Fireworks Night
and
Bonfire Party Ideas

Fab ideas for Fireworks Night
Make your party a real firecracker!

"Remember, remember the 5th of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot!"

Fireworks Night or Bonfire Night is an ancient British tradition dating back to 1605. It actually celebrates the discovery and thwarting of a plot by English Catholics to blow up The Houses of Parliament in London.

The villain of the Gunpowder Plot, as it became known, was Guy Fawkes and since that time effigies of him have been burnt on bonfires throughout Britain every year on November 5th which is also known as Guy Fawkes Night.

In the South of England especially Sussex where the tradition is particularly strong torch-lit fancy dress parades by different Bonfire Societies are common.

Firework Nights do however take place in many countries around the world at all different times of year for all sorts of reasons. It would seem that a combination of bonfires and fireworks are a perfect excuse to get together, have some fun and party.

Fireworks Night Party Ideas - Penny For The Guy

Traditionally in the UK children made Guys by sfuffing old clothes with straw and newspaper. These would then be touted around local streets to collect money to buy fireworks for Bonfire Night.

A modern take on this might be to have a Guy making competition. Ask your party guests to either bring a Guy they have made at home with them or have plenty of bits and pieces from which you can make Guys at the party.

The finished guys could be displayed and judged, or voted on by everyone at the party with a prize for the best one.

Traditionally all the Guys are burned on the bonfire. So set them on stakes and place on your fire before lighting it.

Fireworks Night Party Ideas - Firework Fancies

Prepare some simple large cookies in advance. Buy some ready made cake and cookie icers, sprinkles and other cake decorations. Set up a number of workstations where the young party guests can ice fireworks on the top of the biscuits. Of course everyone can take their Firework Fancy home at the end.

Fireworks Night Party Ideas - Splat And Blow Fireworks

This is a nice craft activity. Provide guests with a sheet of black paper, small pots of coloured paints and a drinking straw. Show the children how to splatter a few drops of paint on the paper and then blow with the straws to make brilliant firework patterns.

Fireworks Night Party Ideas - The Dance Of The Fireworks

This is really a game for younger children. The kids dance about but every so often you shout the name of a firework. Each firework has a particular action for the children and caller (come on Mum you have to join in too) to perform.

• Rocket - The kids all whoosh around like rockets from one end of the room to another.
• Catherine Wheel - Everyone whirls and spins around like a catherine wheel.
• Sparkler - Shake your head and hands like a mad sparkler
• Jumping Jacks - These leap about all over the place
• Banger - Everyone puts their fingers in their ears then you all count together 1…2…3…BANG!

Repeat for as long as its fun.

Fireworks Night Party Ideas - Apple Bobbing And Related Games

Apple bobbing - where kids have to grab or bite apples using just their teeth is traditional at a great many parties and events at this time of year. But there are a number of variations you can put on for a bit of messy fun at your party. Don't forget no hands allowed!

• Apples in a washing up bowl of water
• Apples hanging on strings in front of the children - also doughnuts or marshmallows (4 to a string)
• Sweets in wrappers (such as toffees) buried in a plate of cooled cooked spaghetti and tomato sauce

There is also a very similar game which seems to fit the bill nicely and is incredibly popular with kids.

Take a bowl and fill it with flour, packing the flour down tightly. Turn it out onto a tray leaving a small compact flour mound. Place a wrapped sweet on the top. Children take turns to cut slices off the flour mound, getting closer all the time to the sweets. Eventually the mound collapses and whoever was responsible has to retrieve, with their teeth only, the sweet which has fallen into the mound of flour.

For safety and comfort equip the children with a pair of swimming goggles. The kids adore this game and end up with floury white faces and then funny panda eyes when they remove the goggles

Top Tip - You generally have to continue until all the children have had a go at finding the sweet so you may like to set up more than one bowl of flour if you have a lot of children at your party.

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