Parents' Guide to

Multicultural Education Through Miniatures

By Dana Cotter, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 6+

In tiny dolls, a world of unique cultures comes to light.

Website http://www.coedu.usf.edu/culture/
Multicultural Education Through Miniatures Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

Community Reviews

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age 6+

Based on 1 parent review

Ebeth
Ebeth Parent of 4, 4 and 6-year-old
November 29, 2009
age 6+

With parents helping younger children, great for all ages.

I love this web site. The miniatures are wonderful, to say the least. Stories are written simply enough to be interesting to 6 year olds, and to be read by early readers. They are written with such description, I could easily imagine being there. Games range from fun for younger children, to quite challenging for older children and adults. This web site is a gem.

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
See all 1 parent review

What’s It About?

The title might be a mouthful, but MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
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THROUGH MINIATURES is really about how little things can have big meaning. The
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site uses photographs of dolls and other miniatures to take kids on a worldwide
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cultural tour. There are over 300 photos of handcrafted miniatures, each with a
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description of how they were made, a story from the country or state they
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represent, its flag, what currency is used, and which language is spoken in
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that region. Simple educational games let kids test their multicultural
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knowledge.
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Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Multicultural Education Through Miniatures is a delightful
approach to teaching kids about the ways of people near and far. The high-quality
photos of the dolls has the effect of personalizing each culture, making its "stats"
relatable and memorable. This unique concept delivers a wealth of information and
lets students easily find whatever region they are interested in. Kids may be
especially drawn to the games, which expand the offerings for each doll to
include a country's music, animals, clothing, dance, and other unique
characteristics.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how each doll embodies distinct characteristics and what they reveal about their culture. Also, the author of this site has given permission for students and teachers to use the copyrighted photos, stories, and games in school projects. How might kids go about using material from Web sites where permission is not as clear? Do kids know how to credit sources when they use something for a school project?

Website Details

  • Genre: Educational
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 4, 2015

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