February: Celebrating Family, Cultural Diversity and Inclusion
We want children to grow up in a world free from bias and discrimination, to actualize their dreams and feel that whatever they want to accomplish in life is possible. We want them to feel loved and included and never to experience the pain of rejection or exclusion. The reality is that we do live in a world where racism and other forms of bias continue to affect us. Discrimination hurts and can leave scars that last a lifetime, affecting goals, ambitions, life choices, and feelings of self-worth.
It is important that we prepare children to meet the challenges and reap the benefits of the increasingly diverse world they will inherit. Books are ways to initiate discussions at home and in the classroom so we can raise children to celebrate and value diversity and family traditions, are kind to those who are different, love themselves and are proud of themselves just the way they are. We can teach children to respect and value people regardless of the colour of their skin, their physical abilities, or the language they speak.
- Read more here about how to teach children about diversity.
1. Read and Sing together 📚
- The Colors of Us by Karen Katz. A positive and affirming look at skin color, from an artist’s perspective. Lena is going to paint a picture of herself and wants to use brown paint for her skin. But when she and her mother take a walk through the neighborhood, Lena learns that brown comes in many different shades. Through the eyes of a little girl who begins to see her familiar world in a new way, this book celebrates the differences and similarities that connect all people.
- Our Diversity Makes Us Stronger by Elizabeth Cole. Social Emotional Book for Kids about Diversity and Kindness. In this book, Nick shows children that we all are different in many ways, and everyone is unique—which is great! He is afraid that his friends will not accept him because of his new reading glasses. By talking to his peers on the way to school, he discovers the beauty of diversity and realizes that our diversity is actually our strength.
- Listening with My Heart by Gabi Garcia. Kindness matters – especially to ourselves. When Esperanza finds a heart-shaped rock, she sees it as a reminder to spread kindness and love in the world. But when the school play doesn’t go the way she’d hoped, will she remember to show kindness to herself? We talk to kids a lot about how to be friends to others, but not much about how to be friends to themselves. Yet self-acceptance and positive self-talk help them build emotional resilience, growth mindset, and well-being. This book reminds us of the other golden rule — to treat ourselves with the same understanding and compassion we give to others. It Includes kid-friendly mindfulness and self-compassion activities.
- Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. This unforgettable book has a powerful anti-bullying message with striking art. Chloe and her friends won’t play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually Maya stops coming to school. When Chloe’s teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship, and thinks about how much better it could have been if she’d shown a little kindness toward Maya.
- Little Chief and Mighty Gopher by Victor Lethbridge. Discover what happens when a young boy’s friendship with a gopher turns everyone’s life upside down! This is a story about a young boy who finds friends and acceptance in unexpected places. This is a funny, heartfelt story of hope, empowerment and determination suited to young readers, the young at heart and those who struggle with bullying and rejection.
- What Makes Us Unique? by Dr. Jillian Roberts focuses on introducing children to the complex topic of diversity and prejudice. The author includes types of discrimination children notice, what prejudice means, why it’s not okay, how to stand up against it and how kids can spread a message of inclusion and acceptance in the world around them.
- African American inventors (Sesame Street)
- Black History Songs
- Songs on equality and fairness and Martin Luther King Day songs.
- Black Lives Matter Song
- The ABC’s of Black History Month
- Can Kids Change the World?
- Black History songs and educational videos for kids
- We all Laugh in the Same Language (with Lyrics)
2. Create together: Puzzles, Crafts, Drawing and Constructing 🧩
- Handprint Dreamcatcher paper craft activity. After children write their dreams on their handprints, start a dialogue on multi-cultural inclusion and the importance of dreams. Children can hang it in the classroom or above their bed to catch their dreams.
- Greet each other in languages children use in their home. Greeting one another each morning is already an established part of most circle time routines. Make it a fun learning opportunity by introducing words and phrases in other languages at circle time, and encouraging children to practice by greeting their friends with their new vocabulary words.
- Explore chemical reactions in this fun foaming dough recipe.
- Find Symmetry in Nature during an outdoor Math Activity and then have children create symmetrical snowflakes.
- Snowflake ClothesPin Math Centre Activity – match a number written in the center with corresponding addition problems on clothespins.
3. Explore and Engage together 🌍
- GRANDPARENTS can have a powerful and positive influence on their grandchildren. Their involvement is a significant way to share family traditions, values, culture and their love with the next generation. Here are some further ideas to support you in this critical role.
- Here are some activities to celebrate BC FAMILY DAY on February 21, 2022
- Activities to do around the lower mainland on the Family Day long weekend OR Check out February Black History Month Events scheduled in Vancouver
- Bilingual read-aloud books provide another opportunity to introduce children to new languages. How does it teach diversity? It is important for children to recognize that not everyone speaks the same language and that there are many different ways people of the world communicate. Language is a bridge, not a barrier, to understanding other cultures.
- I Love Saturdays y Domingos by Alma Flor Ada. Saturdays and Sundays are very special days for the child in this story. On Saturdays, she visits Grandma and Grandpa, who come from a European-American background, and on Sundays — los domingos — she visits Abuelito y Abuelita, who are Mexican-American. While the two sets of grandparents are different in many ways, they also have a great deal in common — in particular, their love for their granddaughter. While we follow our narrator to the circus and the pier, share stories from her grandparents’ pasts, and celebrate her birthday, the depth and joy of both cultures are conveyed in Spanish and English. This affirmation and celebration of both heritages will speak to all children who want to know more about their own families and ethnic backgrounds.
4. Healthy Living: Movement and Nutrition 👭
- Set up a School-interest centre with photos, books, videos and other activities that feature students at school in another culture. Children relate to the experiences of children at school in other countries through pretend play. Encourage discussion by asking questions such as “How do the children get to school? Or “What do they eat for lunch?” They will learn that there are similarities and differences between cultures around the world. New Immigrants could also bring pictures and add important information to the discussions.
- Sing We all Laugh in the Same Language (with Lyrics)
5. Reflect: Thoughts of the Day about Family, Cultural Diversity, Inclusion and Learning 💭
