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You are here: Home / Homeschool / Subjects / Science / Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

June 7, 2018 by Erin Vincent 7 Comments

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Fireworks and Firecrackers are used by many different cultures all over the world to celebrate important holidays and events.

Whether it’s New Year’s or the Fourth of July your child is going to hear the POW and see the dazzling displays of fireworks at some point. Nearly every major holiday from Chinese New Year to Guy Fawkes Day includes these exploding creations.

But where did the humble firecracker get its start?
Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids: Fireworks and Firecrackers are used by many different cultures all over the world to celebrate important holidays and events. But where did the humble firecracker get its start? #homeschool #fireworks #unitstudy #newyear #chinesenewyear #historyoffireworks #fourthofjuly

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Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

A Little Pyrotechnics History

China some 2,000 years ago.

BOOM!

A cook in a kitchen accidentally mixed sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter.

Well, that’s the legend anyway.

And apparently, those ingredients were common in kitchens back then….

HISS!

When these ingredients were contained in a hollow tube such as bamboo and burned… you got a firecracker!

POP!

It was believed that the loud BANG of firecrackers frightened away evil spirits and ghosts. Thus, they became an essential part of Chinese celebrations.

Of course, the powder mixture of firecrackers evolved. The Chinese also created gunpowder.

Marco Polo is credited with bringing gunpowder to Europe. However, the Italians were the first in Europe to use black powder to create fireworks.

Shakespeare mentions fireworks in his writings and Queen Elizabeth I enjoyed them so much that she created the position of “Fire Master of England.”

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Firework Kits for Hands-On Learning

Your kids can learn more about the chemical compound science behind fireworks with Home Science Tools Rainbow Fire Kit.

This is a great hands-on way to explore the atomic composition of chemical compounds in fireworks! This kit is great for grades 6 and up.

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

This Spectroscope Analysis Kit helps your kiddos explore and measure the spectrum of light produce from different elements!

Use your spectroscope to watch elements burn with brightly-colored flames, each producing a unique light spectrum.

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Firework Salt Painting

For salt painted firecrackers you’ll need:

  • table salt
  • paper (the darker the paper the better the fireworks show up! Black is best, but the darkest I had was grey)
  • watercolors
  • paint brushes
  • white glue
  • cookie sheet or pan (for collecting the extra salt)

Start by designing your fireworks with the white glue.
Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Next, you’ll cover your glue designs with a generous covering of table salt.

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Shake off the excess salt into the cookie tray and get your paints ready.

Lightly paint your colors onto the salt.

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

We just barely touched our brush to the salt and watched as the salt absorbed the color into it! It helps if your brush is totally saturated with water and color.

Let dry completely, then lightly spray with hairspray to make your creation last longer!

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Firecracker Activities and Books for Kids

Firework Painting with Straws

This is a simple craft that only needs:

  • 7 or 8 bendy straws
  • paint
  • paper
  • container to hold paint (we used a plate)

Start by grouping your straws together in your hands and taping them. We taped them about halfway up.

Then, we bent the bendy straws to create a sort of flared star pattern.

The children then dipped the flared end of the combined straws in the paint.

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

With the straws covered in paint, the children then “stamped” them down on the paper to create a bursting firecracker pattern.

They did have to stamp them several times to give the fuller firecracker look.

Mix and match colors to give different looks and colors for your child’s bursting firecrackers!

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Here is a FREE Sparklers Chalk Art Tutorial from Hodgepodge Mom that looks super fun!

Books About Fireworks

Curl up with some fabulous books about firecrackers!

Firecrackers: The Art & History

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Explore Ancient Chinese Myths!

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

The Explosive Story of Fireworks!

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Fireworks

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

How It Happens at the Fireworks Factory

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Fireworks!

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Games About Firecrackers, Celebrations, Chemical Reactions, and China

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Fireworks Activities and Books for Kids

Videos About Pyrotechnics

Here is a fun video about the Chemistry of Fireworks!

If you love science, be sure to check out:

  • Fun Brain Activities for Kids

  • Easy Rubber Egg Experiment

  • Solar Oven S’mores

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About Erin Vincent

Erin is a writer, blogger, and homeschooler to two intense kids. She loves nature, farm life, good books, knitting, new pens, and hot coffee. Erin is a contributing writer for Weird Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Her work has also been featured on Simple Homeschool and Book Shark.

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Comments

  1. Beatriz says

    June 24, 2020 at 2:02 am

    Love this activities to do them with my kids. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Erin Vincent says

      June 30, 2020 at 8:54 pm

      You are most welcome!

      Reply
  2. Hilary says

    June 23, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    How cute and creative. What a great idea to help curious minds around the 4th of July

    Reply
    • Erin Vincent says

      June 30, 2020 at 8:54 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Annette says

    June 10, 2018 at 10:30 pm

    those are some cool activities! 🙂

    Reply

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Welcome! I'm Erin, a homeschooling mom to two very intense kids. Every day I try to find what works best for me and my family. My blog is filled with information to help you explore a child led education while making meaningful connections with your children. Discover favorite read alouds, seasonal books, games, art projects, hands-on activities, and learn to just breathe through the ups and downs of life. I hope these posts will encourage you on your homeschool adventure.

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