Fireworks, balloons and unexpected noises – helping little ones navigate a very noisy world.

Bang!

For some children, it’s the most exciting sound in the world. For others, it’s enough to send them running straight into someone’s arms and with Bonfire Night approaching, there are going to be rather a lot of bangs!

But here’s something I’ve been thinking about. Fireworks aren’t the only noises that can take little ones by surprise. A balloon popping, a dog barking, a hand dryer in a public toilet, even an unexpectedly loud bird outside the window can be quite startling when you’re small.

Have a think about this it may not be just the noise itself that matters.; it’s what happens next.

The Day a Balloon Popped in My Studio

I want to tell you about something that happened during a portrait experience here at Woodland Hill Photography.

We use balloons for our First Birthday Cake Smash & Splash experiences. They’re wonderfully colourful, little ones love exploring them, and although they rarely pop, occasionally one does, and on this particular day, one did!

Now, you might expect a sudden bang to be followed by tears, but this little one’s mum did something rather lovely.

She immediately said, “Oh, look!”

Everyone clapped and whooped, and then we simply carried on.

There was no drama. No fuss. Just a surprising moment that became part of the fun.

Mum told me she’d done exactly the same thing with her older son and I thought that was fascinating.

Not every child will react that way, they absolutely won’t, but it illustrated something important about how little children make sense of the world.

They don’t always know what a new sound means. So sometimes, they look to the grown-ups they trust for clues.

Little Children Look to Us for Reassurance

There’s a name for this – it’ called: social referencing.

It’s something that happens naturally as babies and young children develop. When they encounter something unfamiliar, they may look towards a parent or trusted adult to help them understand what’s happening.

A calm face, a reassuring voice or a familiar smile can help a child feel that an unexpected experience isn’t necessarily dangerous.

That doesn’t mean pretending a loud bang hasn’t happened, or expecting a frightened child to suddenly find it funny, but showing them that we’re there, that we’ve noticed, and that they’re safe with us  and that could be  a smile and a little laugh, or a cuddle and a quiet, “That was loud, wasn’t it?”

Sometimes it’s simply taking them somewhere quieter.

The important thing isn’t teaching a child never to be frightened. It’s helping them know what to do when they are.

It’s Not Just Fireworks

Think about how many sounds a young child encounters for the very first time.

The vacuum cleaner suddenly starting, a motorbike passing, a balloon bursting. or a dog barking unexpectedly.

Even sounds we might find perfectly ordinary, such as birds calling loudly in the garden, can seem rather extraordinary to someone who’s never heard them before.

Children’s reactions can be influenced by all sorts of things their age is probably the biggest but temperament, previous experiences, and sensitivity to sound and whether they’re tired or overwhelmed all play a part

I do think it’s so important not to assume every child should respond in the same way.

• One child might laugh at a balloon popping.
• Another might burst into tears.
• Neither has done anything wrong.

Helping Children Become Familiar With New Sounds

One of the most beneficial things we can do is introduce unfamiliar sounds gently, when children are relaxed and curious.

You might listen to birds in the garden and wonder together which one is making that funny noise.

You could explore quiet musical instruments, clap different rhythms or listen to the rain tapping against a window.

With older toddlers, you might talk about the sounds they hear when you’re out walking.

“Can you hear that aeroplane?”

“Was that a dog barking?”

“Listen to those birds having a conversation!”

There’s no need to turn it into a lesson. Just an opportunity to explore the world together, and if something frightens them, you can stop.

We don’t need to deliberately burst balloons or create loud bangs to teach children that noises are safe. Gentle familiarity, choice and reassurance are much more helpful than startling them on purpose.

Then Comes Bonfire Night!

Fireworks are a little different from everyday noises.

They’re loud, unpredictable, sometimes accompanied by bright flashes, and can continue long after a child expects them to stop.

So even a child who’s perfectly happy with everyday sounds may find fireworks overwhelming.

