| How diversity in daycare settings can create | | | | samples of fabric so that children can create and |
| unique child care experiences. | | | | wear their own ethnic creations. Encourage |
| Daycare facilities that care for children in large | | | | children to make unique crafts that celebrate |
| groups can show great diversity among individual | | | | cultural traditions around the world such as cards |
| children. Children may be biracial, multiracial, | | | | depicting the Indian festival of lights, and the |
| bilingual, adopted or have special needs. Daycare | | | | Chinese new year. |
| providers in quality childcare settings work with | | | | Read books that show children of different ethnic |
| these differences on a daily basis. They carefully | | | | backgrounds performing tasks such as bathing in |
| try to integrate the group to create an | | | | rivers and under standpipes and discuss these |
| environment in which each child's uniqueness is | | | | different approaches to bath time. If there is a |
| celebrated. | | | | child with special needs, read books that show |
| Even the most qualified and loving daycare | | | | other challenged children performing a variety of |
| providers may experience challenges when | | | | tasks. Ask the children to point out differences in |
| integrating a diverse group. An even greater | | | | the way the task is performed. Have the children |
| challenge arises when daycare providers who | | | | observe each other's eye, skin, and hair colors |
| have not been raised in a diverse or culturally | | | | and emphasize that everyone is special and |
| enriched environment attempt to pull things | | | | unique, and that those differences are to be |
| together with little firsthand experience. | | | | celebrated. |
| Approaching the issue of diversity may not be | | | | Encourage integration in the classroom by |
| easy for everyone but activities that promote | | | | developing a strong parent-provider relationship. |
| inclusion and self-awareness have shown to work | | | | Many parents with diverse backgrounds can help |
| in diverse settings. | | | | educate daycare providers about their child's own |
| Expose children to the idea of diversity by | | | | cultural traditions and ethnic foods. Establishing |
| introducing new activities that they would not | | | | great parental rapport can help daycare providers |
| typically do at home. For instance give children an | | | | create unique preschool themes and curriculum |
| opportunity to taste and prepare different foods | | | | ideas that enrich daycare experiences for all |
| such as Indian roti, Chinese noodles and Spanish | | | | children. |
| arepas. In the dramatic play area have several | | | | |