The holidays are upon us and with that comes the list of gifts we need to get for family members and friends. Finding a diverse offering of multicultural toys and books for gift giving, however, is not an easy task, so we’ve put together our top 10 favorite gifts that promote diversity for kids. Even better, every amazing gift below is under $20! Happy holidays!
Maya and Miguel Piñata Party Card Game, $5.95
Join Maya and Miguel for this fast-paced card game. Play your cards quickly and in sequence until all of them are used, or until someone shouts, La Pinata! (Pack of 24 cards, recommended for ages 5 and up.)
Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Plum Fantastic, $4.99
We love this ballet series written by Whoopi Goldberg. In Plum Fantastic, we meet Alexandrea Petrakova Johnson. While she doesn’t want to be a beautiful ballerina or leave her friends in Apple Creek, that doesn’t stop her ballet-crazy mother from moving them to Harlem and enrolling her at the Nutcracker School of Ballet.
Life is hard when you’re the new ballerina on the block, and it’s even harder when you’re chosen to be the Sugar Plum Fairy in the school recital! Not only is Al a terrible dancer, but she’s also got a rotten case of stage fright, and Al’s ballet classmates have to use all the plum power they’ve got to coach this scary fairy!
Some Kids Use Wheelchairs, $5.95
Teach diversity and tolerance to young readers, and help them understand and appreciate those children who are differently abled with Some Kids Use Wheelchairs. The book’s colorful photos show kids with disabilities enjoying activities with their peers.
Merrymakers One Love Plush Doll, $14.37
The lyrics from Bob Marley’s beloved song are brought to life in “One Love” to tell the story of a community coming together to create a park and garden to transform a neighborhood. Our beautiful plush doll is an excellent companion, a reminder of how fun and lively life can be with good friends. (Safe for all ages, perfect for ages 2-8.)
Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words, $10.48
The inspiring, true story of Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani girl who stands up and speaks out for every child’s right to education. Though she and two of her schoolmates were targeted by a Taliban gunman, a life-threatening injury only strengthened her resolve: Malala spoke at the U.N. on her 16th birthday in 2013, nine months after she was shot.
Author and journalist Karen Leggett Abouraya, author of Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt’s Treasured Books, brings Malala’s story to life for young readers. Malala’s story is more than a biography of a brave and outspoken teenager; it is a testament to the power of education to change the world for boys and girls everywhere.
Please, Baby, Please, $14.21
Academy-Award nominated filmmaker Spike Lee and his wife, producer Tonya Lewis Lee, present a behind-the-scenes look at the chills, spills, and unequivocal thrills of bringing up baby in Please, Baby, Please! Vivid illustrations from celebrated artist Kadir Nelson evoke toddlerhood from sandbox to high chair to crib.
Attatoy Mixmates Boys & Girls, $19.76
Mixmates are colorful wooden blocks with characters as diverse as the children who play with them. They feature children with a variety of fun outfits that can be mixed and matched to create any number of fashionable or casual combinations.
Made of hardwood and durable inks, Mixmates will survive the bumps that go along with being a child’s favorite toy. As children mix, stack, and play, they develop fine motor skills as well as language as they describe their creations. They also learn sequencing as they line up heads, bodies, and legs. With Mixmates there is no one “right answer,” so children of all ages develop creativity as they make the thousands of possible combinations.
Frida, $14.66
When Frida Kahlo’s mother was worn out from caring for her five sisters, her father gave her lessons in brushwork and color. When polio kept her bedridden for nine months, drawing saved her from boredom. When a bus accident left her in unimaginable agony, her paintings expressed her pain and depression and eventually, her joys and her loves. Over and over again, Frida Kahlo turned the challenges of her life into art. Now Jonah Winter and Ana Juan have drawn on both her art and her life to create a playful, insightful tribute to one of the twentieth century’s most influential artists. Viva Frida!
Zahra in the Land of Grimling Skies, $9.99
Zahra in the Land of Grimling Skies is a story about a wonderful little girl in Africa, who had an extraordinary talent that filled her with joy. She has the ability to heal animals, but shush don’t tell, it’s a secret. One day, a terrible accident happens and she lost her sparkle of joy. Will she ever find it again?
Eeboo I Never Forget a Face Matching Game, $15.95
This beautiful multicultural classic concentration matching game will provide hours of educational fun. Matching games promote visual matching and manual dexterity skills, while introducing children to other cultures and ethnicities. This is a fun way to sharpen recognition and enhance memory skills!
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