[vc_row padding_top_multiplier=”” rc_link_color=”primary-1″ rc_link_hover_color=”primary-6″][vc_column][crocal_title heading_tag=”h2″ heading=”h5″ margin_bottom=”20px”]Allowing children to discover cultures beyond their own helps develop emotional intelligence. Exposure to diversity at a young age can be beneficial to their development.
[/crocal_title][vc_column_text]At Nursery Story we believe it’s important that little one’s grow up to be as rounded as possible. With that in mind, it’s crucial to recognise just how significant the earliest perceptions of the world and its cultures are. The information absorbed in early childhood can go a long way to defining how a child sees the world and engages with it.
The first study to examine diversity in children’s literature looked at published books between 2007 and 2018 and found that the number of black or ethnic minority characters was staggeringly low. The survey, funded by the Arts Council, found that only 1% of children’s books have a lead character from an ethnic minority and only 4% featured any characters from an ethnic background at all.
In the years since there has been a small improvement in these numbers but clearly there is a long way to go. On that note, we want to shine a spotlight on early years authors who are leading the charge for diversity in EYFS literature and creating brilliant books we think your little ones will learn a great deal from. We think you’ll love these just as much as we do…
I Like To Be Kind by Marie Paruit
This engaging, colourful book provides so much for children to engage with while introducing the benefits of being kind to others. Little ones can lift the flaps, slide the tabs and turn the wheel as they explore exactly what kindness is.
Marie Paruit’s brilliant illustrations light up every page and the way the book navigates key themes and seeks to develop emotional intelligence is tangible. This is a book parents, carers and children will all benefit from.
It also contains lots of handy hints and tips from Early Years expert Dr Janet Rose. As part of The Little Big Feelings series, the book is endorsed and recommended by Amanda Gummer’s Good Play Guide.
A simple yet clever story about dealing with emotions, temper tantrums and learning to understand and express your feelings. The story centers on Ravi who, one day, lets out the tiger within and sees that tigers can do anything they want! But how fun is it for others to be around a roaring, noisy tiger who won’t share or play nicely?
Ravi’s Roar seeks to unlock gentler resolutions for those struggling with temper tantrums or to express themselves properly. It’s also a book that celebrates diversity, individuality and finding your place in the world. We couldn’t recommend this book enough.
All the Ways to be Smart by Davina Bell
For any parent, carer or child worried about being ‘smart’ this book is a must read. An international best seller that celebrates individuality and the things that make each child unique.
Author Davina Bell showcases how every child in his or her own way. Bell’s inventive rhyming couplets reflect the playfulness of a child’s imagination and evoke Dr. Seuss. Allison Colpoys inventive illustrations feature a diverse cast of characters who demonstrate emotional intelligence and practical talents.
This charming book should help little ones understand how utterly special they are.
The Same But Different Too by Karl Newson
A real treasure of a book that seeks to teach children how to embrace both their similarities and differences.
The children and animal characters in the book are lovingly championed for their diversity. Children of all ethnicities feature, as do children with disabilities. Newson’s language deftly intertwines thought-provoking rhyming couplets with funny, warm storytelling.
Kate Hindley’s illustrations are some of the best we’ve seen in recent years and have been acclaimed by audiences and critics alike. We love the handy QR code that comes with the book which means you can concentrate on looking at the pictures while listening to the story out loud.
Your little ones will come back to this again and again.
Baby Goes To Market by Atinuke
A colourful, diverse book that offers a gentle introduction to numbers. As Baby and Mama make their way around a vibrant African market, the reader is exposed to a bustling environment perfect for engaging their senses. Importantly, children get to see a world that may not resemble their own.
Baby and Mama show us the importance of counting which comes in a cheery read-aloud format. We think young readers will love the rhythmic language, colourful illustrations, inclusivity and sense of wonder they’ll get from every page. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
