Teaching diversity and acceptance to little learners is essential for building a safe, inclusive, and compassionate school community. When children learn to celebrate differences, embrace what makes them unique, and treat others with respect, they build stronger friendships and create a more welcoming world. Not to mention, they set the foundation for a lifetime of empathy and kindness!
Let’s dive right into why teaching diversity and acceptance matters, 6 ideas for how to tackle it in your counseling practice, and the books and activities that make it stick!
Why Teaching Diversity and Acceptance Matters at School
The U.S. population is more diverse than ever before. Did you know that 2014 was the first year in which minority students outnumbered White students in U.S. public schools (U.S Department of Education)?
As of fall of 2022, the racial and ethnic composition of the 49.6 million public school students looks like this:
- White: 22.1 million students (44.6%)
- Hispanic: 14.4 million students (29.0%)
- Black: 7.4 million students (14.9%)
- Asian: 2.7 million students (5.4%)
- Two or more races: 2.5 million students (5.0%)
- American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.4 million students (0.8%)
- Pacific Islander: 0.2 million students (0.4%)
With these statistics in mind, teaching diversity, acceptance, and tolerance is more important now than ever before!
When children understand and respect different cultures, abilities, and perspectives, they become more open-minded and kind.
Kids are so impressionable. They need help figuring out how to navigate differences and understand people who are different from them. Without guidance from trusted adults, they may make assumptions or feel uncomfortable around others. Teaching diversity and acceptance gives children the tools they need to build connections instead of walls— and don’t we all want more of that?
Introducing Diversity & Tolerance to Your Students
To introduce diversity and tolerance to your students, try this guided imagery exercise:
Close your eyes and imagine a world where everyone looks the same. Picture it. Every person you meet has the same hair, the same eyes, and the same face as you. Every voice you hear sounds just like yours. Everywhere you go, you see people who are exactly like you. At first, this might seem fun. Everyone would like the same foods as you, play the same games, and watch the same shows. But imagine if you wanted to play something different. How would anyone else know how to try something new if they only thought the same way as you? Now, imagine your classroom. Everyone thinks the same, so no one has new ideas. You all color with the same colors, tell the same stories, and write the same answers.
Now picture a world where everyone looks, sounds, and thinks differently. Everyone brings their unique ideas, talents, and perspectives. Some people might think of things you’d never thought of before. Some might like different games, foods, or stories, and they can teach you about them.
Then, ask students to open their eyes, and generate a discussion with them. Ask students:
- What did you think of the “same” world?
- What did you think of the “different” world?
- How did each world make you feel?
- Which world would you most like to live in and why?
This exercise does a fabulous job of introducing this topic in a sensitive and thoughtful way, while giving kids the opportunity to reflect and relate it to their own lives. It makes diversity issues instantly “come to life” in a sense!
6 Great Ways to Teach Diversity and Acceptance
Once you’ve introduced diversity and acceptance to your students, try any of these hands-on and engaging activities to make a lasting impact.
1. Play the Friendship Web Game
Grab a ball of yarn and sit in a circle with your students. Give one student the ball of yarn and ask him/her to share something that makes them unique. After they share, ask them to (gently) throw the ball of yarn to a classmate (ideally sitting somewhat far away from them). Continue until everyone has had a turn.
By the end, students will have learned about many different ways in which their classmates are unique. They’ll also notice that the ball of yarn has formed a giant, messy web. This represents how, despite our differences, we are all connected to each other. And, how without each person holding their end of the string, the web falls apart. This shows how we all matter and add value to our world, school, and classroom. And the truth is, we’re actually more similar than we are different from each other!
2. Make Diversity Collages
Ask students to bring in pictures and small objects that represent their culture, family, and interests. Give them a large piece of construction paper and ask them to glue on the pieces to form a “Diversity Collage.”
This is a great visual representation of the beauty of diversity, and makes for an eye-catching hallway display!
3. Use Diversity and Acceptance Lessons
Try these done-for-you lessons to take the guesswork and planning out of your diversity programming.
Pieces of Me: Diversity Lesson
This lesson let’s students explore the 8 pieces of their identities while appreciating the different “pieces” of their peers’, too.
The 8 puzzle pieces of identity include:
- Family
- Culture
- Traditions
- Language
- Skin color
- Abilities
- Beliefs
- Talents
Students love decorating their puzzles! Not only do they get the chance to reflect on their own identities, but they can share it with others, and learn more about their classmates’ backgrounds, too.
All Are Welcome: Diversity Lesson
This sweet and memorable lesson includes a story about a family who invites all different guests to their dinner table. The family’s mantra that is repeated throughout the story is: “all are welcome.” In the story, they invite friends from different races, cultures, ability statuses, languages, and beliefs. As each “different” guest joins their meal, kids learn that differences are what make the world such a beautiful and special place to be.
My favorite part of this lesson is the interactive activity that let’s students design their own dinner table and “invite” different friends to join them. Kiddos love playing with the paper characters and discussing what makes each one unique!
4. Play Cultural Show and Tell
Everyone loves a good game of Show and Tell! This version adds a cultural twist and invites students to bring in an item that represents their family’s culture. It can be food, clothing, music, a special trinket, or just a story.
This is a great way to share and take pride in our family background, while also learning more about different cultures and ethnicities in our classroom.
5. Host an International Fair
Host an International Fair to celebrate the rich diversity within your school community.
Encourage students and their families to bring in traditional foods, clothing, and items from their cultures to share with their classmates. This give students the chance to explore new flavors, learn about unique traditions, and see how every culture contributes to the beautiful tapestry of the world. Kids also learn to take pride in their heritage, while fostering curiosity, respect, and appreciation for others’ backgrounds.
6. Use Story Books That Teach Diversity
Story books are a game-changer for teaching diversity! They make big, complex ideas simple and relatable for kiddos.
Here are 6 that I’ve used and loved:
- “The Big Umbrella” by Amy June Bates
- “Acceptance is My Superpower” by Alicia Ortego
- “Except When They Don’t” by Laura Gehl
- “I Am Enough” by Grace Byers
- “I Am Jazz” by Jessica Herthel
- “And Tango Makes Three” by Justin Richardson
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And here is a mini review of each one!
6. “The Big Umbrella” by Amy June Bates
This simple, sweet story teaches students about inclusion. It is about an umbrella large enough to shelter everyone, no matter who they are.
7. “Acceptance is My Superpower” by Alicia Ortego
This book shows kids how choosing to be kind and accepting makes them strong like a superhero. It’s full of rhymes and relatable characters so kids will totally get into it!
8. “Except When They Don’t” by Laura Gehl
This one is about breaking stereotypes, especially those about gender. Kids learn that they can play with any type of toys they want and embrace exactly who they are! It’s a fun book that helps kids learn about self-acceptance.
9. “I Am Enough” by Grace Byers
This poetic book highlights an African American little girl who learns to embrace her natural hair, while realizing she was made with a purpose. It’s a great choice to teach students about self-worth and respecting others.
10. “I Am Jazz” by Jessica Herthel
This book is Jazz’s real-life story of being a transgender girl. It helps kids understand gender identity in a way that’s open, approachable, and accepting.
11. “And Tango Makes Three” by Justin Richardson
This story is about two male penguins raising a baby chick. It’s a perfect choice when talking about different kids of families!
Teaching diversity is about helping students see and appreciate the beauty in themselves and others. I hope that this post offered practical tools, tips, and resources to help you instill these critical values in your students!
