Fireworks: Fun or Frightening?
July 4th!
Happy July everyone! The summer is here and everyone is preparing for the July 4th celebration. This year, it is a little different in terms of how we might celebrate, but we also have to make sure that we prepare our kids on what to expect. Fireworks are beautiful, but they can also cause a lot of distress. The loud noises, the shaking, the unease . . . it causes many of our kids to get nervous and upset.
Educate, Create, Process
I love to do themed art directives for many reasons. They’re festive, fun, and the kids love them! But they also allow us to educate, explain, create, and process what to expect on celebratory occasions. For July 4th, I use art materials to demonstrate how to create fireworks. While the kids are engaging and creating their fireworks, you can discuss what they are. Why do we have this tradition? What kind of noises do they make? If they seem nervous about the loud noises, you can create a plan together on how to make the fireworks a more pleasant experience.
Alternative Strategies
If it is the noise volume that is a problem, you can use noise-canceling headphones. If they are anxious, you can use a weighted blanket. Playing some of their favorite music, as well as sensory art activities, are also good options. Involving a sensory, dance, and/or movement activity will help distract the mind and allow them to maintain a regulated emotion. Typically, letting them know what to expect and having a plan will help them cope with the experience is helpful.
Art Directives
Here are some of my favorite firework art directives:
Spread out shaving cream in a tray. Add red and blue dots of paint on top of the shaving cream. Using the back of the paintbrush or a stick, spread the paint outwards. Allow the colors to mix and explode like fireworks! (Next step is optional) Take a piece of paper and lay it gently on top of the shaving cream. Then lift it. Now you have fireworks prints!
On heavyweight/watercolor paper, using watercolor paints, create the shape of fireworks. Then add salt on top of the wet paint sections to add more texture.
Cut the bottom of a paper towel roll into strips. Then fold them outward. Put them in the paint and stamp them on paper.
