Christmas lights, Hanukkah menorahs, the Kwanzaa Kinara…the holidays are full of symbols that represent a variety of cultures, beliefs, and traditions, making this the most wonderful time of year to help your little ones notice that not everyone celebrates the season the same way they do.

Oftentimes limited experiences and infrequent interactions with backgrounds different from their own lead kids to make assumptions or judge others who do things differently than they’re used to.  You can make the season even brighter by helping your kids realize that our society is a mixture of people- no two the same.  All of these differences bring new ideas, energy, and flavor, enriching the world we live in.

Many kids are way ahead of us when it comes to acknowledging and respecting differences.  Playgrounds, play groups, and classrooms are increasingly diverse, and we as a society have become more aware of tolerating and embracing a variety of cultures, traditions, and beliefs.

Still, as parents, it’s our job to ensure our kids are prepared to live, learn, and work in a diverse world.  Teaching tolerance is important not just because it is the principle our country was founded on, but because the child who learns to be open to differences will have more opportunities in life.

Like all attitudes, tolerance is often taught in subtle ways when we don’t even realize it.  Even before they can speak, our kids watch us closely and imitate what they see.  Modeling tolerance, respect, and acceptance early on can help set your child up to positively embrace differences.  There are a variety of other things you can do at home to help your kids realize that being unique and different is good.

• Encourage your kids to ask questions – Kids are naturally curious about the world around them. Instead of letting them reach their own conclusions or assume things, make sure your kids ask questions when they wonder about things.  Many times a simple question can spark valuable conversation and learning for both you and your little questioners.
• Answer questions – When your kids come to you questioning their own traditions or the values and beliefs of others, take the time to listen.  Spend time learning, researching, and exploring other cultures together. Attend festivals and events around town to expose your family to new celebrations and practices.
• Respect and honesty – Model respect and acceptance for your kids.  Teach your kids to appreciate their own differences and those of others. Be sure the words you use are not offensive and do not convey judgment.  Help your kids realize that every person deserves to be judged as an individual, not grouped in a category that’s based on religious beliefs, skin color, or cultural differences.
• Learn together about other cultures and traditions that are different from your own.  Honor your own family and teach your children to be proud of their traditions.  Discuss how your family traditions began and what they mean to you and your ancestors.
• Make sure your kids have a positive self image and strong self-esteem.  Confidence and self-respect lead to respecting others.  Also, a strong sense of self will help your kids be proud of who they are and where they come from, so they can help share their culture and experiences with others.
• Give your kids opportunities to play and interact with others who are different from them.
• Help your kids understand that images and dialogue they see and hear in the media are often biased and do not represent an entire group of people.

Of course, celebrating differences of others doesn’t mean giving up your own heritage. Your family may have its own long-standing cultural and religious traditions that are something to be proud of.  You can find ways to celebrate differences of others while continuing to honor and pass down your own cultural heritage and traditions.  May this holiday season be a joyous celebration of the diversity around you.

By simply viewing the styles and quotes of famous American pop artists we can conclude that this revolutionary art movement craved the spotlight!  So, it makes sense that the themes of pop art consisted of bright colors, abstraction, and a sense of surrealism( from the 1920’s).  This type of art is one of my favorites, because it is so fun to look at, and completely unfamiliar to any definitive themes of postmodernism.

Teaching children about art from various time periods will give them valuable insight on the evolution of art and a unique perspective on  different time periods.  

Warhol once said, “An artist is somebody who produces things that people don’t need to have.”  But you will certainly want the stunning piece of pop art your child is about to create.  So, here is a fun way to let your kids pop their art, Warhol style!

