Many parents are looking to engage their families in activities that show support for the Black community in the. However, due to COVID-19, many families are looking for ways to have conversations with our kids and participate in activities from home. Here are 6 ways to safely engage families, including children of all ages.
The Hang Your Heart Project
Hang a Green Heart in your window to establish your home as a safe place for a person of color in your neighborhood. The website says, “If they are fearful because they are being harassed, if someone is trying to cause them harm verbally or physically, they can look to your home as a safe place. They know they can come to you to provide temporary shelter.”
Tag #TheHangYourHeartProject on Instagram so they can share your project with the world.
Read, Read, Read
Reading together is an activity many families love. Choose books that will help with your conversation.
Brightly has a list of books divided up by age. You can find that, here.
KidLit Rally 4 Black Lives: Anti-Racist Resources for Children, Families, and Educators
Listen
NPR Podcast: Talking Race With Young Children
Podcast: Fare of the Free Child
A Kindergarten Teacher Explains Racism to Young Kids: “You Have the Voice”
Watch
Here are a few movies about race relations that may be appropriate for children:
Motown Magic (young audience)
‘Akeelah & the Bee’ (young audience)
A Ballerina’s Tale (age 9+)
Remember the Titans (ages 10+)
Shows: Blackish and Mixed-ish
Harriet (ages 12+)
Go Virtual
Saturday, June 6, 10 a.m.
Coming Together: Standing Up to Racism. A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Families
CNN, streaming live on CNN.com’s homepage and across mobile devices via CNN’s apps, without requiring a cable log-in. You can also watch on CNNgo, and subscribers to cable/satellite systems can watch it on-demand.
Talk
Mahatma Gandhi’s quote is famous: “Be the change you wish to see.” We can all do that through conversation. Let’s talk to each other. Listen and contribute. #blacklivesmatter