During the weeks surrounding the Fourth of July, school-age children suffer an estimated 1,900 fireworks-related burns and other injuries. One of the biggest culprits? Backyard sparklers.

Some safety tips for you to keep in mind, and teach your kids:

•  Never hold or light more than one sparkler at a time.
•  Always hold the sparkler at arm’s length from the body and stand at least six feet away from other people.
•  Don’t run with, throw, or hand a lit sparkler to someone else.
•  The sticks stay hot after they’re done burning, so keep a bucket of water nearby to douse them in (stepping on used sparklers is a major cause of burns).
•  Closely supervise school-age kids while they use sparklers.

Some of our most vivid memories of childhood surround holiday activities.  Using precaution and teachable moments you can keep everyone safe and cultivate happy memories of the 4th of July.

Happy 4th!