Representation matters—we know this to be true. When our children see themselves reflecting back at them in books, in movies, in the dolls they play with and the coloring pages they doodle on, they feel seen and validated. That’s why it’s important to have Hanukkah books and Diwali children’s books in children’s book bins because we know there is already a sea of stories about Christmas. It’s why we should educate children about the dangers of ableism assumptions and work together to check our own assumptions that everyone in the room has the same abilities. When toys and activities are designed in a way that anyone and everyone can play, all children learn how to be fair and inclusive. And, they learn how much kinder and more beautiful the world is when we widen our circle to let new friends in.

Related: Mom shares powerful message about inclusive toys: ‘Representation matters!’

Because the truth is, for far too long the toy industry was dominated by and representative of one primary group—white, non-disabled children. And that meant children who didn’t fit that niche group spent their childhood playing with dolls and toys that didn’t look like them. Thankfully, that seems to be changing as more and more toy companies are committing to creating multicultural toys that reflect the vast diversity of the world, as well as inclusive toys reflective of various disabilities, skin conditions and illnesses that kids everywhere experience—kids who just want to play alongside everyone else.

Related: This is Motherhood: Melissa Orijin of Orijin Bees on creating inclusive toys for her children

And as parents, we of course want to see our children happily playing with dolls and reading books that help them feel seen. However, we also want to raise kids who are loving, accepting and appreciative of children who look different than they do—like children who might have a different skin tone, live in LGBTQ families, use crutches to walk or have a cochlear implant—even, and especially, if our own children do not. It is through playing with a diverse set of toys that young kids learn about these differences and also learn that despite the unique characters that define us, we all belong and can make the world better and kinder together.

26 inclusive toys we love that celebrate diversity and help children feel seen

Games and activities

Little Feminist Mini Memory Match Game

Mudpuppy

$4.99

Little Feminist Mini Memory Match Game

Foster an appreciation for the diverse range of powerful women who have changed the world with this memory matching game. Kids will see the faces of women like Malala Yousafzai, Rosa Parks and Frida Kahlo, among others, as they work their brains to find matches.

Little Passports Motherly

Little Passports

Global Citizen Subscription Boxes

Your little explorer will love learning about the world and different cultures with Little Passports boxes. The World Edition  boxes (ages 6-10) take them to various places around the globe to discover new cultures through projects, activities, and stories as they collect a new stamp each month. Are they more of a budding foodie? Check out the Kitchen Adventures box which takes them on a culinary journey through countries and cultures all over the wold.

 

Black Girl MATHgic subscription box

Black Girl MATHgic

$44.95

Monthly Math Subscription Box

Foster a love for STEM by subscribing to the Black Girl MATHgic monthly math box. Your child will have fun with math and honor her Black girl magic at the same time.

Braille UNO cards

MaxiAids

$14.50

UNO Gard Game with Braille Modification

MaxiAids makes classic kids games like UNO, Go Fish, and Old Maid accessible for visually impaired children by adding braille to them. With a game like this, everyone can play–and that’s how it should be!

Build Your Own Solar Powered Car Motherly

Teni & Tayo Creations

$24.99

Build Your Own Solar Powered Car

Support brain development and creativity with STEM-related toys like this solar-powered car. Or, sign up for a subscription so your child can experience even more. Teni & Tayo has all the options!

Children of the World jigsaw puzzle

Crocodile Creek

$22.99

36-Piece Children of the World Jigsaw Floor Puzzle

The world is beautifully diverse and our children should learn about the many races, ethnicities and cultures it has to offer. Foster an appreciation for diversity and encourage your kids’ passion for international travel with this fun and engaging floor puzzle.

Mudpuppy My Hair, My Crown – Magnetic Play Set Travel

Mudpuppy

$19.39

My Hair, My Crown Magnetic Play Set Travel

Perfect for travel or playing on-the-go, this magnetic play set lets little ones get creative as they mix and match a variety of hairstyles, from braids and twists to knots and afros. The tidy tin also contains two double-sided cards with fun illustrated backgrounds and a collection of accessories so the combinations are almost infinite!

Crayola Colors of the World Colored Pencils

Crayola

$4.29

Colors of the World Colored Pencils

With 24 different shades, Crayola’s Colors of the World Colored Pencils represent a wide range of skin tones from all over the world.

Upbounders Mommy's Shadow Professions

Upbounders

$9.99

Mommy's Shadow Inspiring Professions

A fun and engaging way to explore all the occupations women can have from astronauts and computer scientists to military officers and firefighters.

eeBoo: I Never Forget a Face, Memory & Matching Game

eeBoo

$17.29

I Never Forget a Face, Memory & Matching Game

Introduce little ones to 24 different cultures around the world with this gorgeously illustrated memory game. Turn the box over to learn about each child’s homeland, geography and religion.

Miniland Family Diversity Blocks Game

Miniland

$45.98

Family Diversity Blocks Game

Families come in all kinds of configurations! These diverse blocks allow kids to build a wide range of families with different skin tones, hair colors and genders. They’re chunky enough for little hands and easy to put together and take apart as well.

