Top tips: Black History Month

Black history month arrives every October. What does it mean for educators working with under-fives? It means making sure every child sees themselves reflected in their environment and that difference is the interesting norm. October is a useful to prompt to check it’s happening throughout the year and these tips are to help you run the month smoothly.

Top tips for Black History Month

1. Plan in September. Rushed Black history month can look like an add-on. Staff need time to think it through and gather resources
2. Invite families. Ask them early if they would like to share any resources or their knowledge/skills. Engaging parents who plays an instrument, dances or has carnival memories is valuable and memorable
3. Lead with joy, including music, pride, story, food, art and contemporary role models
4. Name countries rather than continents, e.g. “A story from Jamaica”, or “This artist is from Nigeria.” Africa has fifty-four countries while the Caribbean has multiple islands. Even in the UK, many people are proud to identify as Welsh, Scottish or English instead of British
5. Black British history is British history, with carnivals, steel pans etc. belonging here, so draw on local British traditions too
6. Model curiosity when children ask questions. Answer questions directly, for example, “Why is her skin brown?” is a legitimate question. Look for the answers together if you’re not sure, use the child’s own voice and use the correct language. This might involve asking an expert, i.e. a parent/grandparent
7. Allow for team discussion time. A shared vocabulary and permission to get it ‘wrong’ moves policy into practice
8. Ensure all staff are equally engage in the delivery of your plans; don’t delegate it all to black staff members
9. Check out the Black History Month website for details and ideas: https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/

NDNA products to support you with these top tips

Developing high quality practice nursery training - Face to face training

Disclaimer: Activities with children must always be risk assessed, including for allergies or choking. Children must always have adequate supervision. Resources and materials must always be appropriate for children’s age and stage of development.