How kids learn about race

Explore the differences between "color-blind" and color-brave views of race, racism, and raising kids. 

Navigating conversations about race with young children can feel complex. We've created a simple framework to help you break down these important topics into concepts kids can understand. 

Like other parts of children’s development, learning about race begins very early — even before they’re walking and talking — and continues throughout childhood.

Children learn about race comes from many sources – not just their families. They are growing up in a world that provides a lot of information, misinformation, and messages about race. Here's a quick look at some of those sources and the kinds of messages they send.

Today we counter the myth that kids learn problematic ideas about race exclusively from their parents and caregivers by looking at another source of children's racial learning - systems of racial inequality that kids live within and perceive all around them. 

Kids learn about race from many sources and many of those lessons cause problems. Media is one such source. We take a critical look at children’s media and discuss strategies for raising to resist the stereotypes they encounter.

We come across this myth A LOT at EmbraceRace. 

Why are (some) multiracial kids are often seen as part of the solution to our racial woes? How does that belief affect those kids and how might we respond as caregivers?

We give you the backstory of EmbraceRace and then dive into a conversation with developmental psychologist Tara Mandalaywala about what we know about whether and how babies and young children perceive racial differences.