Encourage children to learn more about their own cultural and ethnic background and share it with others. Once they know more about their own culture, ask children to invite their friends from other cultures over so they can compare the differences and similarities. Expose your children to different cultures in their own neighborhood by planning trips to community centers, local museums and exhibits which showcase people from other cultures
To learn where your children (and you) stand on the topic of prejudice, visit the Understanding Prejudice website (understandingprejudice.org) and take the baseline survey. After taking the test, which requires about 30 minutes, have your children read "Understanding Prejudice and Discrimination" on the website. Once they have educated themselves on the topic, have the children re-visit the survey to see how their thinking may have changed.
Decide on a culture to celebrate, and plan a feast based around the foods that group enjoys regularly. Visit the library with your children and find cookbooks from the culture; then head to the supermarket to find all of the ingredients for several dishes. Have each family member work on a different dish. Have each family member help in all areas of the project, including preparation, cooking and cleanup. Also, assign your children to find music from that culture and decorate the house to give the event a realistic feel.
Give your children examples of how you promote diversity, acceptance and tolerance in your own life. Provide books around the house which educate them about different countries and cultures. Be mindful of your own behavior, including the words you use; don't pass along hateful attitudes to your children. Speak out against racial slurs or inappropriate jokes, and teach your child that silence can imply agreement with the perpetrator.