Learn how to make Warhol inspired Pop Art with your child

What you will need:

• Bright colored paints and black paint. (Preferable pink, green, yellow, bright blue and orange) However, you can change it up, mix and match, and pick your favorite bright colors.
•  Pencil
•  Ruler
•  Paint brushes- medium size
•  Newspaper
•  A large canvas, or poster paper

What to do:

1.  Take your canvas and your ruler and divide your poster board into 4 or 6 equal squares.
2.  Draw the same picture in every square.
   Tip: You want to draw something simple that can be easily duplicated, like basic shapes. If the picture is too detailed, the different colors will not be easily distinguished. You can see here I attempted to draw a simple flower. It may even be easier if you draw the picture for your child and just have them color.
3. Here comes the fun part! Using the variety of bright colors, paint your repeated pictures. Make sure to paint each grid with different colors.
   Tip: Don’t be scared to use unusual color patterns! This art isn’t about realistic figures, but rather the popping colors!
4.  Finally, take your black paint and draw borders around your repeated pictures to distinguish them.

Ta-Da! There you have it. Your very own pop art picture! The best part about this new work of art is that it will be bright and alluringly abstract. It might sound crazy, but the end result will be great to hang up for everyone to see. Warhol often talked of “15 minutes of fame” to refer to celebrities that grabbed the attention of the media.  While your child may not be painting to grab attention from the media, they will certainly be pleased to gain 15 minutes of fame from their family, so display that canvas for everyone to see! Andy Warhol would be so proud!

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With all these fun Fourth of July projects, the little ones will be sure to feel the American pride in their big hearts! Don’t be frightened if your front yard gets mistaken as a government helicopter landing because of the astounding amounts of red, white, and blue plastered all over! In all seriousness, these simple projects are sure to inspire love for our country in the heart of every neighbor and innocent passerby.

Patriotic Pinwheel

A bouquet of pinwheels!

What you will need:

• 8×8 inch piece of white paper
• Long pin
• Unsharpened pencil with eraser
• Pencil
• 1 bead
• Scissors
• Ruler
• Red and blue markers, crayons, or colored pencils

How to create the pinwheel:

1. On one side of the paper, color alternating red and white stripes. Use the ruler to create the stripes. On the opposite side of the paper, draw white stars and color the background blue.
2. Using a pencil and ruler, draw 2 diagonal lines from corner to corner across the paper. The lines should cross in the middle of the paper, and there should be 4 triangles on your paper now.
3. Cut on the penciled lines and stop 2 inches from the middle. (If your child wants to “do the cutting,” make sure to draw horizontal “stop lines” on the corner lines to show him where to stop cutting!)
4. Draw a small X on the right corner of each of the 4 sections and a small X in the middle of the paper. Then, fold the 4 corners with an X towards the middle X. Stick the long pin through all 5 Xs that are now folded into the middle.
5. Slide the bead onto the pin behind the pinwheel and push the pin into the eraser of the unsharpened pencil. The purpose of the bead is to ensure proper spinning!
6. Stick the pinwheel in your lawn and watch the wind make it spin!

Step 1.

Step 2. (Notice the Xs from Step 4.)

Step 4.

Step 5. (Use a bead to enhance spinning.)

The finished product!

Hanging Firecracker

Things you need:

• Quaker Oats cylinder
• Blue poster board
• Red and white construction paper
• Red, white, and blue curling ribbon
• Glue
• Scissors
• Hole puncher

How to create the firecracker:

1. Remove lid of Quaker Oats container and cut out the bottom. (So you can stick your arm through it.)
2. Cut the blue poster board so it matches the size of the oats container. Wrap it around the oats container and glue it on.
3. On the red and white construction paper, draw and cut out different sized stars. Glue them to the blue oats container.
4. Using the hole puncher, punch out 6 evenly spaced holes around the container toward one end.
5. Tie one end of a piece of curling ribbon on the inside of one hole. The ribbon should be about 7 inches long. Do the same for the 6 other holes.
6. Combine the 6 ribbons at the top and tie a ribbon around them. This end should be used to hang the firecracker.
7. With the remaining curling ribbon, make your firecracker tails. Cut pieces of ribbon about 30 inches in length. Curl with scissors.
8. Make 6 groups of 8 curled ribbons each and tie the bundles together. On the inside of the oats container, glue the bundles so they dangle out.
9. Hang outside on your porch or inside of a window.

