Top tips: Inclusive Christmas celebrations
The Christmas period is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate cultural diversity – helping children learn about different traditions, value their own family experiences and develop positive attitudes towards the diverse world around them. Inclusive Christmas celebrations ensure that every child feels represented, respected and involved.
Inclusive Christmas celebrations outline
- Talk to all families to find out if and how they celebrate Christmas, as well as any other important cultural or religious traditions they observe at this time of year
- Incorporate families’ individual traditions into your activity planning so children can see their own celebrations reflected in the nursery environment
- Invite family members into the setting to share photos and stories about their own Christmas celebrations
- Explore global celebrations by teaching children about different Christmas customs and traditions from around the world
- Share diverse books and stories that include a variety of cultural events and holidays. Use them as a way to discuss similarities and differences – for example, comparing Christmas lights with the candles in Hanukkah and Diwali
- Ensure decorations reflect diversity, including images of families are diverse, multicultural and show people celebrating in different ways
- Use inclusive language such as ‘winter celebrations’ or ‘festive activities’ alongside Christmas terms so all children feel included
- Offer open-ended creative activities that allow children to choose how they represent their own celebrations
- Create a display of family celebrations, including photos, drawings and shared traditions. Encourage children to share their experiences with others.
NDNA products to help you with this tip
Inclusion in early years – blog post
Disclaimer: Activities with children must always be risk assessed, including for allergies or choking. Children must always have adequate supervision. Resources and materials must always be appropriate for children’s age and stage of development.
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