Diversity

Personal growth written on a chalk board with arrows.

Personal Growth & Development For Kids

Summer camp is a great opportunity for kids to learn new skills, make new friends, and have fun. But it can also be a valuable experience for personal growth and development, especially when it comes to understanding and appreciating diversity. The Importance of Diversity Diversity is all around us, and it’s important for kids to learn about different cultures, perspectives, and ways of life. This can help them to become more tolerant and understanding of others, and to appreciate the richness and beauty of the world around them. Cultural Differences […]

Diverse group of kids - Black, Asian, and White.

Cultural Awareness & Diversity For Kids

Have you ever had an embarrassing moment where your child (maybe quite loudly) asked you about some characteristic of another person? For example, “Mommy, why does that woman look like that?” The typical parental reaction is to attempt to quiet the child and move on as quickly as possible. As adults, we’ve been taught not to ask such questions (at least not out loud). In contrast, children are not yet conditioned to refrain from sharing what they think or asking what they want to know. So how do we help […]

Embracing Diversity: How Camp Kupugani Helps Kids Celebrate Differences

Diversity means having a variety of different things, and that includes people who are different in many ways. When it comes to thinking, acting, and feeling, everyone is unique. That’s why it’s so important to embrace diversity and celebrate the differences that make each of us special. Why is it Important to Teach Kids About Diversity? It’s never too early to start teaching kids about diversity. In fact, the earlier we can expose kids to different perspectives, the better. Children are naturally curious and open-minded, so they are often more […]

White and black Camp Kupugani Campers and Counselor in tubes on a lake.

Benefits Of A Multicultural Summer Camp

As a parent, you want the best for your child. You want them to grow and develop into well-rounded individuals who are able to navigate the complexities of the world around them. One way to help your child do this is by sending them to a multicultural camp like Camp Kupugani. In this blog, we will explore some of the reasons why a parent should consider sending their child to a multicultural camp like Camp Kupugani. Social & Emotional Benefits At Camp Kupugani, your child will have the opportunity to […]

A mother and young child playing while sitting on the couch.

Teaching & Talking To Kids About Race

By the time a child reaches the age of four, they have already begun to show signs of racial bias. As a parent, it is important to start early and talk openly with your child about race. Below you’ll find tips on how to expose and educate your child about race. Start Early By 6 months of age, babies notice racial differences; by age 4, children have begun to show signs of racial bias. Let your child know that it’s perfectly okay to notice skin color and talk about race. […]

African American Father, Caucasian Mother, and mixed child reading a book together.

Cultural Diversity Activities For Kids

The world is so large that it can be tough to teach children about places that exist outside of their own immediate physical world. From music, languages, and food to school, dressing and sports there is so much beauty and excitement that each country and culture brings to our world. Explore and add these fun cultural diversity activities at home. Celebrate Holidays & Traditions When holidays come around, make sure to acknowledge and celebrate those dates. Decorating for different cultural holiday celebrations like Christmas, Eid, Hannukkah, etc. can enhance learning […]

Colored paper cut outs of hands and the word.

How To Teach Kids About Diversity And Acceptance

At a young age, society teaches young children to recognize all types of differences between one another. That said, while at the end of the day we are all simply human, there is an abundance of diversity embedded in each person’s different backgrounds, and that diversity is something to be appreciated and celebrated. When it comes to teaching children about diversity and acceptance, there are a number of diverse activities for kids that are beneficial in their understanding of cultural awareness. Read on to find out what these diverse activities […]

Some insights from Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

Kevin Gordon, Director of Camp Kupugani in Leaf River, IL–located two hours west of Chicago–recently read Isabel Wilkerson’s Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. According to Wilkerson, “caste is the granting or withholding of respect, status, honor, attention, privileges, resources, benefit of the doubt, and human kindness to someone on the basis of their perceived rank or standing in the hierarchy.” Racism and casteism overlap; “what some people call racism could be seen as merely one manifestation of the degree to which we have internalized the larger American caste system.” […]

Black Lives Don’t Matter

(Regarding the USA’s Only Black-Owned Private Overnight Summer Camp) Dear Governor Pritzker: Don’t tell me Black lives matter. Don’t tell me Black lives matter when the only black-owned private residential camp in the U.S. is precluded from operating, maybe permanently. Don’t talk emptily of how “Black lives matter”; instead, actually facilitate my black life. Don’t tell me Black lives matter when you ban our multicultural summer camp—depriving children of an empowering experience, especially when they so badly needed the social interaction. Don’t tell me Black lives matter when you deprive […]

Some Ways to Become Antiracist

Especially lately, the importance of seeking a solution to the racial issues polarizing this country is underscored. A fantastic tool towards this goal is contained in: “How to Be an Antiracist” (One World, 2019) by Ibram X. Kendi. “Not racist” isn’t good enough. People need to recognize and confront their own racist thoughts (as the author describes his own ongoing journey of becoming an Antiracist. Check out our summary below. Some definitions include: Racist: One who is supporting a racist policy through their actions or inaction or expressing a racist […]

5 Tips on How to Raise Socially Aware Children

Social awareness is one of the focal points at Camp Kupugani, our Midwest overnight residential summer camp with girls-only, boys-only, and blended sessions near Madison, Wisconsin (and also not far from Chicago, Illinois). A recent article put forth some good tips on how to raise socially aware children. See below for some quick takeaways, with the full article here. Socially Aware Tips Address privilege early Speak with your children about differences (don’t pretend to be “color-blind”) Address the challenges that can arise from these differences Make sure that their toys, […]

Takeaways from Stamped from the Beginning

Kevin Gordon, Director of Camp Kupugani in Leaf River, IL–located two hours west of Chicago–recently read Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning (Nation Books, 2016). Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand racism in the United States. In shedding much-needed light on the murky history of racist ideas, this book offers tools we need to expose them—and in the process, gives us reason to hope. Check out the book here. See below for some excerpts. What is racism? Racism is…any concept that regards one racial group as inferior […]