"I live in a town that completely lacks diversity, how can I teach my child to be inclusive?"

I've gotten this question a lot over the past few weeks and it's a great question. Although with online experiences, it is possible to introduce your child to other people and cultures, I would also like to take this moment to remind you of the magic of play and children's imaginations.

Children learn most through a lense of joy. This makes playtime crucial. Give them the tools, and they are all set and ready to create all sorts of worlds and fantasies. But, proper tools are key. The thing is, it's difficult for children to imagine what they have never seen. This is what makes diverse picture books that highlight different races through a lense of joy important. But, toys are just as important. In the same manner in which, toys often depict certain genders as being capable or incapable of different skills, through toys (or lack their of), children are often introduced to different races of people. 

One black doll isn't enough, just like it isn't enough to simply have one black person in the office. If your child has a community of dolls, how many of their "community members" are black? 

Remember that toys and their playtime experiences help to shape their world view. 

In this article, I have compiled some of my favorite inclusive toys. I hope you enjoy them!