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I think it's worth it, mainly so they can understand the country's culture and feel like they're part of it. It doesn't have to be anything heavy, just let them play with the colors, the music, maybe watch a parade or make a mask at home. The cool thing is that Carnival brings joy and excitement, and kids love all that energy, no matter their age.
Let them actually experience it, not just watch it on TV - take them out on the street, let them play with confetti, actually dance - that's way more memorable than any explanation. The risk is thinking the kid understands the whole story if they're just passively watching; little ones really learn by doing and feeling the energy in person.
The best thing is really to mix the fun part with some natural conversations about what's happening. Small children learn much more from example and experience than from formal explanations, so if they see their parents and grandparents involved, they pick up the spirit of the thing very naturally. They can paint masks at home, listen to Carnival music while they play, and then they'll start asking about the colors, the characters, why it exists. You don't need to make a big deal out of it.
What sometimes gets overlooked is that expecting "deep" understanding of traditions from very small kids (like 3, 4 years old) is a waste of time and actually bores them. They want confetti, loud music, colors, movement. Real understanding about history, syncretism, cultural roots comes much later. The risk is putting them in a themed classroom expecting them to come out with lessons about national identity - they fall asleep or get bored.
If there's Carnival in your neighborhood or a nearby village, take them once to see it, let them get a bit dirty, hear it live and feel the atmosphere - that sticks. Most kids who have strong memories of a cultural celebration remember it because they experienced it with all their senses, not because someone explained its importance to them.
I think the bigger risk that nobody mentioned is the kid ending up with this kind of folkloric, distant view of Carnival, like it's some "museum thing" that has nothing to do with them. If you only show videos of samba schools or talk about the history, it gets way too abstract for a little kid. The cool part is really just letting them experience something tangible - dancing together, putting confetti in their hand, hearing the music for real at home - but then, when they get a bit older, that's when it's worth really contextualizing the culture, the roots, all that stuff. While they're small, it's all about sensory experience.
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