Curiosity Carnival
Jan 18-19, 2025 | IIT Gandhinagar, Gujarat
Artwork by Argha Manna
Children fiddle with a machine to create an aurora. As the girl pulls the lever, the bright bubbling fluid creates a flare, as seen in the Sun. These energized particles interact and excite the gases. Resulting in an artificial aurora projected onto the room's ceiling. Or even a real one in the sky, who knows? The sky’s the limit.
This poster is the outcome of curiosity. The artist Argha Manna was inspired by the greatest aurora seen by mankind on May 10, 2024. Argha Manna reimagined Christian Birkeland's 'Terrella Experiment' and Yunchul Kim's sculpture La Poussière de soleils (Dust of Suns) to demonstrate the Northern and Southern Lights. The upper part of the machine, a ball with electric sparks, was inspired by the Terrella Experiment. The bottom part, where a mysterious fluid flows within glass chambers, depicts solar flares. It is inspired by the kinetic sculpture Dust of Suns. The sketch in the boy's hand is of the sunspots drawn by Richard Carrington that explained the Northern Lights in 1859.
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Where would we be if we were not curious?
From a telescope that captures the stars to the delicious pumpkin, every invention and discovery begins with curiosity. It's curiosity that makes us wonder, ask questions, and try new things. It pushes us to explore and learn beyond what we already know. Teachers, scientists, and leaders all agree that curiosity is the heart of learning. Without it, we wouldn’t have the incredible inventions and ideas that make our lives better today!
The Curiosity Carnival is designed to inspire and empower children to explore, wonder, and experiment. Rooted in the philosophy of 'learning through play,' the carnival transforms learning into an adventure by engaging children in interactive, fun-filled activities that spark their interest. We'll bring together children, researchers, educators, parents, and practitioners to create a culture of inquisitiveness and innovation.
The Curiosity Lab will host the Curiosity Carnival in collaboration with ART@IITGN and the Social Action and Policy Lab at IIT Gandhinagar, Gujarat, on January 18-19, 2025.
10k+
Students
70+
Events
30+
Speakers & Facilitators
Open for All
Free Entry
Curiosity
Carnival ●●●
Imagine a carnival where everything is a portal to learning. The Curiosity Carnival, will feature play labs, a gaming arena, music, food stalls, reading nooks, a science fiction art exhibition and more. Each section is thoughtfully designed for children to build, create, and learn hands-on. With the experiences themed around science, culture and art, the carnival aims to evoke scientific temper. So, grab your cotton candy and let the ride begin!
Click to read the guidelines, register, and submit your entry for the competition.
Play Labs
Sensory experiences— sound, sight, smell, and touch - shape learning. Over 40+ Play Labs will nurture experiential learning through experiments, games and activities like building circuits, creating slime, and crafting art with waste. Come, get your hands dirty!
Passion Pursuits
This student project exhibition showcases the creativity and ingenuity of young minds. Selected children will exhibit their working models, artworks, and other creations that stem from their passionate pursuits. Stay tuned for more!
Scientists
On The Loose
Scientists step out of their labs to interact with participants. Ask questions, listen to fascinating science stories, or simply pick their brains—this is your chance to hang out with scientists.
Curiosity Cafe
At Curiosity Cafe, playing with your food is not just allowed—it’s encouraged! Dive into food science experiments, storytelling, and cooking sessions where food converges with taste, culture, science and creativity.
I want to be Seen,
I want to be Heard
In a world often dominated by loud voices and opinions, "I Want to be Seen, I Want to be Heard" creates a space for the quiet and marginalized to shine. We invite children from diverse backgrounds to share their stories and perspectives freely. Imagine a child with a microphone—what would they unravel?
Dance & Tunes
This lab blends art and science through music and movement. Enjoy live music, fiddle with musical instruments, and explore the physics of sound, mathematics of dance and neuroscience behind music and movement.
Curiosity
Conclave ●●●
Motivated by the success of the Curiosity Conference 2023, we are enthused to propel the implementation of curiosity research in classrooms, workspaces and beyond. This year's one-day interdisciplinary conclave explores the role of Curiosity in research and practice and its importance in driving learning and innovation. Educators, researchers, and policymakers will engage in meaningful dialogue and collaborate to drive social change.
