Enjoying Fireworks With Your Family: Comprehensive Guide for all Ages

Wondering how you can enjoy fireworks with your family this 4th of July? Whether you have a newborn, a baby, or a toddler, enjoying fireworks with your family can be such a memorable experience with the right preparation!

In this blog, we’ll walk you through practical tips for enjoying fireworks with your family for each age group, making sure you have a safe and enjoyable time for everyone! From managing bedtime routines to packing essentials, I’ve got you covered for a memorable evening with your family!

Tips for Enjoying Fireworks with Your Family

In this blog we’re covering tips for enjoying fireworks with your family. You’ll find the following age groups covered:

• Newborns (0-3 months old)
• Babies (4-16 months old)
• Toddlers (17-36 months old)
• Big Kids (3-5+ years old)

Within each age group I’ll share tips on how to enjoy fireworks with your family that cover safety as well as fun and keeping sleep a thing (as best we can!).

Enjoying Fireworks with Newborns

You can enjoy fireworks with a newborn! In fact, because they are so young they can easily stay out late without a care of what bedtime looks like. However, you’ll want to be prepared for all the events of the day with such a young baby who has lots of needs!

As you prepare for enjoying fireworks with your newborn be sure to bring:

1. Ear Protection: Make sure your baby has suitable ear protection to shield them from loud noises.
2. Comfortable On-The-Go Sleep Space: Bring a bassinet stroller, a lay flat wagon with a clip-on fan or a high-quality baby carrier for naps
3. Air-Conditioned Option: Avoid keeping your newborn in the heat for extended periods. Check if the venue has an air-conditioned area where you and your baby can take breaks.

Your newborn has small awake windows and you can easily offer naps within the stroller bassinet or an air-conditioned space while wearing them. When you arrive back home or to where ever you’re staying, simply do the bedtime routine and lay them down for bed!

1- Baby Trend Wagon 2- Hushh Sound Machine 3- Stroller Fan

 

Enjoying Fireworks with your Baby

If you want to enjoy fireworks with your family and you have a baby who is 4-16 months old it IS possible, involves a bit of flexibility!

Here’s how you can be prepared both for sleep needs and safety concerns for your baby:

1. Sleeping in the night before: If you know that you’ll have an off day and your typically have to wake your baby up in the morning, allow them to sleep until they are done! This will give them a little extra sleep since you know naps will be off today!
2. Be flexible with naps: Your baby may take several naps per day, but on an off day where you’re out enjoying events they may crash in a baby-carrier or stroller. Know that today is an off day and we’ll take what sleep we can get! Tomorrow we can get back on schedule!
3. Packing the essentials: Bring a stroller fan, stroller cover, bottles, extra diapers, sunscreen (if over 6 months) and any other usual items your child needs for a day out! Also be sure to grab ear protection for the fireworks!
4. Bedtime Routine: If your baby falls asleep in the car on the way home, don’t worry. Once home, do a quick bedtime routine and let them rest. Allow them an extra 30 minutes of sleep the next morning to preserve their nap schedule.

If you will be setting off your own fireworks, be sure to read these tips for safety with your family around!

I know it’s one thing for me to encourage an off day, but if you haven’t yet stepped out and just thrown your schedule out the window because you’re terrified of the results…I have some encouragement for you here!!

Enjoying Fireworks with your Toddler & Preschoolers

Are you headed out to enjoy fireworks with your family and you have a child who is a toddler or preschooler? This is such a fun age group to enjoy making memories with! Be prepared for fireworks using these tips:

1. Morning Prep: If your child tends to sleep in and you have to wake them up, allow them to sleep as long as they need! Opt for low-key morning activities to save up for a fun and late night out tonight!
2. Manage Stimulation: Enjoy the day, but remember that the more activities and events that are added the quicker your child can become an overtired monster before the fireworks even begin! If possible, allow your child to nap well that day so you can stay out later in the night!
3. Set Expectations: Clearly explain the evening’s plan to your child and detail out all of the different activities and events that will take place leading up to the fireworks. Know that bedtime routine will be later and we’ll likely skip a few steps!

A great way to prepare your child for an off night is to TELL them it will be an off night!

Prepare your child by saying: “We’re even going to stay out past your bedtime and watch fireworks together! Then we’ll come home and because it’s so late, we’ll get ready for bed super fast and go to sleep.”

Be warned you may need to repeat that expectation to them many times. Especially when you’re headed home after the fun. “What a great night that was! Remember when we get home we’re going to go straight to the bathroom to clean up, brush teeth, put our PJs on and go to bed!”

If you will be enjoying fireworks at your own home, read these tips that cover safety for sparklers which can reach a staggering 2,000 degree F temperatures!

Conclusion

Enjoying fireworks with your family can be a memorable experience, regardless of your child’s age!! This comprehensive guide walked through tips for all age groups.

By using these tips to prepare and adjust routines, you can ensure everyone has a fantastic time!

Embrace the fun and make lasting memories with your little ones this Fourth of July!