Keeping kids safe this 4th of July: What families should know about fireworks

For many families, the Fourth of July means cookouts, parades, and a backyard full of sparklers and firecrackers. But pediatricians warn that the holiday's signature tradition carries real risks for children, and the safest celebration may be one where the fireworks are left to the professionals.

A Holiday With a Hidden Cost

Every summer, thousands of people end up in emergency rooms because of fireworks, and a disproportionate share of them are kids and teens. Most of these injuries cluster in the days just before and after July 4th, when home fireworks use peaks.

In 2025, the Consumer Product Safety Commission tallied 15 fireworks-related deaths and roughly 13,000 injuries nationwide, the vast majority tied to fireworks that were used incorrectly or simply malfunctioned. Burns were the single biggest category of harm, making up close to 40% of fireworks-related emergency room visits. Hand and finger injuries followed at about a third of cases, with head, face, and ear injuries and eye injuries rounding out the most common harms.

Why Professional Displays Are the Safer Bet

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that families watch fireworks rather than set them off themselves. Professional shows are not only more impressive, they're also designed with safety distances and trained operators in mind.

If you do attend a public display, keep some distance, ideally around 500 feet from where the fireworks are launched. That buffer protects against debris and also shields young ears: fireworks can blast out sound at up to 150 decibels, far beyond the 75-80 decibel range considered safe for sustained listening. Even a single close-range burst can cause lasting hearing damage in a child.

What to Do About Duds

Not every firework goes off as intended. If your family comes across an unexploded firework on the ground, treat it as live and dangerous, it may still detonate. Don't pick it up or move it. Keep everyone clear of the area and contact your local fire or police department.

Weather, Wildfire, and Air Quality Matter Too

Dry conditions can turn a fireworks show into a wildfire risk, which is why some communities cancel or restrict displays during high-risk stretches. Many towns are turning to drone or laser light shows as a spectacular, fire-free alternative.

Smoke from wildfires or large fireworks displays can also affect air quality, something worth keeping in mind for children with asthma or other respiratory conditions. It's worth checking local air quality advisories before heading out for the evening.

The Sparkler Myth

Of all the items families bring home for backyard celebrations, sparklers are often viewed as the safe option for younger kids. Pediatricians strongly disagree. Consider that on any other day of the year, handing a child an open flame or a lit match wouldn't cross most parents' minds, yet a sparkler is essentially that.

The numbers back up the concern: nearly half of all fireworks injuries among children under five involve sparklers, and there were about 1,300 emergency department visits tied to sparklers in 2025 alone. Part of the danger is the heat involved, sparklers burn at around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to melt some metals. That heat can ignite clothing or cause serious eye injuries, and direct skin contact with a lit sparkler can cause third-degree burns.

A simple swap: hand kids a flag or a glow stick to wave instead.

The Bottom Line for Parents

Legal doesn't mean safe. Even where fireworks can be purchased and used without breaking any laws, they remain a leading cause of preventable summer injuries among children. Families who skip the home fireworks display, opt for a public show or alternative light display, and choose glow sticks over sparklers can still have a memorable, festive Fourth, without an emergency room visit attached.