Fourth of July Safety Tips for Kids

July 4^th is almost here! The winter cold is finally fading away and the warmth of summer is quickly approaching. If you have plans for Independence Day, you will need to know how you can keep your kids safe to make the holiday enjoyable for all.

Always practice firework safety. Purchase from a reputable dealer, do not make your own fireworks, and never light fireworks around cars, crowds, pets, or homes. Keep water nearby to help put out any fires. These tips will protect all involved in your festivities.

Fireworks are not for little hands. Keep fireworks away from kids and make sure that when they are set off, kids are not within a certain square footage of them (25-40 feet for fountains and ground based items and 75-100 yards for aerial product). If you light them with kids around, make sure the kids are in a space where possible stray fireworks won’t get to them.

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Loud noises can harm small ears, so provide protection. Little kids are particularly susceptible to loud noises, so make sure you cover their ears with headphones or provide them with ear plugs to help keep the noise from damaging their eardrums or making them upset and scared. A few precautions can go a long way on keeping your kids safe around loud noises like fireworks going off or loud music.

Large crowds and confusion can make for scary situations. If your kids are older, talk to them about not talking to strangers or straying too far away from you in large crowds. If you have smaller kids, baby wear them in your favorite baby carrier or keep them in a stroller and in your sight at all times. If you see that your child is getting over stimulated, move them to another area to help them calm down.

Keep kids away from cooking areas. Little hands like to grab things, and a hot grill is a very dangerous place for a child of any age to be around. From them grabbing the grill, to something landing on them, this is a very hazardous place for kids to play.

Keep an eye on pets and kids. Your normal, docile animal could turn aggressive if scared because of fireworks and crowds. This could be dangerous for kids who may want to play with their pets and can potentially lead to bites .

Please keep all these tips in mind and have a safe and fun 4th of July!