How to Teach Kids About Race

Parents of Black children are tasked with teaching them what it means to be Black in America from a very early age. Learning about the concepts of race, privilege and the cultural implications of both is called racial and ethnic socialization. 

The American Psychological Association’s explanation of racial socialization puts it simply: “Some minority parents have concerns that talking about race to their children may cause their children to see themselves as victims or be hypersensitive; however, research actually shows the opposite—that youth who rarely receive messages about race have poorer psychological well-being.”

While Black families may often have conversations about racial and ethnic socialization out of safety and necessity, their children’s peers of any race can benefit from having the same conversations at home in a way that inspires equity, compassion and understanding for people of all races. When everyone is given opportunities to learn about their communities, they may move away from the harmful effects of ‘colorblindness,’ and toward a more genuine understanding of race, equity and inclusion. 

Though it’s easy to assume that conversations about race are too complicated or nuanced for young children, research shows that children notice differences among themselves and their peers much earlier than adults may think, and in many cases, earlier than adults are willing to discuss it with them. Left to their own understanding, children may pick up on false and discriminatory narratives from peers, media or other adults they interact with on a regular basis.  

When addressed proactively, parental guidance about racial bias at different cognitive developmental stages throughout childhood can help children build positive, inclusive views of people with different races and ethnicities. Adults who are considering these conversations for the first time may benefit from self-reflection on their existing implicit racial biases before beginning to discuss them with young people.

The stages of cognitive development theorized by Jean Piaget explain that children’s development can be identified in four stages: 

Knowing these developmental stages can help adults decide when and how to talk to young people about race in an appropriate way, instead of assuming that a child’s silence about race means they’re uninterested or unaware of race in social dynamics. Children may pick up on adults’ taboo approach to race or discomfort around racial discussions, and mistakenly believe it’s inappropriate to discuss. 

Forging a trustworthy, candid bond with children of all ages can help encourage their curiosity and openness to discussing race and culture as it relates to their environments.

Social workers and other clinicians should be aware of the developmental stage of the clients they’re caring for, and hold developmentally appropriate conversations that shape positive, inclusive views about race and ethnicity. 

They can help curate school and library book collections that are helpful for promoting racial socialization, and work with other school staff to help address inclusive curriculum planning, anti-racism efforts and administrative policies that encourage racial socialization at school.

The contents below are organized by age group, followed by resources for clinicians and adults who work with children of various age groups. 

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The information in this article is for informational purposes only; individuals should consult with a professional before making decisions about children’s mental health and development.