Teaching Children About Their Heritage

When you serve up turkey dinner on Thanksgiving and your youngsters rip into their presents on Christmas morning, it isn't just holiday fun; these are lessons in your child's family culture. However, if you'd like to dig a little deeper and share your heritage with your child, turn to elder family members, cultural events and even bedtime stories.

  1. One on One

    • If your youngster̵7;s grandparents or great aunts and uncles are originally from another country, they can offer a wealth of information about the family heritage. Encourage your child to interview Great Grandma the next time she comes to visit, inquiring about her childhood, traditions, customs, and holiday celebrations, along with what food she ate and what games she played. If your relative still resides overseas, your child can conduct the interview over the phone or send a letter -- you can always help a young child pen the questions.

    Time to Celebrate

    • Introduce your child to the festivities and celebrations of your culture̵7;s heritage. You can talk about the history behind each of the special events as you make decorations, bake traditional foods and dress up in the clothing from your heritage. A multitude of cities throughout the United States celebrate a variety of cultural events, from Cinco de Mayo to the Chinese New Year. Here, your kiddo can see traditional dances, performances and native costumes; hear music from your culture; and sample foods and sweets. Look for cultural exhibits at museums and art galleries to share with your child too.

    Read All About It

    • Take a look at your local library to find age-appropriate story books to introduce your child to his heritage. Incorporate books for older children and adults that contain a variety of photographs and artwork from your ancestors' country, or make puppets to act out customs or traditions. You can order newspapers and magazines for older children to peruse as well. Look for movies and television series that take place there, and talk to your child about the differences regarding landscape, weather, clothing and any other notable variations.

    Bring It Home

    • Immerse your child in his heritage by incorporating traditions, customs and other aspects of your family's culture into your life at home. You can choose one day every week or each month to cook a new meal from your culture, learn a new phrase in your native tongue, or try a few cultural dance steps. Look for ways to infuse the holidays you already celebrate with a little cultural heritage. You can hang or craft traditional ornaments at Christmas time or serve a traditional German dinner of fish on Good Friday or Spain's Easter dish of torrijas -- Spanish French toast. Capture the spirit of Brazil by decorating with Macela flowers, or invoke the Easter processions of Italy with olive branches.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Wean a Child From a Blanket
      That cherished blanket that has provided your child with comfort and security, seemingly from day one, has had an important place in your child’s life. A security object such as a blanket can help a child withstand stress and anxiety in some si
    • 5 Little Ways to Raise an Adventurous Kid
      When it comes to adventure, I almost always play it safe. But when I was 23, I pushed my fear to its limits by going on a hot-air-balloon ride in New Mexico. I was exhilarated after trying something that made me feel so free, but little did
    • How to Help Children Develop Observation Skills
      Helping your child develop his or her skills of observation is about more than just teaching. Its also about interacting with your children and sometimes learning along with them. Although there are many ways to aid your child as he or she begins to