for adults to handle. Sparklers get extremely hot, and fireworks can cause serious injuries. A grown up keeps the child at a safe distance at all times, and the child may only choose to move further back, never closer. Children should not light, hold or pick up fireworks or sparklers. Do not use real fireworks, sparklers, flames or matches for any activity linked to this sheet. Pretend play and drawing are all that is needed.
Did you know?
- Bonfire Night is celebrated in the UK on 5 November.
- Fireworks are used at many celebrations around the world, including New Year.
- You often see the flash of a firework before you hear the bang, because light travels faster than sound.
- Fireworks are very loud, and many pets and some people find the noise upsetting.
- The bright colours in fireworks come from different materials that are put inside them.
Skills and curriculum link
- Listening
- Safety rules
- Talking
- Remembering rules
- Acting out ideas
What children will be able to do
- I can say some rules for staying safe near fireworks.
- I can say why we stay back from fireworks.
- I can tell a grown up if I feel unsafe.
Ideas for the grown up
- Keep it calmUse a steady, friendly voice. The aim is for children to feel prepared, not frightened.
- Use their wordsAsk your child to say each rule in their own words. This shows whether they have understood the idea.
- Link to real lifeMention the poster before a local display, or when you see fireworks in a shop or on a poster.
- Welcome feelingsSome children love the noise and some find it scary. Both are fine. Let them tell you how they feel.
Key words
- FireworkSomething that makes bright lights and loud bangs in the sky. Only adults handle fireworks.
- DisplayA show where lots of fireworks are set off, usually by trained adults.
- SparklerA firework held in the hand that gives off sparks. It gets very hot and is only for adults.
- Grown upA trusted adult who looks after you, like a parent, carer or teacher.
- LoudA very big sound that can hurt your ears or make you jump.
- RuleSomething we all agree to do to keep ourselves and others safe.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
- Read each card aloud and ask what it means. Let your child answer in their own words before you add anything.
- Act out the cards together, then stick them on a wall as a poster.
- Check against the notes on page 2, and talk about any card your child found tricky.
- Come back to the poster another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Choose three cards and act them out. Read each one aloud, then show the idea with your body and ask your child to copy. Keep it playful and short. Add more cards another day when your child feels ready.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to draw one rule on the back of a card. Then ask them to explain the picture to you or to a friend. Can they say why that rule matters? Praise their thinking as well as their drawing.
Make it a game
Play 'stay back'. The child walks forward towards you and freezes when you say stop. Then ask them to take a few big steps back. Take turns, so your child gets to be the one who says stop.
Talk about it
- What is your favourite card on the poster, and why?
- What can you hear at a firework show? Is it loud or quiet?
- How do you feel when there is a very loud noise?
- Who could you tell if something felt scary?
- Why do you think we put the cards on a wall?
- What would you say to a friend who wanted to get closer?
Take it off the page
Loud and quiet
Use pots, spoons or a shaker to make loud and quiet sounds. Ask your child to cover their ears for the loud ones and talk about how they feel.
Colour burst pictures
Draw fireworks with wax crayons on dark paper. Talk about where a family could stand to watch safely, and draw them in the picture.
Safe watching role play
Pretend to be at a show with soft toys. Show them where to stand and who to stay with. Let your child be the leader.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead the talking. Short, relaxed sessions work best. Use the poster as a gentle reminder in the days before a local display.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or circle time activity around Bonfire Night, or as part of PSHE work on keeping safe. The cards work well for acting out in small groups and then as a class display.
Home educators
Pair it with picture books, outdoor play and everyday talk about staying safe. Because it is free to print, you can use it again with brothers and sisters or to revisit the rules a few weeks later.
Where this fits in
Before this, children usually practise simple routines and rules, such as tidying up together or following instructions at school. The Tidy Up Time Checklist is a gentle step in that direction. It builds the habit of listening and following a shared rule.
After this, children can move on to thinking about why classroom and group rules matter. The Class Rules Poster takes the same idea of agreed rules and applies it to everyday life at school.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- What is one rule for staying safe around fireworks?
- Who should you stay with at a fireworks display?
- What could 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. A grown up reads the cards aloud, so children do not need to read them. Younger or older children can join in too.
- What will children practise?
Children practise listening, talking and remembering simple rules for staying safe around fireworks. They also practise saying how they feel and who they could tell if something feels scary.
- How do I use it?
Read each card aloud and ask what it means. Act the ideas out together, then stick the cards on a wall as a poster. Come back to it on another day to help the rules stay in mind.
- What if it feels too hard?
Choose three cards and act them out. Keep the talk short and playful, and add more cards another day. Praise your child for thinking and trying, not only for giving the right answer.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or for another class group.
- Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, circle time activity, table activity or class display. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting out the cards, and page 2 gives support and stretch ideas.
- How long does it take?
There is no set time. Go at your child's pace and stop when their attention drifts. Short, relaxed sessions suit Reception, and you can come back to the cards another day.
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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.