Promote Cultural Diversity Through Inclusive Education

Cinco de Mayo is just around the corner and like most; we are very excited for it! It is a holiday popularly celebrated in the United States to honor Mexican-American culture, and it’s the perfect opportunity to promote diversity, especially among young children.

 

Building positive identities and a respect for differences, means weaving diversity into the fabric of your children’s everyday lives. Positive traits like empathy, awareness, appreciation, and inclusion come much easier if diversity is familiar. Our world is a melting pot. Let’s celebrate it by helping our children feel comfortable in a varied environment!

 

How do you promote cultural diversity in early childhood?

 

Lead by Example

Have you ever slipped up and said a curse word in front of your child and then witnessed them repeat it? That is because children naturally learn and develop through imitation, among other methods. The most powerful tool you have as a parent is yourself. Teach your preschoolers to have a positive view of cultural differences by exemplifying it yourself.

 

Promote Diversity During Play Time

Ensure that you are giving your little ones baby dolls, action figures, books and other toys that represent many different types of races. When they play with a toy that represents another race, it will help them feel a sense of familiarity when they play with a child that looks different from them.

 

Serve Ethnic Foods

Cuisine is a huge component of cultural expression. Introduce your tot to different types of foods such as Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Italian, and Greek. For an added element of fun, play music that corresponds with the food your family is eating and talk about the different traditions that symbolize that culture. For example when serving spaghetti, play Italian music in the background while your family is eating. Then open a discussion between your family members about how food plays a large role in Italian family life.

 

Holidays and Festivals

A really fun way to promote diversity is to celebrate cultural specific holidays and attend ethnic festivals. From Cinco de Mayo to a German festival, your child will have fun and develop an understanding and familiarity with differences as the same time.

 

Diversity in Early Childhood Education

 

As parents, caregivers, and educators it is important to teach our child about differences in a positive and encouraging way that can follow them into adolescence and adulthood. Little Lukes Educational Childcare is an Inclusive Preschool, meaning all children are included in the classroom, including children with special needs. The core mission of Little Lukes embraces diversity in every way and intends to pass this lesson to every child that attends. We believe the first step to positive change is with our children.

 

For more information on Little Lukes Inclusive Preschool model, view our Inclusion Preschool page.

 

Inclusive Preschool in Oswego and Onondaga County

 

Little Lukes is a leading Syracuse and Oswego County daycare provider with five inclusion preschool locations. The early education program includes credentialed and caring staff that specializes in comprehensive infant, toddler and pre-kindergarten development. Additional services include pediatric speech therapy, pediatric physical therapy and pediatric occupational therapy. Preschool locations include Dewitt (East Syracuse), Baldwinsville (Radisson), Oswego, Fulton, and Pulaski.

 

For information about Little Lukes, please contact us at www.littlelukes.com/contact.html