Why Teach Black History for Preschool Children?
What a year 2020 has been. We’ve had all sorts going on but one of the positives that’s come out of everything is that more people have realised we need to teach Black History for Preschool children as much as other age groups. If we are to change to world we live in and make it a place where all races can live in harmony, we need to start with the next generation. And it’s never too early to start. In the early years all we need to do is make our children aware that world is a diverse place full of people from different creeds and cultures. This will normalise the presence of people from different backgrounds and countries. Then hopefully as they grow older our children will be more accepting of people that have a different heritage to them.
Black History Month 2020 on CBeebies
During Black History Month 2020 I was lucky enough to take part in delivering some amazing content demonstrating Black History for preschool children and toddlers. This included links about my Black History Heroes, links with my daughter about our family and a story about positivity and inclusion.
Please use the videos on this page as inspiration to continue your own exploration and learning about black history. There is so much out there.
Black History Heros
These first 3 videos talk about some of my Black History Heroes, but there are so many more to discover. Do let me know any of your Black History Heroes in the comments section below. I’d love to hear who they are. Plus they might inspire others to research and find out who they are.
Nelson Mandela & Oprah Winfrey
Nelson Mandela and Oprah Winfrey are 2 great examples of black people that our children should be aware of. Nelson Mandela was the first black president of South Africa a country with a tumultuous history of oppression towards black people. And Oprah Winfrey’s life tells the story of how a black woman can rise to the top and sit at the table on a world stage.
Muhammed Ali & Barack Obama
Muhammed Ali and Barack Obama are 2 more examples of black people our children should know about. Ali was one of the greatest sportsmen to have ever lived. But he went further than this and used his fame to raise awareness of the struggle of black people and how it was wrong. Obama became the first black President of the USA. An against all odds feat that in itself is incredible, and demonstrates that anything is possible.
Other ways to approach the subject
Talking about our own families and friends and demonstrating how they are connected to diverse cultures is another great way to start the conversation. And even if there is no immediate connection we can talk about things we like that originate in different countries. That can ben anything from the music we listen to clothes and food.
Here are some more examples from Black History Month on CBeebies.
Sisi’s Black History Hero
After hearing about my Black History heroes Sisi wanted to tell me about one she’d learnt about in school that inspired her. Rosa Parks was a civil rights activist who helped change things for black people. But I’ll let Sisi explain the rest.
Nanny’s Cooking
Here is a simple example of me talking with my daughter about her nanny’s cooking and one of our favourite dishes. It may not seem obvious at first but little conversations like this help to acclimatise our children to diverse cultures and backgrounds.
I hope this blog has helped you see why teaching Black History for Preschool children and Toddlers is so important and that it’s given you some ideas on how to go about it. For more ideas and info on educating our kids and ourselves on these essential topics please check out my ‘How to Talk to Children about #Blacklivesmatter’ post on the Dadvengers website.
