How to Raise An Inclusive Child

mycrumbyworld — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:55:16 +0000

Teach your kids to notice who is outside the circle…and make room.

Every parent wants their child to have friends. We hope they find their people and that they are invited to birthday parties, included at the lunch table, chosen for teams, and welcomed into groups.

However, there is another important question we should consider: Are we raising children who make sure others are included, too?

It’s easy to worry about whether our own child belongs, but it takes a different kind of parenting to teach our children to look beyond themselves and notice those who are left out.

At My Crumby World, Rachel Rye advocates for a simple philosophy: Choose inclusion over exclusion. In a childhood culture where belonging can sometimes feel like social currency, this lesson matters more than ever.

Inclusion Is More Than Just Being Nice

We often tell children to “be nice,” “be kind,” and “don’t hurt anyone’s feelings.” While these are important messages, inclusion asks children to go one step further.

– Kindness might mean smiling at a new student.
– Inclusion means asking her to sit beside you.

– Kindness might mean not teasing the child standing alone at recess.
– Inclusion means inviting him into the game.

– Kindness might mean saying hello to someone who is different from you.
– Inclusion means making room for that person in your circle.

Inclusion requires action, and that’s exactly what Rachel Rye wants kids to understand.

Rachel Rye’s Circle Always Has Room

Imagine Rachel standing on the playground with several friends. They’re laughing, talking, and deciding what game to play when Rachel notices another child standing a few feet away. The child isn’t crying, and no one is bullying her; nothing obviously bad is happening. She’s simply standing outside the circle.

Rachel has a choice. She can continue talking with her friends, thinking that she didn’t exclude the girl. Or she can notice. Rachel scoots over, opens the circle, and says, “Want to play with us?”

Those four simple words could change the entire school day for that child. That’s the difference between teaching children not to exclude and teaching them to actively include others.

Rachel Rye’s “Make Room” Challenge

Rachel has a challenge for families this week.

It’s called the Make Room Challenge.

Encourage your child to do one thing that widens the circle.

They might:

Invite someone new to play.
Sit beside someone they don’t usually sit with.
Ask a new student a question.
Choose a different partner.
Introduce two friends who don’t know each other.
Make sure everyone gets a turn.
Speak up when someone is intentionally excluded.
Invite someone standing alone into the conversation.

Then, at dinner, ask:

“How did you make room for someone today?”

Imagine if that became as common as asking:

“How was school?”

The post How to Raise An Inclusive Child appeared first on My Crumby World.

Raising Cooperative & Inclusive Kids: Simple Activities That Build Stronger Friendships

mycrumbyworld — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 19:58:54 +0000

Why Cooperation and Inclusion Matter More Than Ever

Friendships can be one of the most beautiful — and sometimes most challenging — parts of childhood. From learning how to share, to navigating group dynamics, to including others who feel left out, kids are constantly developing the skills they need to build strong relationships.

But cooperation and inclusion don’t just happen on their own — they are learned behaviors. And like any skill, they grow stronger with practice.

At My Crumby World, we believe that when kids learn to work together and include others, they don’t just build friendships — they build confidence, empathy, and connection that will last a lifetime.

What Do Cooperation and Inclusion Look Like?

Before we teach these skills, it helps to define them in kid-friendly ways:

Cooperation = working together, taking turns, and helping each other
Inclusion = making sure everyone feels welcome and valued

These are the qualities that Rachel Rye models so beautifully — always making space for others and reminding us that friendship grows when no one is left out.

Activity Ideas to Teach Cooperation and Inclusion

Here are simple, fun, and meaningful activities families can do at home:

1. Bake Together, Share the Roles

Activity: Choose a simple recipe and assign each family member a role:

Mixer
Measurer
Ingredient gatherer
Timer watcher

Why it works:
Kids learn that everyone contributes something important. Cooperation becomes necessary to complete the task.

Breadcrumbz Tie-In:
Rachel Rye reminds us that teamwork makes everything sweeter!

2. Inclusion Challenge Cards

Activity: Write simple prompts on cards like:

“Invite someone new to play”
“Sit next to someone different at lunch”
“Ask someone how they’re feeling”

Let kids pick one card per day.

Why it works:
Gives kids real-life opportunities to practice inclusion in a structured, approachable way.

3. Role-Play Friendship Scenarios

Activity: Act out common situations:

Someone being left out
A disagreement between friends
Joining a group

Ask:

“What could we say to include someone?”

Why it works:
Kids feel more confident handling real situations when they’ve practiced them first.

4. The Puzzle of Us

Activity: Draw or cut out puzzle pieces. Each family member decorates one piece to represent themselves. Then connect them all together.

Why it works:
Shows that everyone is different — and that differences help create a complete, beautiful whole.

5. Kindness Spotting Game

Activity: Throughout the day, point out moments of cooperation or inclusion:

“I noticed you let your sister go first — that was cooperative.”
“You invited your friend to join — that was inclusive.”

Why it works:
What gets noticed gets repeated.

Why These Activities Work

When kids practice cooperation and inclusion regularly, they begin to:

Develop empathy
Communicate more effectively
Feel more confident in social situations
Build stronger, healthier friendships
Reduce conflict and exclusionary behavior

These aren’t just childhood skills — they are lifelong strengths.

A Message from Rachel Rye

Rachel would remind us:

“Friendship grows best when everyone has a place at the table.”

And that’s exactly what we’re teaching — not just how to make friends, but how to be a good friend.

✨ Final Thoughts

Teaching cooperation and inclusion doesn’t require big lessons or complicated plans. It happens in the everyday moments — baking together, playing together, talking through challenges, and noticing kindness when it shows up.

When families make these skills part of daily life, children learn something powerful:
We’re better together.

And in My Crumby World, that’s what it’s all about. 🍞💛

The post Raising Cooperative & Inclusive Kids: Simple Activities That Build Stronger Friendships appeared first on My Crumby World.

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