At Minnesota Children's Museum, we support children in developing a positive view of themselves and their own culture. We also engage children in exploring other traditions so they can interact effectively with a variety of people.

Developing cultural competence results in an ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with diverse people. One way the Museum supports these skills is by hosting exhibits such as Children of Hangzhou: Connecting with China, which opened earlier this month.

You can help your child build positive attitudes and cultural skills at home.

• Compare your family traditions with those in other cultures such as China. What and with whom do you celebrate? How are the celebrations alike and different?
  
• Try foods from other countries. Visit a restaurant or find an ethnic recipe to make at home. Use chopsticks at home and read the book How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina Friedman, which tells how the author's Japanese mother and American father adapted to new cultures.
  
• Attend a cultural celebration.
  
• Look for experiences in which children encounter familiar things in new ways and new things in familiar ways.