Helping Kids Understand the Black Lives Matter Movement

The accompanying blog post for our Black Lives Matter Protests movie provides guidance and strategies for teaching this topic. 

The following suggestions from The Child Mind Institute article, Racism and Violence: How to Help Kids Handle the News, are intended to support you as you engage in discussions with young people about this movie, and teach about the Black Lives Movement:

Be clear, direct, and factual about current events and history. Emphasize that racial violence is wrong.

Encourage questions even if you can’t answer them. It’s okay to acknowledge that this is a difficult topic and that you are uncomfortable, but it’s not a reason to stop talking.

Don’t hide your emotions. Letting your child know you’re sad and angry about injustice is good modeling of human behavior that can assure them that it’s okay to express their feelings. 

Keep the conversation open. Racism and violence are important topics that require ongoing dialogue. Let your kids know that you’re always available to talk, and be sure to keep checking in on them, too.  

NOTE: We strongly suggest previewing the Black Lives Matter Protests movie before watching it with children as it describes acts of racist violence. While we don’t advise this movie for younger students, you can find collections of free, age-appropriate topics that support antiracism on both BrainPOP and BrainPOP Jr.