Observing Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month With Kids
In the United States, May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. If you’re looking for ways to involve your kids, here are a few ideas…
Kids Art & Craft Projects for AANHPI Month
- Find an art project using the fantastic Asian art education library and activity collections from the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, CA
- Download an art project lesson plan or activity from the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, CA
- Try one of the Explore Art & Me activities from The National Museum of Asian Art
- Learn how to make a navigational chart in the style of the Marshallese from The Met
- Create mix-and-match accordion books with children’s book author and illustrator Il Sung Na from the Met
- Explore the Pacific Islander and Southeast Asian Artists Collection from Anti-Racist Art Teachers
- Find fresh inspiration with these 9 Contemporary Asian American and Pacific Islander Artist
AANHPI Month Children’s Book Lists
Our Favorite Places to Find Great Reading Recommendations for Kids
- Visit children’s book author Michelle Sterling’s collections of Asian American history books for kids and Filipino children’s books (plus more gift ideas!) on her site Avery & Augustine. There’s so much more to find, so be sure to take your time browsing the full website!
- Browse the children’s Chinese book library and Korean children’s book collections on Dr. Betty Choi’s website Chalk Academy. Another website that is chock full of fantastic information and support (especially for those interested in bilingual parenting).
- Stop by Mia Wenjen’s site Pragmatic Mom for her Japanese American children’s book list, Japanese folk tale collection, and Japanese internment camp books for kids (along with the story of her own family’s experience). Be sure to explore the full site because there are so many helpful resources!
- Visit this comprehensive and diverse list of Indian books for children from Iliah Grant-Altoro’s site Negra Bohemian
- Shop the keiki book collection from Native Books in Honolulu, HI
- New Zealand’s Aotearoa Books is a great place to find Maori children’s fiction or non-fiction, Pasifika children’s books, and New Zealand children’s picture books or non-fiction
- Peruse San Francisco Public Library’s AANHPI Picture Book Recommendations
- Visit the New York Public Library’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Reading List for Kids
- Find a book using Social Justice Books’ Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander-reviewed selections curated by age group
- Visit this list of picture books by Asian American and Pacific Islander Authors & Illustrators from Wild Rumpus Books
Celebrating AANHPI Stories and Children’s Book Authors: Read-Aloud Videos
Read along to Sunday Funday in Koreatown by Aram Kim
Read along to The Sound of Silence by Katrina Goldsaito
Read along to That’s Not My Name! by Anoosha Syed
Read along to Snow Angel, Sand Angel by Lois-Ann Yamanaka
Read along to Sora’s Seashells by Helena Ku Rhee
Read along to Sari-Sari Summers by Lynnor Bontigao
Read along to Where’s Halmoni? by Julie Kim
Read along to Where Wildflowers Grow by Hà Dinh
Read along to Always Anjali by Sheetal Sheth
Read along to Drawn Together by Minh Le
Read along to Eyes That Kiss In the Corner by Joanna Ho
Read along to The Empty Pot by Demi
Lesson Plans and Educational Resources
- Visit Google’s interactive Asian Pacific American cultures site
- Browse the National Education Association’s classroom resources for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
- Visit the AAPI heritage resources from Learning for Justice
- Find lesson plans and media from The Asian American Education Project
- Visit the educator resources from the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle, WA
- Visit the Museum of New Zealand’s teaching resources
- Download one of the printable kids’ activities and guides from the Polynesian Cultural Center
- Use the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center’s connections page
- Explore the ABC’s of AAPIs using the free printable lesson plans and coloring pages from PBS Learning Media
Music & Podcasts
Listen to Spotify’s AANHPI Playlists
Listen Now
Cooking With Kids
- Find a Polynesian recipe (like this tropical fruit salsa) from the Polynesian Cultural Center to make together
- Make a recipe from Tasty’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Collection (like this Mango Smoothie With Boba or yummy Polvoron!)
- Grab one of these Asian Food-Inspired Picture Books
- Make a dosa with Suma Subramaniam, the author of the children’s book The Runaway Dosa
More Resources
- Watch the PBS Kids’ AANHPI Month video playlist together
- Stream a family-friendly movie that celebrates Asian-and Pacific Islander Heritage
- Celebrate AANHPI month and learn more about the cultures and heritage with Nickelodeon’s AAPI Heritage Month content
Celebrating diversity ALL year
National Black History Month
OBSERVED IN FEBRUARY
National Women’s History Month
OBSERVED IN MARCH
ARAB American Heritage Month
OBSERVED IN APRIL
Asian American Heritage Month
OBSERVED IN MAY
Jewish American Heritage Month
OBSERVED IN MAY
LGBTQ+ History PRIDE Month
OBSERVED IN JUNE
NATIONAL Disability Pride Month
OBSERVED IN JULY
Latinx/Hispanic Heritage Month
OBSERVED IN SEPTEMBER
Native American Heritage Month
OBSERVED IN NOVEMBER
