My son came home from a friend’s house raving about the food. I was sure he was going to tell me about some snack cake or a new kind of chips that I don’t usually buy. I was ready to roll my eyes as he begged for this new expensive treat. The snack list seemed endless, what’s one more? I wasn’t ready for what he said.
“Empañadas!” he declared proudly as he did his best to pronounce the new word.
I wasn’t ready for that. I wasn’t even sure I knew exactly what empañadas were. I did minor in Spanish and I knew they were connected, but I didn’t know exactly what they were. A quick text to his friend’s mom cleared it up. And I had what she promised was an easy recipe.
A snack at a friend’s house opened the door to a new culture, and my son was excited about it.
Why It’s Important to Teach Kids About Other Cultures
Teaching kids about cultures around the world is a great way to broaden their perspective and help them understand the diverse world in which we live. It’s easy to think that everywhere is just like where we are, full of people who look like us, sound like us, eat like us, and live like us. But if that is all kids ever know, they are missing out on the big, beautiful world around them.
The Benefits of Teaching Kids About Other Cultures
Learning about other cultures not only expands a child’s knowledge base. It also fosters important skills that will help them live a fuller life. Understanding other cultures help children develop empathy and respect. It helps them learn to look at things from multiple perspectives, improves critical thinking, and reduces bullying.
When children understand different traditions, races, religions, and ethnicities, it helps them develop a sense of self as well as celebrate people who are different from them. This leads to a life-long reduction in prejudice and discriminatory thoughts or behaviors.
Tips for Teaching Kids About Other Cultures
Start with the food. Much like my son’s enthusiasm, food that is different or new can help kids get excited about different cultures. Even if your child is a picky eater, you can find fun ways to introduce them to foods they may be willing to try. Candy, treats, and fruit are usually great starting places.
Another great way to do this as a family is to try a new recipe. Cooking something new together can be an experience. Choosing the recipe, going to the store for special ingredients, cooking, and eating together are part of the learning.
Watch a movie. Many kids love watching movies, and there are an increasing number of movies that help kids discover new cultures. A good starting place are hit animated films such as Encanto, Aladdin, Mulan, Moana, and Coco. Then you can move on to find age-appropriate documentaries that help you and your children better understand the culture.
Head to the library. Full of resources, the library is a surefire way to discover new information. If you have trouble finding something, the support of the librarian is invaluable. Check out a stack of books and bring them home to explore. Even if you don’t read them all, give your child the chance to flip through them. The opportunity to look at photos and illustrations from both fiction and nonfiction books offers great learning opportunities.
Celebrate a new holiday. If you discover a holiday from a new culture, try celebrating it as a family. Look up traditions, decorations, food, and activities associated with the holiday. It doesn’t need to be complicated.
Start with some of the more well-known holidays like Cinco de Mayo or Chinese New Year. Then branch out to find new, unique holidays for kids to explore.
Learn a new word (or ten!). Learning a new language is a fun way to explore cultures. Kids often enjoy trying out new words that other people in their circle may not know.
Studies have shown that kids often excel at learning new languages. Additionally, learning a new language helps their listening skills, creativity, memory, and more. There are many ways to start with a new language. Whether it’s an in-person class, an online program, or an audio program, kids can appreciate cultures more as they learn the language.
Listen to music. A simple way to incorporate culture is to expand your child’s music repertoire. Playing music from other cultures, even in the background, can benefit them as they discover new sounds, rhythms, and styles. Try exploring a music app like Spotify or Apple music for ideas.
Go on a trip. What better way to learn about a culture than to see it in action? A family trip to a new culture can help children understand the culture in ways books cannot.
While an international trip is a great way to do this, there are also more economical options. Sometimes all it takes is a road trip to a new place like Amish country, a rural area, or a city. Depending on where you live, you may be able to explore your town, by going to a different area that has a culture-specific population such as Chinatown.
Another possibility is going to an ethnic restaurant, club, or festival. Try eating at a German restaurant or going to the local Jewish festival. These are fun ways to see the traditions and foods of other cultures.
Explore and Discover Together
Whether you are exploring new places in person or from home, you are a big part of getting your children excited about new cultures. Engage in the process with them, learning, trying new things, and even feeling silly because something is unfamiliar. It is in this exploration that you and your children discover the beauty of the great big world we live in.
Rebecca Hastings is a former elementary teacher who traded the classroom for writing when she stayed home with her three children. Passionate about authenticity, faith, and family, you can find her at RebeccaHastings.net and on Amazon. In real life, she can often be found typing words, driving her kids places, or wherever there is chocolate.