In today’s interconnected world, raising children who can build relationships with people from all walks of life is more important than ever. Instilling this vital skill in your little one doesn’t have to be another daunting task for a busy working mom. Instead, by teaching diversity, equality and inclusion from an early childhood education, you can turn this activity into a joyful journey that enriches both your child’s life and your own.
As it is, you as a parent are role-modeling for your child every day and shaping her attitudes, speech and behaviors. While doing this, all you need to do is promote respect and tolerance for different faiths and beliefs. Make this part of your family values and what it stands for.
Remember, children are naturally curious, and their early years are the perfect time to nurture this curiosity by introducing them to an inclusive learning environment. When children learn to appreciate and connect with people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives, they develop empathy and respect and gain a broader understanding of the world. These skills aren’t just nice-to-haves; they’re essential for thriving in a multicultural society.
Lest you forget, children get to see TV news involving social discrimination and other types of injustices and if that is the first time they come to know about such issues, it will be very confusing for them. Teaching diversity, equality and inclusion from an early childhood education, helps them construct an honest opinion in their minds. To do that effectively, they need an inclusive learning environment that is mature enough to guide and provide rational explanations that help rather than allow TV and social media to reinforce negative attitudes and behaviors.
Taking the time to teach your child about diversity, equality and inclusion is essential. While she’ll naturally pick up on these aspects as she grows older, it’s one of those things that’ll be worthwhile to actively involve early in your everyday life at home with your child.
Children notice diversity and inequality way younger than you might realize, for instance, even a 3-month-old baby will exhibit a preference for “own-race faces.” As parents, it’s largely up to us to help children understand how to recognize and acknowledge diversity. In an inclusive learning environment, you can make sure that your child gets a well-rounded exposure and understanding of the world around her as she is growing up.
Believe in the power of diversity, equality and inclusion. Create an inclusive learning environment at home, that will enable your child to see the world through different lenses, and foster acceptance and mutual respect. This, in turn, will help lay the foundation for your child to build strong, positive relationships with people from all walks of life.
Nurturing empathy through conversations
Weave moments of connection into your daily routine. Whether you’re driving to school or sitting down for dinner, use these moments to discuss the importance of kindness and understanding. Empathy is the cornerstone of building strong and diverse relationships. It’s about understanding and sharing the feelings of others, which starts with open and honest conversations with children.
Multicultural education in early childhood encourages your child to freely express her thoughts and feelings about the differences she observes in others. When she asks questions, it provides answers that are thoughtful and resonate with her age and experience. For example, if your child notices a classmate who dresses differently, you could explain that people from different cultures have unique traditions, and that’s what makes the world such an interesting place.
Multicultural education in early childhood helps build a community of inclusion by creating a supportive group. This will help your child to establish and build relationships with a diverse set of friends. You can extend this circle of friends by fostering relationships with families from different backgrounds. Invite them over for a meal, organize group activities, or simply encourage your child to befriend classmates who may have different experiences that they want to share.
Remember, a child often models the behavior she sees. When she observes adults engaging with others respectfully and inclusively, she is more likely to adopt these behaviors herself. Multicultural education in early childhood will set the tone for your child’s interactions with the world.
Multicultural education in early childhood incorporates the practices of inclusivity into your child’s daily life to help build the skills she needs to connect with people from all walks of life. By promoting diversity, empathy, and respect, you’re not just preparing your child to succeed in a multicultural world — you’re also helping her become a compassionate, open-minded individual who will value and cherish the differences that make each of us unique.
When children are taught to value diversity and build relationships with people from all groups, they are better prepared to thrive in a multicultural world. They become more adaptable, open-minded, and capable of working in diverse teams. These skills are not only crucial for their personal development but also for their future success in a globalized world.
Exposing children to diversity from an early childhood
By promoting cultural diversity in early childhood, you will help introduce cultures and customs that children may not have been exposed to yet. This way you will make time to help children understand similarities and differences. This will be crucial as it will have a direct impact on the opinions they will form throughout their lives.
Remember, children begin to form opinions and attitudes towards others from a very young age. These are reinforced by the experiences they have; the environments they live in; and the opinions of adults around them.
Learning to respect cultures other than their own is a life skill that boosts a child’s self-esteem. Children are always proud to talk about things that are special to them and when they can share these with their friends it is a big boost to their confidence.
One of the best ways to help your child build relationships is by introducing her to different cultures, languages, and viewpoints. This can be done by reading books and watching movies that feature characters from different backgrounds. Better still, why not organize and celebrate different cultural events at home? When you are promoting cultural diversity in early childhood, you are in a position to acknowledge and celebrate the cultural diversity that exists in the world. Help your child understand different faiths, backgrounds, and views; not forgetting the pleasure that comes with learning about other societies.
