Talking About Race with Young Children

NPR offers a 20 minute radio story for parents and caregivers, “Even babies notice differences like skin color, eye shape and hair texture. Here’s how to handle conversations about race, racism, diversity and inclusion, even with very young children.” Link to NPR Radio Story

The Child Mind Institute offers advice to parents on talking to children about race and violence in America. Link to Child Mind Institute.

Raising Luminaries provides specific advice for caregivers in “Anti-Racism 101: Starting to Talk About Race”.  Link to Raising Luminaries.

Raising Race Conscious Children provides a list of “100 things you can say to your child to advance racial justice”.  Link to list.

Sesame Street and CNN host a town hall addressing race with young children.  Link to town hall.

Anti-Racism Children’s Media

Fabienne Doucet’s #KidLit Resources Collection. Fabienne Doucet is an Associate Professor of Early Childhood and Urban Education at NYU.  The resources list is geared at engaging children in complex conversations and provides a “non-exhaustive list of children’s books covering various social issues around equity and social justice.” Link to #KidLit

HealthLine Parenthood suggests a list of anti-racism books and other media for parents and children as young as infants.  Link to HealthLine List.

Raising Luminaries provides a list of children’s books written by Black women and nonbinary authors.  Link to book list.

The Conscious Kid has a curated book list: “Black Books Matter: Children’s Books Celebrating Black Boys”. Link to book list.

A Kids Book About Racism is a book that has “a clear description of what racism is, how it makes people feel when they experience it, and how to spot it when it happens.” Link to book website.

Image Credits: From top Sheila Hamanaka, Scholastic Books, Jelani Memory, A Kids Book About Press.