These crafts are an easy way to remind your child that the flag was one of America’s first symbols of independence, and it will help everyone celebrate the 4th of July!  People will drive by your house saying… For the land of the free and the home of the brave!

• National Flower Day (Iran): June 15 is National Flower Day in Iran. This holiday has recently passed, but it would still be fun to plant some flowers or visit a conservatory!

• June Solstice: June 21 is the longest day of 2009 in the Northern Hemisphere and the official beginning of summer there.  In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the shortest day of the year and the start of winter. This is the perfect opportunity to talk to your child about the Earth’s tilted axis and why we have seasons. A globe beach ball can be a big help with the explanation, and it also works great for a game of volleyball afterward!

• Canada Day (Canada): July 1 marks the anniversary of the Constitution Act of 1867, which united the British colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the Province of Canada into a federation of provinces. Celebrate by playing some street hockey, having a picnic and checking out Canadian trivia. Did you know the baseball glove was invented in Canada?

• Melon Day (Turkmenistan): On the second Sunday in August, citizens of Turkmenistan celebrate the country’s muskmelon crops, particularly a new Turkmen crossbreed known as the “Turkmenbashi melon.” On August 9, celebrate by sharing some delicious muskmelon, like honeydew or cantaloupe.

• Tanabata, or Star Festival (Japan): On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the Japanese celebrate the meeting of Orihime and Hikoboshi. According to legend, these two star-crossed lovers live in the sky on opposite sides of the Amanogawa River, or Milky Way. They are allowed to meet each other once a year. In modern-day Japan, people celebrate this holiday by writing wishes on small slips of paper called tanzaku and hanging them on bamboo. The seventh day of the seventh lunar month this year is August 26, 2009, although other Tanabata celebrations will also occur on July 7 and August 7.

• Admission Day (Hawaii): OK, so Hawaii isn’t another country…but it is almost half an ocean away from the rest of the U.S.! On the third Friday in August (August 21, this year), Hawaiians celebrate the day Hawaii became the 50^th state in the United States. Celebrate by hosting a luau, making leis, or listening to some ukulele music. You can also talk about the 50 stars on the American flag and what they represent.

• Book Week (Australia): August 22-28, 2009, is the 64^th annual Children’s Book Week in Australia. Schools and libraries in the country take time during this week to celebrate reading and Australian books and authors. This year’s theme is Book Safari. Take some extra time this week to read to or with your child. You can find more information about Children’s Book week here.

The next couple of holidays fall after Labor Day, but that’s no reason to stop celebrating!

• Respect for the Aged Day (Japan): On the third Monday in September (September 21, 2009), people in Japan honor senior citizens for their wisdom and experience. You and your child can take this opportunity to visit or call grandparents or other older relatives or friends.

• Heritage Day (South Africa): September 24 is a public holiday during which South Africans celebrate their cultural heritage and the diversity of the cultures, beliefs and traditions in their country. You and your child can celebrate by talking about the cultural diversity in your own country or by making a family tree to learn about your heritage.

Of course, this is just the beginning. There are many more summer celebrations from all over the world to explore. Happy holidays!

As the month of May comes to a close, your little ones have probably already begun their countdown to the much anticipated summer vacation. As much as your studious pupils deserve some fun and relaxation, it’s important that their brains don’t take a break all summer long. Research shows kids in grades kindergarten through sixth lose between one and three months of learning, or about 45% of what they learned during the school year, throughout those long summer days. This summer slip in learning happens when kids don’t get a chance to engage in educational activities during their vacation. Prevent a brain drain this summer and keep your kids’ minds in gear all summer long with these fun and simple brain boosting activities for kids of all ages!

Math

Since kids lose more math skills than anything else over the summer, try to incorporate some math-related activities into the daily routine.

