How to Immerse Kids in African Culture at Home, Naturally and Easily

Themes of the joy and pride of African culture were the source of inspiration for Ade + Ayo, and continue to be something that we hope to share with as many families as possible. African culture is rich with tradition, creativity, joy, and diversity -- all of which are important to immerse young children in. In this blog post, we'll be looking at 5 ways that you can naturally and easily bring the beauty of African culture to your home and children. From interior design tips to play-ready African aesthetic apparel for children, our list is simple, authentic, and readily applicable.

African-Inspired Interior Design 

When it comes to interior design, one of the easiest ways to bring an African influence into your home is by including artwork and other designs from African owned brands or African artisans. If you live near the city, these pieces can often be found at local street markets or art galleries, but online is where we know to be the most easily accessible. If you haven't already, be sure to check out our recent post on African-Inspired Home Decor Ideas. We've detailed 20+ beautiful products with images of how to style them, along with the brands and shops where you can purchase them from online (all Black-Owned). These pieces add flavor, dimension, and history to any room in your home.

African Cuisine

As far as cooking goes, African cuisine is some of the most flavorful and healthy in the world. Try incorporating some African spices into your dishes, such as ginger, cumin, and paprika. We have a few blogs that are full of delicious recipes to try. Check out these Cozy African Recipes to Try this Fall or these Four African Dishes to Try this Thanksgiving.

Toys from Africa

Toys are another great way to teach children about African culture. There are many companies that create beautiful and unique toys inspired by African traditions. These companies use locally-sourced materials and employ African artisans, so you can feel good about supporting them. Some of our favorites include African Dolls Lolo, which are handmade by women weavers in South Africa, and Swahili Modern, who sells handmade toys and nursery decor, created by working with hundreds of artisan partners spanning 15 African nations: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

African Languages 

When it comes to teaching children about their African heritage and culture, there are few things as important as giving them access to learn the basics of African languages. Learning languages has been shown to promote healthy development and cognitive benefits that last a lifetime, not just in children but also for adults! As a parent or caregiver -- you can still get involved with education around world cultures by teaching kids how much more there truly is out there beyond their own culture's boundaries (and vocabulary).

We proudly offer KOLI & ULUM "My First Words" books and flashcards here at Ade + Ayo alongside our collection of products to help more families discover African Languages with their kids.

KOLI & OLUM is dedicated to introducing African languages to children at an early age. Their “My First Words” series contains engaging colors and vibrant images of everyday items that young children will recognize.

You can check out our Favorite Resources for Teaching African Languages to Your Kids in our recent blog post here. 

 African Aesthetic Clothing for Everyday Life

Finally, what better way to show your children African pride than by dressing them in beautiful play-ready African aesthetic clothing? At Ade + Ayo, we create beautiful and authentic African styles for your home through wearable and organic cotton essentials for your little ones. Our goal is to foster connection for children. For those children born to Africans or people in the African diaspora, our well-crafted items bring connection to heritage, imbuing daily play and exploration with culture. For all children, we believe that Ade + Ayo can encourage a connection to our global community. Our products will ignite curiosity and spark love and respect for the people and cultures whose stories these items tell. 

 We believe that the joy, pride, and beauty of African culture should be experienced by everyone. We hope that this blog post has inspired you to find ways to bring African culture into your home and life in a natural and easy way.

And don't forget, by following us on Instagram and joining our email list, you'll save 15% off your first order!