Town Hall
Dialogue with visionary thinkers, including renowned Scientists, Innovators and Artists, on the educational paradigm, technological breakthroughs, curiosity research and pedagogical advancements
Confluence
Where Ideas collide and converge. Insightful discussions featuring thought leaders, educators, and policy makers on learning, policy, and societal change
Sticky Ideas
Present your thoughts, research and projects through visually captivating posters, displays or art installations. Open to researchers, educators, parents, artists, and children. Submissions are invited across four curiosity-driven themes:
Curiosity & Education
Curiosity & Social-Behaviour Change
Curiosity Research
Curiosity & Art
Hands On
Learn hands on from professionals across diverse fields, and leave with new skills and inspirations. Co-create transformative learning experiences for educators, children, and parents.
Connect
Connect and collaborate with like-minded individuals who share your passion for Curiosity.
Curiosity in Praxis
Explore cutting-edge exhibits, meet inventors, and experience the future of curiosity-led innovation firsthand.
Earth 1002025 ●●●
A Science Fiction Exhibit by Argha Manna & Suman Choudhury
Earth1002025 is a speculative exhibit or a thought experiment about our planet one million years later. Argha Manna (Artist-in-Residence, IIT Gandhinagar) and Suman Chaudhuri (Visiting Artist, IIT Gandhinagar) are curious to explore the earth's flora, fauna, soil, water and what humans will look like in the far future, based on speculative evolution research and sheer imagination. The exhibit also sparks critical questions like how the Anthropocene will affect earth’s living and non-living systems, which species will survive the catastrophic effects of climate changes and human-made environmental disasters, and who will be the most dominant species in the distant future. The idea and inspiration behind the exhibit is the research on future studies by the CoFutures group and Argha Manna’s collaboration with Prof. Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay (CoFutures, University of Oslo) and Prof. Geoffrey C. Bowker (University of California, Irvine) on their ‘Ant Network Theory’.
Film Hopping ●●●
For a child, everything is possible. When children feel they cannot do something, like fly in the sky like a bird or breathe underwater like a fish, they wonder why. No answer can curb their curiosity, which only grows tremendously. It is perhaps when children start accepting the answers they are given that they slowly become adults. An adult has all the answers but no questions worth asking. A child seeks endless answers to endless questions.
We will screen films that we hope a child would like. These films give no answers but are filled with questions because, in their worlds, everything is possible.
Sign up
Be the first to know about competitions, call for abstracts, and other opportunities!
Support Us ●●●
At the Curiosity Carnival, we aim to ignite curiosity, creativity, and scientific temper in children. Your support can help us inspire the next generation of thinkers and innovators. Sponsor us and be a part of the carnival that brings together science, culture, and art to inspire young minds.
About Us●●●
The Curiosity Lab at IIT Gandhinagar is an interdisciplinary research centre dedicated to understanding and nurturing curiosity. Our research delves into the factors that generate, sustain, and cultivate curiosity. Beyond theoretical exploration, we strive to bridge the gap between curiosity research and education. We promote innate curiosity and inquiry-based learning in children by implementing educational interventions. We translate our research for children, educators, and researchers through public engagement and community outreach initiatives.
IIT Gandhinagar was founded in 2008 on the banks of Sabarmati River in Palaj, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The institute promotes critical thinking and an appreciation of the interdisciplinary character of knowledge, emphasising liberal arts, project-oriented learning, design, life sciences, diversity, and globalisation. It is committed to promoting excellence in science, technology, the humanities and social sciences and developing rounded and nuanced minds. IIT Gandhinagar is ranked 18th by NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) 2023 for Engineering.
In Collaboration With ●●●
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ART at the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IITGN) is an initiative that promotes and facilitates artistic expressions and engagements on campus. Art as a medium and practice nurtures liberal, inclusive, interdisciplinary, and futuristic values. With Art@IITGN, we envision an environment that will allow ingenuity to thrive while bridging the transference of intergenerational knowledge systems. This initiative provides spaces on campus for students and community members to experiment with art.
The Social Action and Policy Lab (SAP Lab) at IIT Gandhinagar is a leading research hub that utilizes behavioral insights (BI) to integrate social and behavioral sciences into social sector programs and state and national-level initiatives. By focusing on social and behavior change and BI systems and capacities, SAP Lab is instrumental in enhancing community engagement and strategic communication within priority areas of the Sustainable Development Goals. Through rigorous evidence-based research, the lab strives to improve the design, implementation, and overall effectiveness of public policy.
The Center for Curiosity (CfC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring the science of curiosity, promoting its practice, and academic and public advancement. The CfC designs and produces curricular materials that enhance students' curiosity and promote their integration into schools and colleges. The centre's research initiatives incorporate innovative techniques and methodologies to comprehend the science and characteristics of curiosity, identify ways to stimulate it, and examine the association between curiosity and other human endeavours, such as creativity, innovation, and leadership.
