The Fourth of July is Independence Day here in the United States. And nothing says, “Happy Fourth of July” like a fireworks display. Watching Fourth of July fireworks displays is a quintessential part of the American experience in the summer. I’m looking forward to the day when my daughters will be old enough to stay up late enough to watch the fireworks with me.

If your kids are old enough to watch a fireworks display, they might have questions about how fireworks work. Take a look at the following videos from NPR’s SkunkBear, National Geographic, and Reactions to learn about the science of fireworks.