How to enjoy Diwali crackers safely

Quick answer

Your child will understand that on Diwali grown-ups light the crackers, while children wear cotton clothes and shoes, stand far back, cover their ears, never touch a cracker that didn't pop, and enjoy watching.

Inside this storybook

It is Diwali! Little clay lamps glow by the door. Tanvi holds her elephant, Gappu, very tight. "Can I light a cracker, Dadaji? Please, please?" Dadaji smiles. "Crackers are bright and loud and fun. But they are hot, hot, hot. So tonight you have a very special job."

Dadaji shows Tanvi a long, thin incense stick. "This is how grown-ups light crackers. Only grown-ups." Tanvi looks at her small hands. "So my job is to watch?" "Yes! Your job is to get ready, step back, and watch. That is the safest job of all."

First, get ready. Tanvi wears her soft cotton kurta. Nothing long and floppy that could swing near a spark. Then she buckles her shoes, click, click. "Toes covered!" says Tanvi. Dadaji gives a thumbs up.

Dadaji carries out a red bucket full of water. Then a little tin of sand. Slosh, slosh. "Why do we need water, Dadaji?" "Because water and sand stop a spark fast. So we keep them close, every single time."

Dadaji puts one cracker far out on the bare ground, away from the house. "Now, Tanvi, where should you stand? Close to the cracker, or far back by the rangoli?" Tanvi thinks. What do you think?

Tanvi stays behind the rangoli. She covers her ears. Dadaji stretches out his long stick, touches the cracker, and walks back quickly. Fizz... fizz... WHOOSH! Golden sparkles shoot up high. "Wow!" says Tanvi, safe and far away.

Dadaji lights another cracker. But... nothing. No fizz. No whoosh. "Can I go see?" asks Tanvi. "No, never go near a cracker that didn't pop," says Dadaji. "It might still be hot. We wait." Then he pours water from the bucket. Splash! Now it's done.

The sky fills with soft lights from all around the town. Tanvi leans on Dadaji. "I did my job! Get ready, step back, cover ears, and watch." "You did," says Dadaji. "Grown-ups light. You watch. And Diwali stays happy and bright."

The pages

Tanvi Can't Wait

It is Diwali! Little clay lamps glow by the door. Tanvi holds her elephant, Gappu, very tight. "Can I light a cracker, Dadaji? Please, please?" Dadaji smiles. "Crackers are bright and loud and fun. But they are hot, hot, hot. So tonight you have a very special job."

Who Lights the Crackers?

Dadaji shows Tanvi a long, thin incense stick. "This is how grown-ups light crackers. Only grown-ups." Tanvi looks at her small hands. "So my job is to watch?" "Yes! Your job is to get ready, step back, and watch. That is the safest job of all."

Cotton Clothes and Shoes

First, get ready. Tanvi wears her soft cotton kurta. Nothing long and floppy that could swing near a spark. Then she buckles her shoes, click, click. "Toes covered!" says Tanvi. Dadaji gives a thumbs up.

Water and Sand Nearby

Dadaji carries out a red bucket full of water. Then a little tin of sand. Slosh, slosh. "Why do we need water, Dadaji?" "Because water and sand stop a spark fast. So we keep them close, every single time."

Where Should Tanvi Stand?

Dadaji puts one cracker far out on the bare ground, away from the house. "Now, Tanvi, where should you stand? Close to the cracker, or far back by the rangoli?" Tanvi thinks. What do you think?

Light, Step Back, Cover Ears

Tanvi stays behind the rangoli. She covers her ears. Dadaji stretches out his long stick, touches the cracker, and walks back quickly. Fizz... fizz... WHOOSH! Golden sparkles shoot up high. "Wow!" says Tanvi, safe and far away.

The Quiet Cracker

Dadaji lights another cracker. But... nothing. No fizz. No whoosh. "Can I go see?" asks Tanvi. "No, never go near a cracker that didn't pop," says Dadaji. "It might still be hot. We wait." Then he pours water from the bucket. Splash! Now it's done.

Tanvi's Happy Diwali

The sky fills with soft lights from all around the town. Tanvi leans on Dadaji. "I did my job! Get ready, step back, cover ears, and watch." "You did," says Dadaji. "Grown-ups light. You watch. And Diwali stays happy and bright."

Key takeaways

• Tanvi Can't Wait
• Who Lights the Crackers?
• Cotton Clothes and Shoes

Questions along the way

• Who lights the crackers on Diwali?
• Where does Tanvi watch from?
• A cracker didn't pop. What happens?

Common questions

What will kids learn in How to enjoy Diwali crackers safely?

Your child will understand that on Diwali grown-ups light the crackers, while children wear cotton clothes and shoes, stand far back, cover their ears, never touch a cracker that didn't pop, and enjoy watching.

Read-together tip

Science lessons work best when the idea can be seen: light changes, rain forms, ice melts, sound vibrates, or a force makes something move.