If you’re thinking about taking a little one to a display this year, here are a few things worth considering.

Talk About What They’ll See and Hear

If they’re old enough to understand, explain that fireworks make bright colours in the sky and sometimes make very loud noises.

You might look at photographs together or watch a short firework video with the volume low.

The idea isn’t to convince them that fireworks are wonderful. It’s simply to make the experience a little less unfamiliar.

Protect Those Little Ears

Fireworks can be extremely loud, and young children’s hearing needs protecting.

Properly fitting children’s hearing defenders are a sensible precaution, even if your child absolutely loves fireworks.

Choose a viewing position well away from where the fireworks are being launched and follow the event organiser’s safety guidance.

Give Them Somewhere Safe to Retreat

Being able to leave is important – if your little one wants to watch from your arms, that’s fine,  if they want to turn away, that’s fine too and if they’d rather go home after the first enormous bang, well, that’s absolutely fine as well!

An enjoyable family memory doesn’t depend on staying until the grand finale.

Let Them Take Their Cue From You, But Listen to Theirs Too

Your calm response can be reassuring.

You can smile, talk gently and explain what’s happening whilst watching their reaction.

If they’re covering their ears, crying, clinging tightly or becoming distressed, they may be telling you they’ve had enough, and as their parent you know them best.

Reassurance is about helping a child feel safe, not persuading them to tolerate something they find frightening.

What If Your Child Really Doesn’t Like Loud Noises?

Some children are particularly sensitive to sound.

For them, the problem may not be limited to fireworks. Hand dryers, school bells, crowded places and other everyday noises can be uncomfortable or distressing.

It’s important not to dismiss those feelings or assume that repeated exposure will make everything better.

If sound sensitivity is regularly affecting your child’s everyday life, or seems painful or unusually distressing, it’s worth talking to your GP or health visitor. They can help you decide whether any additional support or assessment might be useful.

If fireworks simply aren’t your child’s idea of fun, there’s no rule saying they have to be!

A cosy evening indoors, watching the colours through the window from a safe distance, might be a much happier memory.

What a Popped Balloon Reminded Me About Children

I often say that photographing children is about far more than asking them to smile at a camera, it’s about understanding them.

Some little ones arrive full of confidence and curiosity. Others need time to look around, work out who I am and decide whether this new place is somewhere they feel comfortable, that’s all perfectly normal here.

I don’t believe in forcing children to do something simply because the adults have planned it, I believe in giving them space to be themselves.

That little balloon popping in my studio was a lovely reminder of how much children learn from the people around them, but it was also a reminder that every child brings their own personality, experiences and feelings into a situation.

Sometimes they’ll laugh, need a cuddle or decide they’d rather do something else entirely, and all of those responses deserve to be understood.

So this Bonfire Night, whether your little one is cheering at the sky, watching cautiously from your arms or happily tucked up indoors, I hope you have a lovely evening.

Because the important thing isn’t whether they love the fireworks.

It’s that they feel loved, understood and safe while they discover the world around them.

Love,

Claire x

P.S. A little confession from my own childhood…

When I was very little, before I’d even started school, I was absolutely terrified of aeroplanes flying overhead, which wouldn’t have been quite so inconvenient if we hadn’t lived directly under a flight path!

Every time I heard a plane approaching, I’d make a mad dash indoors. If I was riding my little bicycle, that had to come indoors too!

As you can imagine, during the summer months, this took up a considerable amount of my day. In, out, in, out… all depending on what was flying overhead!

I have absolutely no idea what I thought those aeroplanes were going to do, but clearly, little Claire wasn’t taking any chances.

I think this is the perfect reminder of what seems completely ordinary to a grown-up can feel enormous to a small child.

I do wonder how my poor parents ever got anything done though! 🤣

Woodland Hill Photography | East Grinstead, West Sussex

Creating relaxed, child-led portrait experiences for families across Sussex, Surrey and Kent.