Is it true you can make fireworks from empty cans? Let's try it at the Children's Disaster Prevention Association camp!

The Children's Disaster Prevention Association holds "Children's Disaster Prevention Camps" all over the country, where children can learn about disaster preparedness while enjoying activities in nature. Through play, children experience both the fun and the dangers of nature, and proactively acquire the knowledge, judgment, and ability to take action that are useful in emergencies.

There are many things to enjoy in summer, and fireworks are one of them. Did you know that you can actually make handmade fireworks from a common material found around you? That material is an "empty can." At this summer's camp, we challenged ourselves to make original fireworks using empty cans.

How do you make fireworks from an empty can?

The general steps for making handmade fireworks from an empty can are as follows.

1. Use a file to finely grind the empty can.
2. Stick the metal powder created by grinding onto tape, and attach it to a pair of disposable chopsticks to serve as a handle.

It sounds simple when put into words, but the task of grinding an empty can with a file is quite a bit of physical work. It seemed a little tough for the children, but with the goal of making original fireworks, everyone worked hard to grind it down.

And finally, the fireworks were complete! The children cheered when they lit them with excitement and saw the small sparks fly. Although some children failed because they didn't have enough powder or it didn't stick to the tape well, they learned that they could make fireworks themselves, and we heard some say, "I want to try this at home too."

While these handmade fireworks can be made with materials found at home, be very careful when handling fire! Also, don't forget to wear work gloves or similar protection so you don't cut your hands on the empty cans. If you try this at home, please be sure to do it safely with a parent or guardian.

Why make fireworks at a disaster prevention camp?

By the way, there is a reason unique to disaster prevention camps for why we challenged ourselves to make handmade fireworks at this camp.

When lifelines like electricity and gas are cut off by disasters such as earthquakes, securing fire becomes a challenge. Even if you don't have matches, lighters, or portable gas stoves, knowing how to safely start a fire using everyday items might be useful for keeping warm in winter or cooking a hot meal.

In fact, metal has the property of being easier to ignite in powder form than in a solid block. We obtained metal powder by grinding an empty can this time, but there are also outdoor goods sold called "fire starters" that use this property to start fires.

A typical fire starter consists of a rod made of magnesium or similar material, and a metal piece for scraping or rubbing it. Once you scrape the rod with the metal piece to create a small amount of powder, you then rub the rod with the metal piece like a flint to create sparks and ignite the powder. Once it catches fire, you gradually add dry paper or wood shavings to make the fire larger.

Because you can start a fire without fuel, it is a useful item not only for serious outdoor activities but also as a preparation for disasters. If you are interested, please look into it.

The importance of acquiring knowledge through play

At this camp, most of the children learned for the first time that metal is easier to ignite when it is in powder form. Children naturally acquire such knowledge while actually playing and experiencing things. That is one of the major goals of why we, the Children's Disaster Prevention Association, hold disaster prevention camps.

We will continue to plan activities where you can learn about disaster prevention while having fun, so please look forward to them!