Summer is around the corner and children will be outside enjoying the nice weather. Fire play does not have a season, but the warm weather lends itself to children exploring and being curious. Easy access to matches and lighters can lead to tragic events. The question we hear most often from parents and caregivers who want to understand children’s fire play: Why are children so fascinated with fire?
Not only children, but adults find fire fascinating. Fire is colorful and dynamic. It’s not surprising that fire captures our interest. From a child’s point of view, fire can seem colorful, animated, and magical.
We have candles on our birthday cakes, on our dinner tables during holiday meals and throughout the home. Candles can be a part of religious ceremonies and used at many weddings to celebrate life. Children see fire in fireplaces, campfires and barbecues in the summer.
Fires children see are usually small such as candles, matches and lighters. They are easily blown out with a puff of breath. A child who watches an adult struggle to light the barbecue or start a campfire can easily think that fire is hard to get started. Young children don’t understand the consequences, and older children overestimate their ability to control fire. Once they see the consequences of their actions, the vast majority of children don’t do it again.
Unsupervised fire play should be taken seriously. Fires started by children without any intention to do harm can cause serious damage, injury and death.
The Naperville Y-FIRE program is a brief one-time assessment and education session designed to enlighten parents and children about fire safety and the consequences of fire play. Our program is committed to the identification and education of fire setting behavior above and beyond the traditional fire prevention program currently being delivered to children in the school. This program is geared toward youth identified as already active with fire play or fire curiosity.
For questions about the program, feel free to contact Al Katona at katonaa@naperville.il.us.
