India, Nov. 8 -- Residents of Sky Forest, a two-tower luxe residential complex in Lower Parel, came together on Saturday for a carnival, a significant part of which focused on encouraging children to rethink the use of firecrackers through games and interactive activities. The carnival featured 18 to 20 stalls, with games designed to engage children while introducing them to the harmful effects of firecrackers on living beings and the environment. Dr Bhavna Jain, an ophthalmologist and one of the organisers, said the idea was to communicate the message in a manner that children would find enjoyable and easy to understand. In one of the activities children were shown a word on a card and asked to immediately say the first word that came to mind. When presented with the word 'firecrackers', most responded with 'noise', while the phrase 'air around us' prompted responses such as 'haze'. Several other activities were also organised around contemporary concerns of air and noise pollution. Another activity, a ring game, incorporated questions on whether firecrackers affected air quality and whether children had ever suffered injuries from them. The games were followed by brainstorming sessions in which there was a discussion on the issues raised. Around 40 children, along with other residents, participated in the carnival. "We wanted to communicate the message just before Diwali, so that children think twice before bursting crackers. We explained the effect of fire crackers on all the living beings," Jain said. Resident Payal Shah, 45, said the activities prompted children to look at firecrackers differently. "After playing the games, the children understood that firecrackers are nothing more than burning resources and polluting the environment. They also contribute to the deterioration of air quality, at a time when the city is already choking with pollution. The children responded positively and showed logical reasoning when discussing the points raised through the games," she said....