6 Fun Pride Activities for June - from Infants to 8+

Because June is Pride Month, we wanted to share some activities and resources to encourage acceptance, expression, visibility, and celebration this Pride season.

If you don't know much about the history of pride month, here are some quick facts.

History of Pride Month

• The first Pride gatherings began as riots and protests. The most notable being the Stonewall Riots in New York City, which began on the night of June 28, 1969
  
  
• Police at the time had frequently raided the Stonewall Inn, a prominent gay bar, to arrest transgender and gender non-conforming individuals due to laws surrounding "cross-dressing" and mandates that required clothing items to match the gender on patrons' ID. However, on the night of June 28, 1969, the raid had turned violent. Approximately 200 people were in the bar that night and the police had attempted to arrest every patron. As the raid flooded onto the street, exchanges between police and patrons were physical and violent.
  
  
• The Stonewall Riots lasted for six days, and the message was clear: the 2SLGBTQIA+ community was done with the harassment and brutality by the police and liberation for the community was needed.
  
  
• The Stonewall Riots were the turning point for gay liberation and the start of the ongoing fight for 2SLGBTQIA+ rights.

3 Pride Activities for for Infants, Toddlers & Preschoolers

1. Read Books - Show your child that families can look differently than your own and that’s okay!

Children learn so much from books, so representations of 2SLGBTQIA+ families through picture books and stories can be integrated into your regular reading rotations. Check out our books that feature different representations of families:

• All Kinds of Families by Suzanne Kang
• The Family Book by Todd Parr
• Mommy, Mama, and Me by Leslea Newman
• Daddy, Papa, and Me by Leslea Newman
• Pride is Love by Dano Moreno

2. Have a Pride Dance Party!

While Pride focuses on many important aspects of community, expression, and acceptance, it is also a celebration! Here are some 2SLGBTQIA+ anthems that feature clean lyrics for you and your little ones to dance to!

• I’m Still Standing - Elton John
• I’m Coming Out - Diana Ross
• We Are Family - Sister Sledge
• Brave - Sara Bareilles

3. Activity: Exploring the Colours of the Progress Pride Flag – Nomenclature Cards

This simple activity invites toddlers to begin exploring the colours of the Progress Pride flag, using a flag example and matching Nomenclature cards.

If you would like to learn more about what each colour of the Progress Pride flag represents, you can find a helpful explanation here: https://www.womenscollegehospital.ca/the-progress-pride-flag-all-the-colours-of-the-rainbow/

You can download this printable and activity instructions HERE

3 Pride for School-Age Children (5 years and up)

1. Self-Expression through Fashion - Free Colouring Page Printable's

Click here to download the clothing pages.

Why it’s important

We practice self-expression daily, choosing what to wear is a primary example. Your child starts their day by picking out a unicorn shirt to showcase to the world that they are imaginative and bold (or just really love unicorns). Your child may meet other children who express themselves in ways that might be unfamiliar to them.

Maybe a boy in their class likes to wear dresses so he can move freely while he runs or a girl who wears sport jerseys to celebrate her favourite team.

Whatever the scenario is, it is important to teach children to approach them with kindness and acceptance: those other children are just expressing themselves! Your child seeing that it is okay for others to express themselves uniquely allows them to feel comfortable expressing themselves however they see fit.

For older children, this activity can also open up conversations about gender expression and the many ways people present themselves in the world.

This activity can be adapted for younger children by inviting them to explore colour and mark-making in their own way. Even toddlers can express themselves through early scribbles and colour choices.

Ages: 5 years and up

Materials Needed:

• Scissors
• Art medium of your choice, i.e. paint, markers, crayons, etc.

Instructions:

1. Review the inspiration of this activity and patterns with the child to set them up for success
2. Cut out each clothing piece
3. Invite the child to design an outfit that best represents who they are on the inside, with the art medium of their choice

Extensions:

• When this activity was done with a group of school-aged children in the classroom, the children wanted to do  a mini ‘fashion show’. They put on music and the children took turns walking in a line and posing with their creations. It was so lovely to see the children so excited to showcase their original designs, so feel free to run your own mini ‘fashion show’!

2. Pronoun Bracelets

Why it’s important

We all use pronouns, it is fundamental to everyday language. Using a person’s correct pronouns is a basic form of respect. Making pronouns bracelets is a fun and easy way to practice and understand pronoun usage.

Ages: 6 years and up

Materials Needed:

• Alphabet Beads
• Regular Beads
• String
• Pronoun Usage Guide, provided by Eagle Canada which can be viewed HERE

Instructions:

1. Discuss what pronouns are and how to use them
2. Create bracelets with the pronouns your child uses, and then create bracelets with other pronouns that people use.

3. Pride Flag 3-Part Nomenclature Cards - Free Printable

Why it’s important

Simply, Pride flags are representations of 2SLGBTQIA+ community, their identities, history, and fight for visibility and acceptance. Children will see different pride flags on display, especially during Pride month, so teaching them about the flags and what they mean can expand their knowledge (and help parents who might get many questions on what each flag means).

Ages: 8 years and up

These cards can be used in different ways:

1. Learn the names of different Pride flags
2. Build vocabulary related to 2SLGBTQIA+ identities and communities
3. Discuss and explore what different flags represent
4. Use as a prompt for guided conversation or independent inquiry

For more information about each of these flags, Eagle Canada, one of Canada’s leading organizations for 2SLGBTQIA+ people and issues, has created a fantastic resource with quick and basic definitions which you can view HERE.

Click here to download the Pride Flag 3-Part Nomenclature Cards and activity instructions.

Book and Resource Recommendations

We carry a lovely collection of books that showcase pride and provide information about different topics related to the 2SLGBQIA+ community.

General Pride

1. My Little Golden Book About Pride by Kyle Lukoff (Ages 2+)
2. Twas the Night Before Pride by Joanna McClintick (Ages 4+)
3. A Kid's Book about Pride by Kendall Clawson (Ages 5+)
4. A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by John Oliver (Ages 6+)

Gender Identity

1. Pink, Blue, and You!: Questions for Kids about Gender Stereotypes by Elise Gravel and Mykaell Blais (Ages 4+)
2. It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn (Ages 4+)
3. A Kids Book About Being Non-Binary by Hunter Chinn-Raicht (Ages 5+)
4. A Kids Book About Gender by Dale Mueller (Ages 5+)

If you’d like to learn more about the 2SLGBTQIA+ community as a parent, here are some fantastic resources by Canadian organizations with programming dedicated to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community:

1. The 519 Glossary of Terms (Non-profit organization with programming and services for 2SLGBTQIA+ and local community)
2. Canvas Programs Queer Youth Booklist (Registered charity that provides empathy-based education on consent and 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion)
3. Rainbow Health Ontario’s Supporting Your Child’s Gender Identity and Expression Brochure (Works with providers to ensure 2SLGBTQ+ communities receive equitable, affirming health care across Ontario.

Happy Pride Month!