Explaining the concept of “diversity” to your young child might feel like a complex lesson. By focusing on celebrating cultural differences, you can make an important lesson fun and natural.
A preschooler’s concept of the world is relatively small and concrete, limited primarily to their family, neighborhood and school. Help your child expand his world view by learning about different cultures through music, sports and even wildlife around the world. You will help spark your child’s understanding of the vast size and rich texture of our global community.
“We live in a diverse world. By teaching children to appreciate other cultures from an early age, you will help them develop compassion and seek out shared values,” said Dr. Gloria Julius, vice president of education for Primrose Schools. “Encourage a celebration of cultures near and far, including your own, to help your child grow to be an accepting, compassionate adult, who values the differences in others.”
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Dr. Julius offers parents a few tips to teach your child about diversity by celebrating cultures at home:
Share Your Family History. Understanding others begins with an understanding of oneself. Show pictures of family members and talk about each person. Children love and remember stories, so share a favorite story or something you personally remember about that person. This builds a child’s awareness of family history and culture.
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Listen to Music. Share your family’s cultural heritage through music. Play music from your family’s country of origin, your region of the United States, or favorite songs you sang as a child. Then play music from other cultures or parts of the country. Ask your child to identify the similarities and differences.
Read a Book. Reading to a child is one of the best ways to introduce them to different types of families, children and people from all over the world. Characters and storylines are great starting points for discussions on diversity as they can make a culture come to life. Look for books that have characters your child can identify with even though they may have different customs.
Some suggestions include:
• "It’s Okay to Be Different" by Todd Parr
• "Children from Australia to Zimbabwe: A Photographic Journey Around the World" by Maya Ajmera and Anna Rhesa Versola
• "The Crayon Box That Talked" by Shane Derolf
Think Outside the Box. Seek out opportunities for your child to interact with children from different countries and cultures. Getting to know families that are different from your own can increase your family’s appreciation of cultural similarities and differences. Visit museums, festivals, ethnic restaurants and other places that will help your child learn about various customs, cultures and lifestyles.
To learn more about Primrose School of Five Forks, visit our school campus at 3030 River Drive in Lawrenceville, www.PrimroseFiveForks.com or call 770.985.0028.