Bao Bao Learns Chinese Vol. 1

Bao Bao Learns Chinese

$24.99

Bao Bao Learns Chinese Vol. 1

Introduce the littlest learners to Mandarin Chinese through song. The Bao Bao Learns Chinese book features six classic children’s songs sweetly sung by a real mama. As they get older, they can follow along as each song is written in English, Mandarin and PinYin (the phonetic pronunciation of characters). There are also two additional volumes to expand the collection!

Habbi Habbi Starter Set

Habbi Habbi

$120

Starter Set

Habbi Habbi’s Reading Wand & Bilingual Books help even the youngest children begin learning a second language. The innovative and engaging play-based tool brings language to life through a tech-enabled wand and “tappable” books that give kids instant feedback, from vocabulary and phrases to musical tunes. And while learning the alphabet, colors, and shapes is great, we love that they also work to include topics like emotions, female role models and diversity. The starter set includes the wand and five books offering a mix of Word, Phrase and Sentence books from their collection. Choose from Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean or Hindi.

Dolls

Ish Dolls Deity Bundle

Ish Dolls

Ish Dolls

The plush dolls from Ish Dolls connect little ones with the rich stories and colorful imagery of Hinduism.

Cre8tive Minds Babydolls in a Basket

Cre8tive Minds

$35.99

Basket of Babies Plush Dolls

Little kids love to dote on their babies, push them in strollers, pretend to change their diapers and parent them just like they see their own parents doing. This adorable basket of diverse baby dolls will foster an acceptance of different ethnicities and skin tones from an early age.

American Girl Truly Me Doll

American Girl

$115

Truly Me Collection

The American Girl Doll store has made it their mission to provide diversity and inclusivity among their dolls, and the Truly Me Collection does just that. Kids can search for dolls without hair, dolls with crutches, and dolls who use wheelchairs, among other choices, to find a doll who truly looks just like them.

 

 

Createable World Deluxe Character Kit

Createable World

$27.99

Deluxe Character Kit

From the wig to the impossibly stylish outfits and accessories, the Createable World Deluxe Character Kit can become whoever your kid wants it to be. Mix it up to create new characters time and time again!

Barbie The Movie President Barbie

Barbie The Movie

$50

President Barbie

If we’ve learned anything from Barbie it’s that a doll can change the world. (But apparently not be nominated for an Oscar, but don’t get us started.) That said, Barbie gets it—representation matters. From dolls with vitiligo and prosthetic limbs to the gorgeous President Barbie that envisions something blissfully new and different, the every kid can see themselves in her (tiny, not quite functional) shoes.

 

Babydoll with Down Syndrome by Miniland

Miniland

$49.98

Babydoll with Down Syndrome

This babydoll with Down Syndrome might just the toy a child needs to truly feel seen and validated for the beautiful person they are. We also love that Miniland offers a host of under-represented groups like little ones with cochlear implants or even babies in glasses.

Bibinee Dolls Amirah Doll Hijab

Bibinee Dolls

$45

Amirah Doll Hijab

With her floral-accessorized hijab, the snuggly Amirah Doll from the UK-based Bibinee Dolls helps foster cultural awareness while also becoming a well-loved pal.

 

Orijin Bees Fro Zizzy Bee - Black Baby Doll

Orijin Bees

$49.99

Fro Zizzy Bee Baby Doll

The award-winning multicultural dolls from Orjin Bees honor and celebrate the wide variety of skin tones and curl patterns of Black and Brown children of all backgrounds.

Toys

Lovevery play kit

Lovevery

Play Kits

Lovevery offers play kits for all ages, but do they more than that. This company also provides comprehensive disability support services that include one-on-one conversations with specialists who will help you, the parent, identify learning goals and choose the best toys and activities for your own child’s needs.

Everyone is Awesome LEGO set

LEGO

$34.99

Everyone is Awesome LEGO Set

Everything is awesome when all kids are accepted, and LEGO knows it. We want our kids to know they are awesome just as they are, which is why this rainbow LEGO set that celebrates LGBTQ kids and families is so important.

My Family Builders magnetic wooden blocks

My Family Builders

$56.95

32-Piece Set Magnetic Wooden Blocks

Celebrate all types of families with this magnetic block set by My Family Builders which allows kids to build their own family, a family down the street, maybe a friend’s family or even their classmates at school, all the while celebrating everyone’s differences.

Uncle Goose Chinese Blocks

Uncle Goose

$42.95

Chinese Blocks

Each of these stunning basswood blocks feature a Mandarin Chinese character which represents the word for an animal with the English translation on the other side. There’s so much to be learned from one tall tower! (They’re also available in Hebrew, Korean and Japanese.)

Melissa & Doug Wooden Sushi Set

Melissa & Doug

$19.99

Wooden Sushi Set

Got a tiny foodie on your hands? Foster that fire with a mini sushi set. Little ones will love the velcro seaweed and chopsticks as they learn to make their own maki rolls.

Rite Lite My First Shabbat Food Set

Rite Lite

$19.99

My First Shabbat Food Set

Challah anyone? This 7-piece play set teaches little ones about the Jewish custom of Shabbat, from the meaning behind it to the delicious foods families typically enjoy on the day of rest.

The Freckled Frog My Family Blocks

The Freckled Frog

$50

My Family Blocks

This 30-piece block set represents a wide range of cultures and traditions that spark conversation and imaginative play.