theChat.scot

---

Talking about…Learning about similarities and differences between people

At this age children will notice that people are individual and unique – and possibly different from them. They can also be supported to learn that treating someone badly based on a difference is not okay.

---

Talking about similarities and differences.

A fun thing to do with your child is to sit with a mirror. First of all, get them to look at themselves and talk about what they see. Then join them and look at each other. You can notice everything about your child, and about you – colour of eyes, shape of face, hair, the shape of your body etc. You can talk about what is similar and what is different. They might like to do this with older siblings or friends.

You can talk more about other things about them, you, siblings and friends – favourite foods, favourite colour, favourite things to do. Again, talking about what makes us different and what makes us similar, and what makes us unique. You can talk about the word unique.

Unique: This means one of a kind. Every human being is special and different, we are all unique. You are unique!

---

An art activity

A fun thing to do is hand or finger or footprints with paint and paper – every one of our hand, finger or foot prints is different and unique.

---

Children will ask questions when they observe a difference

When children notice a difference in another child or adult they might ask: Why is that boy…? Why is that woman…? If this is overheard, this can feel embarrassing for you, and you might worry about embarrassing the other person. In such situations the question is likely to come because your child is curious.

If your child uses words that sound disrespectful or hurtful (it is likely they don’t mean to) you can say something along the lines of not using those words, that we must always be polite and kind, and remember we are all different, you might want to suggest ‘we can talk more about this later’ (then divert their attention to something else). If the other person seems offended by the child’s question you can say ‘She’s little and doesn’t mean any harm, I’m sorry, I will chat to her later’. Then of course you can pick up the conversation with your child later, talk about the difference they saw and why that was interesting for them, remind them always to use kind words, and suggest they can ask questions with a quiet voice, or later.

---

Books

There are lots of books that help children to understand their own individuality as well as the differences in others. You might like to read these books together. Your library might have them, or you can ask them if they will order a book for you.

Captures the vitality of young children learning about their bodies and themselves by naming, counting, discovering and comparing.

Helps children celebrate individuality, friendship… and vegetables!

A mum and son go about their daily routine with familiar activities such as dressing up, reading, painting and bath time.

It’s Okay to Be Different cleverly delivers the important messages of acceptance, understanding and confidence in an accessible, child-friendly format featuring Todd Parr’s trademark bold, bright colours and silly scenes.

A joyful read about an outsider who finds acceptance on his own terms…. there’s also a simple moral about tolerance and daring to be different.

Frog is not content to be just a plain green frog, he wants to do the things his friends can do. He tries to fly like Duck, to bake cakes like Pig and to read like Hare. But all his attempts are doomed to failure, and Frog is disconsolate, until Hare points out that his friends love him just the way he is.