Diversify your toy box

Becoming a mother made me reflect onmy own childhood and how I was raised to view diversity. I grew up in South Georgia at a time when dolls of my complexion were not easy to find. So I played with mostly white dolls. The features I observed in Ken and Barbie were exactly what I saw around me: the familiar aspect of white people. My doctor was white. My teachers were mostly white. Police officers and bank tellers all had skin that did not look like my own.

My friends’ toy chests overflowed with white ballerina Barbies and blond, pigtailed Cabbage Patch Kids. Their book shelves were filled with stories about happy white children who spent their days gallivanting with big red dogs. As a Black child in the 1990s, I knew my skin color was different, and I often wondered why I didn’t see more people who looked likeme inmy cartoon shows or books or reflected in my dolls.

Imagine how children’s views of themselves and others could change by having dolls of diverse race sand ethnicities, not just white Barbie sand G. I. Joes.

“Diversity through play is achieved by having a variety of toys, music, clothes, books, food and art that highlight and celebrate similarities, as well as differences ,” said Ann-Louise Lockhart, Psy.D.,a pediatric psychologist and parent coach.

With more kids learning from home this school year, away from other children, and more awareness of systemic racism and injustice in the U.S., parents are becoming more conscious of how important teaching diversity is. Here are some other ways to diversify play in your child’s life.

Dolls and action figures

By collecting dolls across the color spectrum, we help children create a self concept that acknowledges their differences and helps them see others are unique, too. Self concepts, Lockhart explained, are the statements we make about ourselves, which also include “the images and ideas we have in our mind about ourselves.”

“When children see themselves represented in their toys, books, movies, music, food and artwork, it shapes their self concept,” Lockhart said.

Games, imaginative play

Reflecting on my childhood, I can see howmy imaginative play perpetuated a racial bias. In fantasy games, like playing “teacher” or “doctor,” I remember my white friends always holding a position of power; they were the teacher or the doctor. The Black students, myself included, played the role of the student or patient. As a parent now, I have had conversations with my daughter about this. I encourage her to be the leader in her imaginative play with friends.

Lockhart said through play, children can experiment with their views of the world, then dismantle that world, build new worlds and try them out again.

Even though children are limited in playing with others because of the pandemic, there are still ways to use games, puzzles and imaginative to promote diversity. One study suggested reading books that focus on diversity, equality and social justice and then acting out scenes, discussing with parents how kids would respond to certain situations. This allows child rento put themselves in someone else’s shoes and practice empathy as well.

Role- playing can help create safe spaces of child- led conversations where your children feel comfortable to ask questions and explore topics about race and culture.

Dance and music

Dance is another way to introduce diversity into home- based playtime and learning. Caregivers can show videos of dancers, like Misty Copeland and Michaela DePrince. Or play music from different parts of theworld. Have fun with this: Spin a globe, pick a location and look up children’s music for that particular region. If you can, carveout20minutes of dance each day with your children and discuss what you like about the music you are dancing to.