Bonfire Night is on Thursday 5 November this year, which means a school night, an early sunset and a lot of small decisions. Which display, how do we get there, what does everyone wear, and what time will we be home? Most of the stress comes from working it out on the day. A few days of planning gives you time to book, pack and choose the calmer option for younger children.

The quick answer

• Choose a public display, and check the date, time and whether tickets are needed
• Plan the evening: tea, travel, a meeting point and a home time, because it's a school night
• Wrap up and pack: warm layers, a torch, and something for children who find the noise too much
• Keep everyone safe, including pets left at home

Choose a public display

The London Fire Brigade recommends enjoying a public display rather than buying your own fireworks, and it's the easier option for a family too: someone else does the setting up, clearing and safety. Some displays are held on the weekend nearest 5 November rather than the night itself, so check the date and start time for the ones near you. Some need tickets booked in advance, and some have limited parking, so it's worth looking this week rather than on the day.

Plan the evening, school night included

Because 5 November falls on a Thursday, the plan needs a home time as well as a start time. Work backwards from the time you want children in bed: home time, then travel, then the display, then tea. Fireworks displays often start after dark, and now the clocks have changed, dark comes early, so there may be a wait. In Petal Home, the forecast's Tonight card shows today's sunset time, next to the hour-by-hour weather, so you can see when it gets dark and whether it's going to rain.

• Tea: eat before you go, or pack something simple like jacket potatoes or soup in a flask, and take care with hot food and drinks around children
• Travel: how you're getting there and back, and where you'll park or meet
• Meeting point: agree where to go if anyone gets separated in a crowd
• Home time: when you'll leave, whether or not the display is finished

Wrap up and pack

• Layers, hats and gloves, and waterproofs and wellies if the ground is wet
• A torch or two, rather than phones, for finding your way in the dark
• Ear protection: if your child is sensitive to loud sounds, ear defenders may help for a short, loud event such as a fireworks display
• A drink and a snack for the wait, keeping hot drinks well away from young children
• Bright or reflective clothing, so children are easy to spot in a crowd and near roads

A shared list works well for the packing, so everyone can add to it and tick things off. In Petal Home, a shared list is free, each item shows who added it, and ticking it off shows everyone it's done.

Keep everyone safe

At a public display, keep children close and stay behind any barriers. If you're thinking about sparklers, the London Fire Brigade says never to give them to children under five, and that everyone holding one should wear gloves, hold it at arm's length, and put it in a bucket of cold water when it's finished. Sparklers are also fireworks, so they can't be used in the street or other public places.

If you do decide to have fireworks at home, the law says you must be 18 or over to buy adult fireworks, that they mustn't be set off in the street or other public places, and that on Bonfire Night they must finish by midnight. The fire service's advice is to follow the instructions carefully, keep water nearby, and never go back to a lit firework. For families, a public display removes the responsibility of buying and setting off fireworks yourself.

Think about pets, too

Fireworks can frighten dogs, cats and small animals, and fireworks may be heard on several evenings around 5 November. For dogs and cats, keep them safely indoors once fireworks are likely to start, close the curtains and give them a familiar place to settle, and walk dogs during daylight if you can. For small animals, follow advice appropriate to where they're housed. In Petal Home, a household reminder can be assigned to one person, so the nudge to get the dog walked before it gets dark reaches their phone.