Many Children and Pets Dread Bonfire Night: 9 Ways to Make Thursday Easier for the Whole Family

For every child who presses a nose to the window on Bonfire Night, there is another who covers their ears and asks to go home. Families with a dog or a cat have a second worry on top. Bonfire Night falls on Thursday 5th November this year, displays run through the weekend, and Diwali follows on Sunday 8th November, so most of the week will be punctuated by bangs. A little planning can turn the evening from something to endure into something children remember for the right reasons.

Talk it through before the first bang

Much of the fear comes from surprise. Tell your child what will happen, how loud it will be and that the bangs arrive at random, with no warning. Watching a display together on a screen beforehand, with the volume low, lets a young child see the colours before meeting the noise. The National Autistic Society advises parents of autistic children to involve them in planning the evening so that it feels less unpredictable, and the same approach helps any anxious child.

Protect small ears with proper ear defenders

The hearing charity Hearing Link points out that sounds above 85 decibels count as loud, and that although the UK noise limit for consumer fireworks is 120 decibels, some reach 140. Children are more exposed than adults because their ear canals are narrower, which concentrates the sound pressure. Over-ear defenders sized for children are the simplest answer, and paediatric specialists recommend earmuff styles for babies rather than plugs. Distance matters too: every step back from the launch site lowers the noise reaching your child.

Choose your viewing spot and agree an escape plan

Stand towards the back of a public display, near an exit, so you can leave without pushing through a crowd. Agree a signal your child can give when they have had enough, and keep your promise when they use it. Some families watch from a bedroom window or a parked car, where the noise is softer and home feels close. The National Autistic Society also suggests that a favourite television programme, film or music can drown out the bangs for children who find the evening distressing, and watching the London fireworks on television counts as a celebration too.

Keep sparklers away from children under five

Every fire service in the country gives the same rule: sparklers are not suitable for children under five. They burn at temperatures police and fire safety guides compare to a welding torch, and the wire stays hot long after the sparks stop. Older children should wear gloves, hold one sparkler at a time at arm's length and drop it straight into a bucket of water when it goes out. London Fire Brigade adds one rule many adults forget: never hold a baby or small child while you are holding a lit sparkler.

Leave fireworks to adults and know the law

Nobody under 18 can buy adult fireworks or carry them in a public place. Fireworks must not be set off between 11pm and 7am, with the cut-off extended to midnight on 5th November and to 1am on Diwali, New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year. Breaking these rules can bring a fine or up to six months in prison. At home, only one adult should light fireworks, and nobody should ever go back to a firework that has been lit and failed to go off.

Know burns first aid before you need it

The British Red Cross and the British Society for Surgery of the Hand both give the same first step: cool the burn under cold running water for at least 20 minutes. Do not use ice, iced water, creams or butter. Remove clothing and jewellery near the burn unless it is stuck to the skin, then cover the area loosely with cling film. Keep the rest of the child warm while you cool the burn, because small children lose heat quickly. A burn on a baby or young child should always be checked by a doctor; call 111 for advice or 999 if the burn is large, deep or on the face, hands or genitals.

Settle dogs before darkness falls

An RSPCA survey found that 62% of dogs and 54% of cats show signs of distress linked to fireworks. Dogs Trust explains that dogs hear around four times more sharply than people, so a bang that startles a child can terrify a dog. Walk your dog before dark, close the windows and curtains and set up a den with familiar bedding where it can hide. Background music or the television helps mask the noise. The RSPCA is clear that a dog should never be taken to a firework display. If your dog panics every year, ask your vet about pheromone diffusers or, in some cases, medication.

Keep cats and small pets safely indoors

Keep cats inside from early evening, lock the cat flap and put out a litter tray. Let them choose their own hiding place and do not pull them out of it. The RSPCA also urges owners to make sure cats are microchipped, in case a frightened cat slips outside. Rabbits and guinea pigs in outdoor hutches need cover too: drape blankets over part of the hutch to muffle the sound, leaving an area where they can still see out, or bring the hutch into a shed or garage for the night.

If you host your own display, think of the street

Dogs Trust asks families planning a garden display to tell neighbours well in advance, so they can prepare their children and animals, to keep the display to 30 minutes or less and to choose lower-decibel fireworks. Before lighting a bonfire, check the base for hedgehogs, which crawl into piles of leaves and wood to hibernate. Keep a bucket of water and a first aid kit within reach from the moment the first match is struck.

For families who would rather leave the organising to others, London's biggest public displays run through the weekend.