Bonfire Night activities
Bringing Bonfire Night to life in your primary classroom
Remember, remember the fifth of November! Bonfire Night offers a wonderful opportunity to engage your class with a rich blend of history, literacy, maths and creative activities. This collection of resources has been carefully curated to help you make the most of this exciting time of year, whether you're exploring the gunpowder plot, creating firework poetry or celebrating safely with themed activities.
Below, you'll find practical ideas for using each resource in this collection, alongside suggestions for engaging Bonfire Night activities that will captivate your pupils and bring learning to life.
Using the resources in this collection
History and comprehension activities
Introduce the historical events with Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot activities, exploring the 1605 assassination attempt. Follow up with The Bonfire Party reading comprehension for guided reading or independent work.
Use the Bonfire Night quiz PowerPoint for whole-class assessment and discussion of key facts.
Literacy and creative writing
Challenge pupils to create a Firework poster as persuasive writing on firework safety. Use this Bonfire Night poetry resource for inspiration and the word banks and scaffolding in the Funky firework poems worksheet to support children’s poetry writing.
Maths and science activities
The Firework tally chart provides data handling practice, while the Light quiz explores light properties, which ties in well with fireworks and bonfires – ideal for Key Stage 2.
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Celebrating Bonfire Night
What is Bonfire Night?
Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night or Fireworks Night, is celebrated annually on 5 November. It commemorates the failure of the gunpowder plot in 1605, when Guy Fawkes and his co-conspirators attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament and assassinate King James I. Today, people mark the occasion with firework displays, bonfires and traditional foods like toffee apples and parkin.
What's the history of Bonfire Night?
The gunpowder plot was a failed assassination attempt led by a group of English Catholics who were dissatisfied with the Protestant King James I. Guy Fawkes was discovered guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder in the cellars beneath Parliament on 5th November 1605, just hours before the planned explosion. His arrest led to the capture and execution of the other plotters. Parliament declared 5 November a day of thanksgiving, and the tradition of lighting bonfires to celebrate the King's survival has continued for over 400 years.
Engaging Bonfire Night activity ideas
Here are some practical, engaging activities suitable for primary school classrooms:
- Create a class timeline – Help children sequence the events of the gunpowder plot using pictures and captions.
- Design wanted posters – Pupils can create wanted posters for Guy Fawkes and the other conspirators, incorporating historical facts and persuasive language.
- Firework safety campaign – Challenge your class to design posters or leaflets promoting firework safety, linking to PSHE and persuasive writing.
- Bonfire Night art – Use chalk pastels, paint splattering or collage techniques to create colourful firework pictures.
- Descriptive writing walks – If safe and appropriate, take your class outside to observe light, shadows and autumn colours, then use these observations to inspire descriptive writing about Bonfire Night.
- Drama and role play – Recreate the discovery of Guy Fawkes through drama activities, helping children understand the historical narrative and develop speaking and listening skills.
- Traditional foods tasting – If possible, let children sample traditional Bonfire Night treats like toffee apples or gingerbread, and use this as a stimulus for writing food reviews.
Whatever activities you choose, make sure this 5th November is no damp squib in your classroom!
