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Practice lighting a candle

Get hands on with matches and learn to light it safely.

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You’ll need

  • Tea lights
  • Matches
  • Washi tape
  • Stickers
  • Electric candle lighter
  • Saucer
  • Sand

Before you begin

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment.
  • Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely. 
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers.

Setting up this activity 

  • You may want to have extra adult helpers to help people light the candles.
  • Fill a heatproof bowl or bucket with sand for the used matches. 
  • It might be easiest to start with longer cook’s matches or a lighting taper before trying smaller matches. If you can, have a variety available.
  • Have an electric candle lighter (this isn’t the same as a cigarette lighter!) on hand, in case anyone struggles.

Stay safe around matches

  1. The person leading the activity should ask what everyone knows about staying safe around matches.
  2. The person leading the activity should make sure everyone knows that they should only light candles when there’s an adult there. Matches should be lit away from the body, and at least a metre away from other people. Matches should ideally be lit close to some water, just in case it’s needed.

Time to light

  1. The person leading the activity should give everyone a tea light.
  2. Everyone should lift the wick on their candle so it stands straight up in the air, ready to light.
  3. The person leading the activity should follow the steps below to show everyone how to safely light a candle using a match.
  4. Everyone should split into small groups with adults. Everyone should work together with their adults to follow the steps and light their own candle.
  5. People can blow out their candles and practise again until they feel confident.
  6. Once everyone’s lit their candle, they should take a moment to sit quietly and watch them flicker.
  7. Don’t forget to celebrate everyone’s perseverance as they learn this skill.

How to light a tea light

  1. Take one match from the drawer of the matchbox and close the matchbox.
  2. Show everyone where the match head is. Point out the striker on the match drawer.
  3. Check the area around you is clear.
  4. Strike the match away from you on the striker. Wait for it to flame so you (and other people) can see the flame.
  5. Hold the flame to the wick until the wick catches. 
  6. Blow out the match and place it head down in a saucer of sand. 

Reflection

This activity gave everyone the chance to be independent as they safely lit a candle. When else could people use this skill (with adult supervision)?

People may say that they could help an adult to light a campfire or a candle for a celebration.

Can anyone remember the safety rules? Explain that with the new skill comes responsibility to others – a bit like being a superhero!

People should never touch or use matches without an adult. Can anyone think of some words or phrases to describe what lighting the candle was like?

Some people may have felt proud or excited, others frustrated or nervous. Learning a new skill can be all of those things at once. Well done to everyone who tried hard, didn’t give up, and was responsible with their new skill. 

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Fires and stoves

Make sure anyone using fires and stoves is doing so safely. Check that the equipment and area are suitable and have plenty of ventilation. Follow the gas safety guidance. Have a safe way to extinguish the fire in an emergency.

Flammable items

Always take care when using flammable items, especially if you’re near fire. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines.

Anyone who doesn’t want to use a match could use the electric candle lighter. Work together to press colourful drawing pins into a pillar candle – you could use it at the start of each meeting.

  • Lighting a match involve fine motor skills – it’s OK if people want to use the electric candle lighter instead, and if people need some help with lighting a match or the electric candle lighter.
  • Some people may be a little nervous or scared around fire. If they are, let people take their time and tell them in advance that you’ll be doing this activity to give them time to prepare.
  • If someone doesn’t want to take part, that’s OK. They could do another activity, such as colouring in or play a card game with a young leader.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.

Beavers My Skills Challenge Award

You may want to make a tealight holder or create a Diya lamp for Diwali.