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Discussing Race with Children

勛圖厙 Focused Topics Creating Culturally Responsive Programs Lesson 6 Explore Discussing Race with Children
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Children of all ages are capable of learning about and discussing race and racism. Use the table below to learn more about what infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children understand about race and racism. In the space provided, reflect on how this may be supported in the classroom setting.

Infants

  • Demonstrate preference to faces of people from their own race.
 

Expose children to pictures with a variety of skin tones.

Toddlers

  • Use facial cues and body language to make sense of the world.
  • Imitate attitudes and behaviors of familiar adults.
  • Begins to use race to choose playmates.
 

Share books, images, music, and dolls that celebrate cultural differences.

Preschoolers

  • Observant of how others are similar or different from them.
  • Compare groups.
  • Demonstrate preference to own racial group.
 

Make positive connections often and verbalize them in front of children.

School-agers

  • Begins to recognize race as a taboo topic.
  • Includes or excludes peers based on race.
  • Has questions about race and other differences.
  • Becomes aware of cultural stereotypes.
 

Initiate conversations around differences. Ask open-ended questions that are free of judgment.

Adapted from Baxley, T. (n.d.). Never too young: Ages and stages of racial understanding. Sesame Street in Communities.