There’s never a better time to learn than childhood, and that goes double for learning about other cultures. Children raised in this way will be more open-minded, will make friends more easily, and will have a richer appreciation of the world around them. It’s never too early to make a start, and you might be surprised by how much fun it can be.
Visit different places
Travel is always exciting, and seeing first-hand what life is like in different parts of the world is a powerful experience for children. If you’re going on holiday, make sure that they go beyond the beaches and meet local people so that they can really connect with the place. If you don’t have the budget to travel much, try visiting different places in your own area. See if there’s an Open Doors Day, when you can explore different religious buildings, and use museum trips to explain how your dominant local culture has changed since times past.
Try different food
Smell and taste are said to be the senses most important to our emotions, and there’s nothing quite like eating delicious food to make you appreciate the value of another culture. Even fussy children can often be tempted by sweets and sticky desserts. If they’re too young to behave in restaurants, let them try takeaway food or see what you can find in your local ethnic minority supermarkets. If you’re not sure how to cook these things, you’ll find plenty of recipes online.
Read different books
Unlike books for adults, children’s books are designed first and foremost to be accessible and fun. If you have a book with appealing pictures and just a few, simple words on each page, it doesn’t really matter what language it’s in – children can work out what’s going on and pick up the words. It’s easy to pick up books like this through online retailers, and they can give your kids a head start in language acquisition.
Get involved with charity
Teaching children about the work of different charities operating all around the world helps them to understand the importance of helping those in need and also gives them a better appreciation of how different people live. You can look up charities such as the Penny Appeal on JustGiving and learn about the projects that they work on. Often, charities have volunteering and fundraising activities that are suitable for children to get involved in, teaching them new skills and getting them into good habits for life.
Discover different art
Children are very visual creatures, and diverse pieces of art can make a big impression. You can explore art like this in a gallery or on your computer, and you can buy prints of pieces that children particularly like. Pictures that tell stories are often a good way to start talking about the myths and legends that are important to other cultures, and they can also be helpful in exploring religious ideas. Sometimes art comes to life – find out if there’s a local Mela or Dragon Dance that you can go to with your kids.
Exploring other cultures together is a great way to bond with your children and increase their ability to bond with others. It can help you raise them to be respectful, cosmopolitan and excited by the richness of the world.
This is a collaborative post