Nurseries need to teach children 'to embrace and not fear difference'

Many British nurseries today are alive with the beautiful colours of traditional costume, the aroma of delicious meals from across the globe and lively chatter in many different languages, all representing our multicultural and diverse society.

The popular multicultural evening at the Pre-school Learning Alliance’s Yarnton Way Nursery in Erith, Greater London

Many nurseries in the UK, especially in urban areas, care for children where English is not their first language.

It is vital nurseries celebrate this diversity and that young children learn about these different cultures.

Nicola Gibson, inclusion manager at the Early Years Alliance believes it is essential that during their formative years at nursery, “children learn positive attitudes and behaviours towards those with different identities to their own”.

She adds: “By providing children with naturally occurring day-to-day experiences of diversity rather than just periodic events, children will learn to embrace and not fear difference.”

Celebrating diversity can be done in a whole range of ways such as through posters and photographs showing young children that people all over the world look very different and story books that show Britain is a culturally diverse society. Celebrating religious and cultural events such as Diwali, Christmas and Eid is another way and many nurseries have tasting days where children bring in dishes from their country of origin.

Children enjoy dressing in their national costume at Pre-school Learning Alliance’s Yarnton Way Nursery to teach the other children about their culture

Children enjoy learning about the different cultures of their friends and at the Pre-school Learning Alliance’s Yarnton Way Nursery in Erith, Greater London, there is a celebration of cultures at the annual multicultural evening.

Families are invited to the popular social gathering and wear their traditional clothing and donate cultural foods for everyone to enjoy including African jellof rice, Jamaican jerk chicken, Jamaican patties, Indian dishes, Chinese dishes, Italian pizzas and English pie and mash. A wide range of families enjoy the event including Christians, Muslims, Chinese and Hindus.

Children of many nationalities attend the nursery and they learn about different religions and cultures by celebrating different religious festivals, food tasting from different countries, and dressing up in the national costumes of their friends.

The children also take part in cultural singing which has included singing along with a gospel choir and a traditional choir with dads playing bongo drums.

A boy at Yarnton Way Nursery drumming

Clare O'Donnell, lead practitioner at the nursery said: “The children seem to enjoy learning about their peers’ cultures, they will often draw pictures, dance or dress up to express this. We hope that the children will grow up with knowledge, understanding and respect for other cultures.”

At The London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), the children learn about cultural events, reflecting the society they live in.

Being based in central London, the Foundation embraces many different cultures and the children have visited Westminster Abbey to see where the royal wedding took place and visited Tate Britain to look at the paintings of Turner.

Children learn about the cultures of their friends at the London Early Years Foundation

The Foundation does not want to discriminate for children about either religion or culture and ensures it has a wide range of interesting books for children with lots of different cultures and religions, presented in a colourful pictorial way.

Children speak many different languages across each nursery including Polish, Lithuanian, Bulgarian, French, German, Arabic, Bengali, Urdu and Hindu and this is celebrated. The nurseries work closely with speech and language therapists to support children who are acquiring English as a second language.

Makaton signing is also used to support children who need to learn two words for everything and it also helps the native English speaking children as it encourages them to communicate even earlier than learning the spoken word.

London Early Years Foundation children learn about different cultures at festival times

At the London Early Years Foundation, children learn about different cultures when it’s festival time or after a discussion with a parent. Conversations are had with the children about exploring a religion or culture through visiting museums, exhibitions, or local events. One nursery gets very involved with the Notting Hill Carnival, because on family day their nursery manager plays in a band on one of the floats.

The nursery always places the emphasis on the cultural aspect of the celebration, rather than the religious element. So if the nursery has been discussing Ramadan and the celebration of Eid, the children will learn why some people choose not to eat during Ramadan and that it’s a personal choice.

If the children are celebrating Christmas, they may enter into the spirit of things by performing a nativity play for parents to see, or another nursery may look at the story of Saint Nicklaus.

Karen Walker, head of children's services at London Early Years Foundation said: "At LEYF, our emphasis is always on cultural not religious focus, as we do not wish to impose any religious beliefs on children at this young age."

At Busy Bees Nurseries Ltd, children learn about many different cultures and festivals.

Busy Bees children learn Bhangra dancing

The children’s beliefs are shared with their key worker and parents are encouraged to share their knowledge with the nursery by bringing in recipes or items for display tables.

Members of staff at Busy Bees, as well local families, are also diverse in their religions and beliefs and the nursery says their knowledge, imparted without prejudice, is invaluable.

The children are currently learning about Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which is celebrated on 13 November. They are busy making lanterns and cards and having dance lessons.

At the Busy Bees The University of Salford, parents were asked for their suggestions on how they’d like their children to celebrate the event. The children have been making paper lanterns and candle holders with salt dough, colourful Rangoli patterns on the floor and they are learning some Bolliwood dance routines and songs.

Busy Bees Nurseries believe that as a childcare provider giving care to under 5s, it is not their place to teach religion, but to make children aware that people have different beliefs.

The nurseries aim to incorporate diversity in children’s day to day activities, through resources such as displays and photographs on walls, role play areas, musical activities and creative opportunities. All children feel special as their uniqueness is celebrated throughout the nursery encouraging a sense of pride and belonging.

Bhangra dancing with Bhangra Tots at Busy Bees nurseries

Lisa Snell, Busy Bees' childcare and curriculum manager said: “Busy Bees fully believes that each and every child in their nursery is a unique individual. Respecting each child as an individual is embedded across all of the training that we deliver, providing staff with a holistic view of how we can achieve this.

“This is supported by focused equality and diversity training for all our learners which raises staff understanding of key pieces of legislation including the EYFS, principles of the equality act and the Children’s Act.

“The course focuses in particular on inclusion, and provides practical ways to ensure that children feel fully included by discussing the importance of the environment and by ensuring that all resources form an integral part of the children’s day.”

At Complete Childcare Ltd, the children are also getting ready to celebrate Diwali. Emma Brazell, assistant deputy manager at Northumberland Day Nursery in Reading says there are many different religions amongst their nursery children, including Christian, Islam, Methodist, Catholic, Hindu, Pagan and Sikh.

The children learn about religion in many ways from the traditional books and computer programmes, but also by persona dolls. Parents are invited into the nursery with clothes and photos to share their personal experiences with the children. The pre-schoolers also have the opportunity to taste foods from around the world and wear the costumes of the diverse religions of the nursery children.

At Complete Childcare, children learn to appreciate different cultures

Ms Brazell said: “The children at Northumberland day nursery really enjoy learning about different parts of the world and they also like dressing up and looking at photos other people have brought in.”

Jen Bourne, head of child experience and safeguarding for Complete Childcare Ltd said: “It is so very important to appreciate each child’s culture and celebrate with them during important religious events and festivals, as this is what shapes us all up as respectful individuals in the world.

“One particular event for Diwali which a lot of the children will be partaking in this year is decorating their hands with paints in designs which are based on traditional Rangoli patterns, hand prints can then be printed onto paper and displayed for everyone to see.”

Banging the drums at the Yarnton Way Nursery