Fireworks Alternatives for the Fourth

Safety is one of the most important things to observe on the Fourth of July. Fireworks are fun, but they are not great for all occasions. Check out these great alternatives for fireworks. These are great alternatives for all ages.   You can find more information at The Examiner.




Purchase large bubble wand kits from any St. Louis Dollar Tree, Nagle’s in Florissant, or other retail outlets such as Target. These wands are typically a large circle, made up of smaller circles, and can be dipped in a bowl of bubbles and then twirled around to make tons of bubbles in various sizes. If you need extra bubble solution dishes, an upside down Frisbee works well. To add a little 4th of July spirit, put a few drops of red or blue food coloring into the bubble solution. You may also consider purchasing a bubble machine for large groups of kids.


Make your own streamers. Visit Michael’s Crafts or Hobby Lobby and pick up a few rolls of red, white and blue ribbon. Tie several ribbons to a dowel rod or empty paper towel tube and let the kids run through the yard or put on a parade for the adults. Turn on some patriotic music for more holiday spirit! You can also use patriotic colored pom poms.


Fill a small wading pool or swimming pool with red, white and blue confetti. Rather than buying small bags of confetti, cut costs by purchasing packages of tissue paper or metallic wrapping paper and run it through a shredder. Then, cut your shredded strands into smaller pieces. The children can throw the confetti up in the air and contain the mess inside the pool. Simply vacuum it out when they're done.


Instead of lighting fireworks, give children glo-sticks, fiber optic party wands, flashlights with red cellophane over the end or even a Star Wars light saber to play with in the dark.