Teaching young children about various cultures helps them grow into kind and open-minded people.
Play helps children see that everyone is unique and important. The following play based cultural diversity activities for preschoolers are fun and easy to do at home or in a classroom. They offer fun ways to help your child understand and accept others.
Cultural Diversity Activities
1. Paper Plate Faces
This is one of the best diversity activities for preschoolers as it helps them celebrate differences in skin colour, hair and facial features in a hands-on way.
What you need
- Paper plates
- Crayons or markers
- Use things like yarn, buttons, fabric pieces, glue, and scissors.
What to do
- Give your child a paper plate to make a face.
- Let them use yarn for hair, buttons for eyes, and fabric for clothes.
- Ask them to make faces that look like themselves and others.
2. Dress-Up Play From Around the World
Playing dress-up helps children understand and respect other cultures. It improves imagination and caring.
What you need:
- clothes or items from different cultures (like scarves, hats, or robes)
- a mirror and a space to play
What to do:
- Create a space with clothes from different cultures for dress-up fun.
- Let your child try on different outfits and pretend to be someone from another country.
- Talk about where the clothes come from and when people wear them.
3. World Map Exploration
Visualising the world helps children understand geography and cultural diversity. Here is a fun activity where you can make your own world map to explore with kids.
What you need:
- Make your own world map
- pins or stickers
What to do:
- Show children different countries / continents on the map.
- Place pins or stickers on countries you’ve discussed or have connections to.
- Talk about the people, languages, and customs of each place.
4. Friendship Chain
This craft shows how everyone is connected, even if they are different. It helps build a sense of community and belonging.
What you need:
- coloured paper strips
- crayons or markers
- glue or tape
What to do:
- Show your child how to decorate each paper strip with drawings or words about themselves.
- Link the strips together to form a chain.
- Add more links to represent friends and family.
5. Art & Crafts From Around the world
Creating art from different cultures helps children understand global traditions. It also helps them to show their ideas and feelings.
What you need:
- Art supplies (paper, paint, glue, scissors)
- Pictures or examples of art from different cultures
What to do:
- Explore world traditions using simple crafts.
- Let them create their own versions using available materials.
- Discuss the origins and meanings of each art form.
6. Language Fun
Learning new words develops interest in other cultures and improves communication skills.
What you need:
- List of simple words or phrases in different languages
- Audio recordings or videos (optional)
What to do:
- Teach children how to say “hello,” “thank you,” or “goodbye” in various languages.
- Say the words together and use them during the day.
- Talk about where each language is spoken.
7. Cooking Simple Dishes Together
Cooking introduces children to global cuisines and traditions. It’s a tasty way to explore diversity.
What you need:
- Simple recipes from different countries
- Ingredients and cooking tools
What to do:
- Pick a recipe and prepare the meal together.
- Chat about the country the food comes from.
- Enjoy tasting new flavours.
8. Story Time With Multicultural Books
Books open windows to the world. They teach children to value and respect differences.
What you need:
- Find books with characters from different backgrounds and cultures.
- A cosy reading spot
What to do:
- Read stories that describe different ways of life.
- Discuss the characters and settings.
- Ask your child what they learned from the story.
Wrapping Up
Celebrating differences can be part of everyday play and learning. With these diversity activities for preschoolers, you’re planting seeds of kindness, understanding, and respect that will grow with them for life.
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