When we think of the Fourth of July, the celebrations always include fireworks. But as beautiful as those colorful bursts in the night sky are, when you’ve got kids, you have to plan carefully. Every year there are about 5200 injuries related to fireworks and over 30% of them involve children, so here’s how to avoid being one of those statistics this year.
- Think about going firework-free - If you have a lot of little ones at your July fourth celebration, you could opt to skip the fireworks altogether. It’s not as pretty, but it is much safer.
- Set up a safe viewing zone - If you do decide to set off your own fireworks, create a safe zone for small ones to watch from. You could even make that section be inside the house, where they can view from a big window, but won’t miss the show.
- Go to a fireworks show - As in one that professionals put on. They have safety rules to follow and there are all kinds of precautions in place to protect the audience. Their fireworks displays are big and impressive, so if you have one nearby, it’s a good option.
- Find alternative light-up gear - Sparklers are always a big hit with the kids, but they’re not recommended for children younger than 7, and they were actually to blame for close to 20% of firework-related injuries in 2014.
If you do allow sparklers, use them in an open area, and space kids out “at least 10 feet apart so they’re not waving them around each other,” explains Michael Ingram, director of development for Fireworks Over America and the founder and president of the American Pyrotechnics Safety & Education Foundation. Or you can keep it safe and simple and buy a bunch of light-up bracelets and necklaces instead.
Source: My Domaine