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November 1, 2017 SpecialKids .Company

Preparing Children with Special Needs for Bonfire Night

Remember Remember The Fifth Of November

Bonfire Night. An evening eagerly anticipated by many. Traditionally, Guy Fawkes night is spent heading out to the local park dressed up as snug as a bug, braving the bitter cold with rosy red cheeks, playing with sparklers and marvelling at the fireworks all while attempting to soak up the heat of the nearest bonfire.

Some children can find the sudden flashes and loud bangs incredibly distressing, especially children with autism. Thankfully, there are ways to make firework shows enjoyable for those with sensory sensitive children.

The first step would be to give plenty of notice and prepare your child for what to expect. You can find many virtual online firework displays and videos on YouTube that will show your child what to anticipate. To increase the excitement and minimise their anxiety, you can create a countdown calendar so that they can look forward to the event.

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Depending on your child's reaction to the virtual display, you can determine if you think you can attend a local event or if this will provide too much discomfort. In extreme cases, you could consider staying home and having your own mini display. They have the option of staying inside if the occasion becomes too overwhelming. If this is the case, try and avoid them going to their room as this might have a negative impact on the future. Instead, set up the TV in the living room and encourage them to participate but reassure that it is perfectly fine to go inside if they wish.


If you do attend a local event, you can look to find organisations that will be less crowded than more significant events. Usually, local village and sports clubs are good alternatives with a smaller turnout.  

To be prepared, take along some inexpensive noise mufflers or sound reducing headphones. You can play their favourite book or music to help cover the bang of the fireworks. Another distraction could be snacks, treats, or their favourite toy to play with.


Bonfire_Special_Needs_Sensory_Processing_Overwhelmed_PreparationAdaptive clothing can be a fantastic compromise. Long sleeve bodysuits act as a soft and warm underlayer that is comfortable to their sensitive skin without nasty scratchy labels irritating them throughout the evening.Another sensory issue could be the layers of clothing needed to stay warm. Many layers are essential to fight the hours spent standing around in the cold. Many parents tell us that their children with special needs find layers irritating and can often find that it is a chore to leave the house on Bonfire Night.


Our long sleeve WONSIE is a fantastic solution to keeping your child warm this Bonfire Night. For our collection, We have choices available in white or grey and navy for boys and girls aged 4-14. With next day delivery available, please click here to get your layers in time for the 5th.

Filed in: activities, adaptive clothing, anxiety, asd, aspergers, autism, autistic, awareness, Bonfire, family, news, overwhelmed, special needs, Support, Trauma
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