Little Feminist Board Books Are Just What You Need to Start Social Awareness Conversations with Toddlers
Age-appropriate books help start the conversation and answer your curious little one's questions
Hadiya Presswood
There's no question about it: kids are observant. From an early age they start to count, sort, and question, which are good skills for them to have. But what do you do when they turn to observing differences in people, and asking questions that may be difficult for you to answer? When they begin to notice things like skin color, different types of bodies, and different abilities, how do you teach them about what they are observing, while honoring that person’s humanity?
Enter the Little Feminist board book collection. These 5 books, entitled Celebrations, Families, How We Eat, On-The-Go, and Hair, depict a range of people and families engaging in activities according to their beliefs, their abilities, and their bodies. The bright photographs help young kids visualize and connect to people they may see day-to-day, and many of the photos feature young children that your little one can relate to. The text has a simple rhyme and sight words that make it easy for your little ones to understand what is happening. In addition, each child is photographed in a way that showcases empowerment, autonomy, and familial love.
For example, in the Celebrations book, there are families celebrating their adoption day, religious holidays, and birthdays. How We Eat shows different ways to breastfeed as well as various utensils and tools used to feed oneself. The On-The-Go book shows children who use wheelchairs, prosthetics, and walkers to aid in mobility. Each book also comes with helpful resources. There are prompts to start conversations about how the topic of the book relates to you and your little one, helps your kids to understand the differences they see, and encourages them to learn more. And for adults, there are resources available online if you need some help fostering informed conversations with your kids.
If you find these books helpful, Little Feminist is a book club and resource hub. It’s an excellent starting place to find more books about diversity and empathy that are created by and feature Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQI+ families, and people with disabilities. These books are a great addition to your personal library or to be gifted.
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