• Help your kids mathematically monitor and keep track of a summer sport. Research your favorite team’s statistics, averages, and rank and keep a chart monitoring the team’s progress.
• Cook a meal together, letting your child follow the recipe and use measuring spoons and cups.
• Hang a thermometer outside to track the temperature throughout the summer.
• Make paper airplanes or egg parachutes and measure their flight paths and distances.
• Let your kids help you shop. Tell them how much money you’re aiming to spend and let their estimating go to work as you throw items into the shopping cart. Be sure to get their estimated total before you get to the register.

Writing

Help your child’s vacationing brain build creativity, writing skills, and vocabulary with these activities:

• Fill in summer’s special days and events on a homemade calendar. Use pencils, drawing paper, and rulers to create, decorate, and fill in a personalized summer calendar for your family.
• Make the summer a time to relive for an eternity by creating a scrapbook of summer events and memories. Your kids can fill pages by writing details of their experiences, adding photos and captions, and placing any items they collected during the summer months inside. Add their artistic and creative skills to this project, and you’ve got a brain building memory to last a lifetime.
• Writing made-up or real-life accounts of summer adventures is always a fun way to get the imagination and the mind going. Work together to create a ‘choose your own adventure’ book where the ending is always unknown.

Social Studies

It’s easy to learn about history, geography, and culture without even realizing it during the summer months. Here are few ideas to make studying social studies simple.

• Help your kids set up interviews with older community members or relatives. Delve into lives of the past and learn firsthand about history and how things used to be.
• Help your child make a map of the places and landmarks she’s visited. Color the places visited in one color and shade in the places that she’d like to visit someday in another color.
• Visit a historical monument, a national park, or a history museum.
• Your kids will feel great ownership and quite proud when they help you map out and plan a family vacation or day trip. Let them help you research activities by poring through brochures and websites. Make it a math lesson as well when you give them a shot at budgeting the family entertainment, dining, and lodging.
• Take your kids to an international market or an ethnic restaurant. Try new foods and research the country or region the foods came from.
• Be a tourist in a new city- explore, navigate, and learn together.

Stay tuned for more ‘Brain Drain’ prevention techniques next week, when we’ll look at building the summer brain through reading and science!

In order to help your kids understand these differences, it’s important to develop a strong sense of your own family individuality. This can also aid your kids’ ability to overcome and understand cultural differences through elementary school and beyond.

But how do you establish this family individuality and cultural identity? One fun and creative way is to make a family tree. Expanding your kids’ knowledge of their personal ancestry helps them form strong cultural connections, recognize the importance of family, and can get them curious about other traditions and backgrounds, too. Celebrating where they come from will help them accept differences within themselves at a young age and encourage a better understanding of ethnic diversity as they get older.

Where do I begin?

-Start by sitting down with your kids and writing down the names and birthdays of their immediate family, like siblings and parents or guardians.

-Then, have your children list off their aunts and uncles. You will most likely need to help them with some of their names and birthdays.

Tip: You can use index cards or individual pieces of paper to separate aunts and uncles on different sides of the family.

- Work your way up to grandparents, and branch out to cousins, great-grandparents, and great-aunts and -uncles. This will spark conversation about where your family came from. It will be a great time to engage in conversation about family origins and how your family came to be where they are today!

Now for the really fun part!

-Once you’ve listed all your family members, write their names and birthdays on individual small pieces of paper. You can be really creative and cut them out into different shapes, like leaves or little faces with a space for a picture.

-Make a background poster, and attach the individual family members in an orderly fashion. You and your kids can have a lot of fun decorating the poster. For instance, you can draw a big tree or even the flag of the country your ancestors came from!

A strong sense of family, tradition, and culture is important in the developing identities of young children, especially in today’s societal melting pot. A family tree will create a cultural awareness and develop creativity… plus, it’ll be great to show off when your relatives come over for dinner!