Bonfire Night and Diwali With Babies and toddlers: Keeping it cosy and calm.

Bonfire night on 5th November, and Diwali which falls on the 6th in 2026 are often anticipated occasions in our calendars, a time of excitement, colour and sparkles. For our little ones, it can be magical, awesome and captivating. But also loud and a little overwhelming.

Here are some tips on how to enjoy the festivities whilst keeping that excitement and wonder and making these evenings a cosy, joyful experience for you all.

Be mindful that most of the action will take place at their usual quiet time or bedtime. So plan ahead; tired babies and children can be a little more reactive to changes of routine or unexpected action. Talk to older ones so they know what the evening will entail. Have everything ready in advance, food, coats and shoes if going outdoors. It's much easier to help your little people enjoy the evening if you aren't stressed.

Watch from a window - A simple but gentle way to enjoy the sparkles. There's a whole host of sensory demands on the brain when standing outside: Cold, bangs, smells, crowds, dark. But staying indoors removes a lot of pressure.

For young babies you may want to play some soothing music whilst they watch from your arms. For older babies, share your wonder, react with excitement and smiles for every star burst and your baby will respond in kind.

For toddlers and older children, set up a firework watch station. Have warm drinks, blankets and turn firework spotting into a game. Who spots them first? What colors were they? Is that bigger than the last one? Count how many you see, record every burst with a sticker or help them keep a simple line tally.

Find an organised display - Let's be honest, your baby, who wakes when she senses a change in your breathing, will probably sleep through the barrage of sparkly bangs! But older babies over a year can find unexpected noises disconcerting as they aren't really at a stage they can understand what is happening. So follow their lead. Stand towards the edge of the display so you can leave quickly if needed and they don't feel overcrowded. Pick them up or come down to their level in their buggy. You are their safe space, they'll check your face or need you to be close to feel secure. Remember, the sparkles don't usually cause fear, its the bangs and swooshes. Use ear muffs or defenders if you have them or pull a hat or scarf around the ears, or use your hands to muffle the sound if needed.

Don't be afraid to cut things short - your little one will gain far more from a short, calm experience than a longer, unsettling one. They'll make memories from this in their own way, even if it's only a quick ten minute sparkly cuddle!

Always follow up to date guidelines and enjoy fireworks responsibly. Find guidance here on how to have a safe and magical evening. https://www.rospa.comhttps://www.rospa.com

In our classes, we find lots of ways to enjoy the firework fun at this time of year, check out our franchisee social media for ideas on using tuff trays, homemade sensory pieces, colour and sparkle to brighten these darker days and nights or message them to try out a class.