Fire Safety: A Simple Experiment

Continuing with our "Fire Safety" theme, we did this little experiment and then talked about "Stop, Drop, and Roll."

You need:

Candle

Match

Glass jar or cup

1) Light a candle. Predict what will happen if you place a glass jar over the candle.

2) Place a cup or jar over the candle.

3) The candle will quickly go out.  Share that fire needs three things to continue burning (heat, fuel, and air).  Placing the jar over the candle depletes the air, so the candle goes out. 

When I light a match, I try to do it so the littlest girls don't see.  I think it is safer that way, because they can be little copycats!  This would also be a good time to discuss safety around matches and safety around an open flame.   

After this experiment, we practiced "Stop, Drop, and Roll."  Make sure your child knows they should not run if their clothes are on fire.  Practice stopping, dropping to the ground, and rolling all the way over several times.  I tied this in with the experiment by talking about how the fire is smothered (by the lack of oxygen) when we "stop, drop, and roll" just like our candle went out (because of the lack of oxygen).