Recent events have made it clear that we have more work to do to end racism. We know that racism is rooted in fear of the unknown and education and understanding are what we need to build up in order to knock down the walls of intolerance. As parents, we can do our part by teaching our children inclusiveness, to celebrate our diverse cultures and to embrace how we are different as well as recognize the things we have in common.
UNICEF has put out a call to talk to your kids about racism. One of their key recommendations is to celebrate diversity: “Try to find ways to introduce your child to diverse cultures and people from different races and ethnicities. Such positive interactions with other racial and social groups early on helps decrease prejudice and encourages more cross-group friendships. You can also bring the outside world into your home. Explore food from other cultures, read their stories, and watch their films.”
Wondering how you can help teach your kids about tolerance? These innovative companies have made it easy by putting together subscription boxes that will allow your children to explore the world through educational materials and fun activities delivered right to your doorstep.
1. eat2explore: “I grew up cooking with my family in Malaysia,” said Rowena Scherer Founder & President, Chef, eat2explore. “Hands-on cooking and culture exploration is more important than ever in today’s world, and I’m hoping through cooking, kids can foster a love for food and cultures around the world.”
Eat2explore delivers the food of different countries (17 countries/regions like Italy, Mexico, Greece, etc.) straight to your kitchen table, exposing your aspiring chef (and you!) to different foods from around the world like arroz con pollo or beef shawarma. Kids will gain an understanding and an appreciation of different cuisines and cultures—all while providing the tools for families to cook and eat together. Once kids are finished exploring a country, they’ll love that they can track their “travels” with a sticker on their eat2explore passport and collect country flag pins. The boxes can be purchased one box at a time, or through a monthly subscription. The best part? The boxes do not include perishable products, so you can cook the meal when you have time.
2. GIRLS CAN! CRATE. “We created GIRLS CAN! CRATE to show girls how amazing they are, and we think introducing them to role models is an important part of that mission,” said Alison Shores, Operations Ace, Inspiration Curator, Co-Founder, GIRLS CAN! CRATE. “In choosing the people we feature, diversity is key, because we want all of the girls to be able to see themselves in the women we highlight. Our goal is to inspire girls to BE and DO anything by introducing them to fearless women who came before them and made the world better. It’s important for them to know…now it’s their turn.”
Inspire and empower girls (ages 5-10), with this monthly subscription box that introduces them to fearless women of history who made the world better. Each month, a new kit celebrates the life of a strong, diverse female role model such as Bessie Coleman, Marie Curie, Madame CJ Walker, Althea Gibson, Clara Barton, Mother Theresa, Ida B. Wells, Susan La Flesche Picotte and more. Crates include the GIRLS CAN! 20-page activity book with an original story celebrating a featured woman and other fun activities, 2-3 hands-on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) activities with necessary supplies, a play prop, a collectible button, and more.
With every box purchased, GIRLS CAN! CRATE donates crates to families in need and nonprofit organizations working to empower girls. GIRLS CAN! CRATE is proud to be an all-women owned company—talk about girl power!
3. Little Global Citizens. “I have traveled the world with my husband, and now that we have two young boys it is important for us to instill a love for travel, adventure, and most importantly, a respect for all people,” said Akeelah Kuraishi CEO and Co-Founder, Little Global Citizens.
This kit helps children foster a genuine respect for others, and help them feel connected to people whose lifestyle, culture, language, food or family structure may be different from their own. Little Global Citizens is a subscription service (send one time, every two months or every other month for a year) that sends an expertly designed, education-based box to kids (aged 4 to 10) to bring a new country and its culture to life. Each box is filled with items from that country including authentic guides, crafts, screen-free activities (games and puzzles), language skills, recipes, a storybook, and more. Countries are picked to highlight various cultural events relevant to that country. Past boxes included China, India, Kenya, and Jamaica.
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