You don’t need to travel the world to expose your child to diversity either. By promoting cultural diversity in early childhood, everyday activities can become learning opportunities. For example, when choosing a storybook at bedtime, opt for one that features a hero from a different culture. Discuss the story with your child and highlight the unique aspects of the character’s life.
Broaden your child’s perspective and spark meaningful conversations about diversity and inclusion. These small steps will make a big impact, helping your child understand and appreciate differences that exist among societies and people.
Embedding diversity and inclusion in children is celebrating individuality. Helping lay a solid foundation for embracing differences, developing an understanding of the world, and forming a strong sense of belonging in this ever-evolving worldview.
Activities that encourage diversity, equality and inclusion
Incorporate activities that celebrate and teach your child to recognize and appreciate the differences and similarities among people. As a mom, you can bring this practice into your home by setting up playdates with children from different backgrounds or attending community events that celebrate various cultures.
Collaborative learning allows children to interact with peers who have different perspectives, experiences, and abilities. By fostering an environment where diversity in early childhood education is celebrated, and inclusion is actively practiced, you get to structure group activities and encourage empathy, communication, and cooperation. Assisting in everyone’s unique contributions so every child who participates feels valued and respected.
A fun way to learn about different cultures is by celebrating events from different faiths, such as Chinese New Year, Diwali and many other events taking place throughout the year. You can also try different foods, make decorations and do other activities that are linked to each festival or event.
These events and experiences will allow your child to interact with peers from different walks of life, learning firsthand how to navigate and respect differences.
Another powerful tool is role-playing. Your child will love to enact different scenarios, which is an excellent way to teach her about empathy and understanding. For instance, you could role-play a situation where she gets to meet someone who speaks a different language or practices a different religion. Guide her on how to approach the situation with kindness and curiosity, reinforcing the idea that diversity is something to be celebrated, not feared.
Play activities are powerful tools to align and engage children in fun and meaningful ways. Play activities to promote appreciation and respect for diversity in early childhood education, equality and inclusion abound. Some of the easier activities include:
- Show & Tell: Encourage children in your neighborhood to bring family photographs, share a favorite family recipe, or be ready to narrate a story that reflects their own culture. They are asked to share these at the “community get-together.” The idea is to help peers learn about and appreciate the richness of different cultures.
- Storytelling: Sharing stories from various cultures and different backgrounds. Afterwards, have children create their own stories that reflect diverse characters and settings, while also sharing thoughts about prejudices or moments of cultural celebration. The aim is to promote greater understanding and establish empathy and respect for individual experiences.
- Diversity Games: Incorporate different cultural symbols or tell stories of famous people from diverse backgrounds. Games and activities can be simple or modifications made to current games such as bingo or scavenger hunts, or children get to invent and come up with new games and make their own rules.
- Art and Craft Projects: Engage children in art and craft projects celebrating diversity in early childhood education and inclusion. For instance, they get together and create a mural or collage incorporating elements from different cultures. Break into groups and make friendship bracelets to symbolize peace and unity.
- Cultural Days: Designate specific days to celebrate different cultures in your community. Each day even can focus on learning about a particular culture’s history, traditions, and contributions including local foods for tasting and native music for dance exploration.
How My Gym can be of help
The principle of diversity, equality and inclusion for early childhood education reminds us that it is our responsibility to uncover and protect every child’s strengths, interests and nurture each child’s approach to learning—helping every child make her learning meaningful and motivating.
As a busy working mom, your time is precious, but so is your child’s holistic development. By opting for the nurturing environment that My Gym creates, you will be setting your child up for a lifetime of learning and positive growth.
At My Gym, we’re committed to supporting your child on this journey. Our age-appropriate enrichment program is designed to build resilience and help your child develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills from an early age.
Our focus on diversity, equality and an inclusive learning environment will help your child navigate the complexities of human connections. Your child will not only learn to be physically active but will be equipped with the social skills needed to be successful in life.
Interested in learning more? Swing by any of our My Gym centers at your convenience, with your little one in tow. Whether she is as young as 6 months or a bustling preschooler, there’s something for every child to learn, assimilate and grow. Besides, it is never too early to start!
We can’t wait to welcome you and your child to the My Gym family. Together, we can help raise a generation of children who are not only aware of the world’s diversity but who also embrace and celebrate it, one meaningful connection at a time.
Feel free to reach out to My Gym for more details. See you soon!
Please note: My Gym classrooms are thoroughly sanitized every day — the tables, the chairs, the children’s activity stations and everything else the child might touch is made safe and clean. Whenever required, children are encouraged to wear a mask, wash their hands frequently, and practice social distancing as well.
