How Inclusive Materials Affect Development

Because our students are so young, they’re primarily using images from toys, books, and media to learn about different types of people and communities.

These choices not only have a huge impact on how children see others, but also how they understand themselves. Children as young as 3-6 months have been shown to notice race, and additionally, notice when someone’s race is different from their own.

It's important for children to learn that all kinds of people can be kind, smart, brave, and talented. 

Unfortunately, our world is filled with negative stereotypes about Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) that children are absorbing. We may be able to distinguish between something stereotypical and something authentic, but our children absorb all examples with equal importance when building their view of the world. Especially for children who cannot use words yet, their toys and books help us to communicate important values of antiracism, respect, and kindness. 

We want all children to have experiences that help them build a positive racial identity. 

When a child has a positive racial identity, it means that they understand unique characteristics of themselves and others, and then celebrate those differences with kindness and empathy. Usually, when race is explained to children, we tell them it doesn’t matter “if people are white, black, green, or purple: we should treat everyone the same.” But we don’t have purple people in real life - and if we did, they would probably have an interesting history and culture!

There are real, meaningful differences that affect our experiences. which means we are not all treated fairly. When our children notice this happening, we can help them interpret what's going on by acknowledging those differences. Incorporating all kinds of identities into their toys, books, and media can give children examples for celebrating their own identity, speaking up for others, and treating everyone fairly. 

Thinking about adding some new reads to your child’s bookshelf?