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Preparing for Pride!

Global Pride Day takes place on 27 June each year; the month of June is globally celebrated as Pride Month. Pride month commemorates the Stonewall Rebellion which took place in the US in 1969. An important protest, this rebellion started the movements which changed Gay Rights for people all around the world.

Although originally about protest, Pride grew in popularity and, from 1988, it started to be recognised as the lively, colourful and joyful celebration of people coming together in love and friendship it is now. It celebrates how far LGBTQ+ rights have come, and the progress made towards freedom and equal rights since the 60s.

Each letter of LGBTQ+ has a meaning. The letters stand for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning. The "+" is an inclusive symbol to mean “and others” to include people of all identities.

Pride is all about celebrating who you are, no matter who you love.

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Interesting facts about Pride

  • The iconic rainbow flag, which is often flown at Pride marches, was designed in 1978 and updated recently to be more inclusive.
  • Every colour in the rainbow flag has a meaning.
  • The largest Pride Parade in the world is in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
  • Brighton is the unofficial LGBTQ+ capital of the UK.
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Activities for children with vision impairment

There are many ways to embrace the spirit of Pride. Here are some activities to try.

Talking about colour to a child who is blind or partially sighted can be daunting, but did you know that colour can be expressed and interpreted through more senses than sight alone? Think about ways you can help your child to develop an understanding of colour by describing how it sounds, feels, tastes or smells, for example:

  • Blue sounds like the gentle lapping of waves at the seaside
  • Green feels like grass on our toes
  • The colour brown tastes sweet like chocolate
  • Red smells like strawberries

It is important to remember that children perceive colours differently and that there is no right or wrong way to experience colour.

Rainbow shaving cream marbled art

Any craft involving shaving foam can take your child on a multi-sensory journey, tantalising the sense of touch and inspiring creativity!

  • Squirt some shaving foam into a clean, shallow baking tray and paint a rainbow on top using washable paint (some children may need help with this).
  • Place a clean piece of paper on top of the shaving foam and paint, then carefully peel it back to reveal a beautiful rainbow. Put to one side to dry.
  • Encourage your child to use their hands (or a spoon or pencil if they prefer) to swirl the shaving foam and make a marbled rainbow. Press your paper lightly into the foam and peel back to reveal another unique design. Repeat until you have a gallery of marbled rainbow art!

Blooming marvellous Pride pots

Whether you’re growing pride or proud of growing, have fun planting a special flower in a DIY rainbow flowerpot!

Decorate a terracotta plant pot with scented markers, puffy paint or tactile jewels to show off your creative side.

Explore different senses by planting marvellously bright marigolds or luscious, scented lavender. Nurture your plant and burst with pride as it blooms and grows!

Rainbow leaf prints

  • Head out on an adventure to collect leaves of all different shapes and sizes.
  • Once home, set the leaves aside and grab some brightly coloured, washable paint.
  • Spread your leaves out on some newspaper (Top tip: to create a clearer contrast and tactile boundary, place a sheet of plain paper on top of the newspaper and put your leaves on this).
  • Paint all parts of each leaf using a brush, spatula or your fingertips! Once you’re happy with your painted leaf, place it on top of a clean sheet of paper, paint side down, and press gently.
  • Carefully peel back the leaf to reveal your masterpiece!

Pride crafts and activities can help you start a conversation with your children about love and acceptance.

If you can’t see the rainbow, you can listen to the rain, feel the heat on your skin and be the rainbow.

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Pride websites for children

There are many websites which explore Pride in a child-friendly way. Here are some links to get you started:

We would love parents and carers to share their thoughts and feedback on these activities via our Parents and Carers Facebook Group. Let us know your family's favourite traditions and how you celebrate!

If you would like to see a particular celebration included here, email us.

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