5 Ways to Talk to Toddlers About Diversity

With the state of the world today, and the difficulties people exhibit getting along, it is important to talk to toddlers about diversity as early as possible. Whether your child’s culture is considered mainstream or a cultural outlier, the earliest conversations about these realities and labels have the most influence and should begin with parents. Parents want to ensure that a child’s first encounter with these topics is in a safe, reassuring environment where they feel comfortable asking questions and are in a calm emotional state for learning.

What should I say to my toddler about diversity?

But you may be wondering how to address the subject of diversity especially if your children are young. It can be a sensitive topic to bring up without introducing negative sensibility and or stereotypes.

Before jumping in to sing “We Shall Overcome”, you may want to start the conversation by asking your child to share their current impressions regarding the most family relevant diversity topic. Be prepared to answer any questions and gently address any misinformation they have already gathered. This will help guide your preparation for future conversations and activities on the topic. Then you can meet them where they are and talk to toddlers about diversity and it’s key concepts.

Key concepts of diversity to teach young children:

• diversity is difference and uniqueness
• we are all unique =we are all diverse
• diversity is diverse (many ways to be diverse)
• creativity is a sign of diversity
• diversity is fun
• diversity is strength
• be your diverse self (find your voice own your voice)
• diversity is adaptation (change, growth, evolution)
• most importantly diversity does not automatically equal danger

It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.

By Maya Angelou

Use these 5 daily experiences to teach your toddler to appreciate diversity in others and themselves:

1. Your children play with their toys and figures on a daily basis. At this early stage of development the diversity reflected in these toys and figures will help to develop strong neural pathways related to comfort and expectation of differences. Diversity of your children’s toys may include racial, gender, species, physical, etc.

When you play with your children you have the opportunity to reinforce ideas of diversity with the dialogue you use to introduce to the play themes. For example: “This superhero has one leg. His power is a super kick. Wow, he can flip fast!” Naturally you have the greatest influence on your child’s exposure, tolerance, and understanding of diversity in this context.

2. Food may certainly be used to introduces and reinforce basic principles of difference by helping your child observe similarities and differences between different food items, as well as, between “identical” food items.

When you comment on the color, shape, texture, smell, taste, and growth pattern of food items, it will help develop observation and comparison skills. Furthermore, your child will develop an appreciation difference. These lessons will also work with play food. Consider comparing traditional and multicultural play food.

3. Similarly watching or participating in sports events provides means of experiencing the value of same and different. Explain to your child why the teams are dressed alike (it’s easier to identify members of a team, builds a sense of belonging. Point out to your child how individual members of the team are dressed alike but do not look exactly alike, do not play the same positions, do not all have the same skills, and do not say the same things in interviews.

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Emphasize for your child that most successful teams work together, cooperatively but each member is responsible for doing their own unique job. And suggest for them other settings where cooperation serves the greater good like playing with siblings, friends, and schoolmates.

4. Spending time with family members also helps children develop a more in depth understanding of diversity. Explore ways members of a family may be the same or different such as last name, physical features, athletic abilities, academic abilities, artistic abilities, location, birthplace, experiences, etc. Emphasize how your family celebrates and embraces differences and similarities. Reinforce the family’s love for all members. Consider compiling for your child their very own family photo album to facilitate and revisit this conversation.

5. Lastly, media such as books and music can also facilitate discussions with your toddler about diversity. Today there are several books that share a story about diversity, diverse topics or have diverse characters. Similarly other children’s media such as nursery rhymes, music, movies, and even tv programs engage in storytelling that addresses diversity. If you are intentional, you can enrich your child’s daily entertainment and academic practices with a multicultural context.

Remember that these discussions should happen naturally and in short bursts as your child is engaged in daily activities. Keep an open mind and trust yourself to answer your child’s questions. Open communication is the first step to promoting understanding and combating fear. When you talk to toddlers about diversity you share a little more understanding in the world that will go a long way.