Lessons that define what a family is can help preschoolers recognize different intimate social structures and promote respect for all variations. Spend a week reading different stories with multiple types of family members, then discuss the relationships. Emphasize that what makes a family is love, sharing and common goals, not necessarily blood relations. Make a chart and record different words used for family members, especially beyond the more common ones. Include grandparents, aunts, cousins, step-families and more in the group.
Explore the diversity of the families represented by the students by asking them to draw and share pictures and stories of their immediate family members. Help them point out similarities, such as physical features, number of family members or beloved hobbies, and differences, such as physical features, age, favorite food and native language. Reinforce the message that all families are different but the same and that the differences between families make them special.
Incorporate family diversity lessons into music time by singing well-known songs about families. Change the lyrics to include diverse family situations. Some good family-centered songs are "I Love Mommy, She Loves Me," and "Where is Mommy?" set to the tune of "Where is Thumbkin?" In other songs that aren't about families but mention a family member, replace the traditional word with one that reflects a diverse family structure.
Preschoolers may be quick to point out differences in skin color, hair color and body shape. They can benefit from lesson plans that teach positive ways to notice and celebrate such differences. Let children role-play with teachers and each other about how to make appropriate comments versus hurtful comments. Encourage children to describe one thing that they like about the child next to them and deliver the compliment. Emphasizing how words can hurt and help will give preschoolers the vocabulary and practice in respecting others, including family members.