One of the coolest things about living in Houston is the amount of diversity that is displayed at every corner. As the 4th largest city in the United States and the largest in the entire South, it’s easy to see why we’re so lucky to have such a wide variety of almost everything. From the arts to the cuisine, Houston has exposed me to so many different types of people and experiences.
Now that I’m a mother, I’ve started thinking about how to make sure that my children’s eyes are open to all of the diversity that the city {and the world} has to offer. There are several ways that we can motivate our children to become more culturally conscious, from the people they meet to the shows that they watch. I don’t have all the answers on how I plan to do this, but I do have 5 kid-friendly ways to explore diversity with your family.
1.} Books
Most children love to read books! They are visually captivating and usually share fun and unique stories. Books are an easy way to explore several different people, places, or things. Although there are an enormous amount to choose from, our family favorites include ::
- The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
- Be Who You Are by Todd Parr
- Hello My Name is Octicorn by Kevin Diller and Justin Lowe
- What if Your Best Friend Were Blue by Vera Kochan
2.} Television and Movies
The best thing about television and movies is that you’re probably introducing diversity into your children’s lives without even thinking twice. Most shows nowadays have a wide variety of characters and story lines in efforts to teach our children different lessons. Similar to books, there are so many different shows to choose from, but our personal favorites include ::
TELEVISION SHOWS
- Sesame Street {our absolute favorite!}
- Sofia the First
- Doc McStuffins
- Elena of Avalor
MOVIES
3.} Toys and Pretend Play
There is also diversity to be found in pretend play! Some families explore different cultures through dress-up. With toys, we try to incorporate as many different types of people as we possibly can. So far, with our baby girl, we play with dolls of all different races. While there are a variety of ways to incorporate your children’s toys into exploring diversity, here’s a few simple options ::
- The American Girl Dolls
- The Disney Princess Doll Set
- Melissa and Doug Puzzle Sets
- Coins/Money from different countries
- Traditional clothing from different cultures and/or countries
4.} Play Groups and Play Dates
I live in the heart of Houston, and it’s a little bit harder to find play groups here. Fortunately, I found out about the “Meet Up” App and was able to get together with tons of other families raising their children in the loop. In those play groups, I eventually made some mom friends, and that turned into individual play dates for the kids. My daughter and I have had the pleasure of meeting families from all different backgrounds this way.
5.} Family/Friend Outings
There is so much to do in this city! You cannot go wrong finding a diverse atmosphere to explore with your kiddos.First up, I would recommend exploring food options! The authentic cultural cuisine in Houston is like no other. All it takes is a quick Google search. After eating, consider exploring the arts with your family. This is, hands down, one of the best ways to introduce your child to diversity in the city. There are so many museums and interactive activities within the museums to choose from, but our recent favorites include ::
- The Children’s Museum of Houston
- McGovern Centennial Gardens
- Hermann Park
- Houston Public Libraries
- Houston Museum of Natural Science
- The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
So, those are the 5 kid-friendly ways that our family has explored diversity. At the end of the day, none of these examples are as good as the simple art of having a conversation with your child. Our children will definitely ask questions, and we, as parents, need to be prepared to answer anything that comes our way.
If you’ve made an effort or even unconsciously made an effort to explore diversity with your children, I would love to know how you did it. Comment below with a personal story so we can all explore new methods!
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Need more diversity posts? Check out Houston Moms’ Diversity in Motherhood:: We All Love the Same series!
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