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This story is part of the Building Belonging toolkit for early childhood educators, created by the Australian Human Rights Commission.

All My Friends
and Me

Building belonging: A toolkit for early childhood educators on
cultural diversity and responding to prejudice (2016)

This story begins with a picture of a little girl with brown hair, she is wearing a purple t-shirt, red shorts and purple sneakers. She has five of her friends around her. All the children are different from each other, they have different kinds of hair and different coloured skin.

My name is Pax. These are my friends.
We meet here in preschool where the fun never ends!

We talk and we play and we soon realise,
We have lots in common, just look inside...

Here is Pax playing with one of her friends, his name is Fergus. They have different coloured eyes: Pax has brown eyes, Fergus has blue eyes. In this picture Pax and Fergus are playing with big reading glasses. Pax's glasses are red and Fergus' glasses are green.

Eyes brown like chocolate,
Eyes blue like the sky,

And here are Pax and Fergus eating a big bowl of tasty noodles! (That sure looks yummy!)

But we both like to tuck into yummy stir-fry!
We slurp all the noodles and munch every pea.
Eating together, Fergus and me.

Here is Pax with her friend Ling! Ling is on tippy-toes, because Pax is taller than her. Ling has straight black hair and is wearing a red dress.

Tall like a giraffe,
Small like a mouse,

And here are Pax and Ling holding hands with their two little brothers. They are walking down the street. (Do you have a brother or sister at home?)

But we both have a brother crawling around our house!
We're on the same branch of our family tree.
Big sisters together, Ling and me.

Here is Pax with her friend Kojo, playing with their toy boat in the paddling pool. Pax has light brown skin. Kojo's skin is dark brown.

Skin tanned like caramel,
Skin brown like cocoa,

Here are Pax and Kojo playing with play dough on a mat. Pax is being silly and making Kojo laugh because she's made a tower out of cups and saucers!

But we're both experts when it comes to play dough!
We make cups and saucers and share morning tea.
Playing together, Kojo and me.

Here is Pax with her friend Merindah. They are hanging upside down on the monkey bars. They have very different types of hair: Pax has short, straight hair, and Merindah's hair is long and very curly!

Hair straight like an arrow,
Hair curly like a spring,

Pax and Merindah are singing and playing music! Pax is playing on her recorder and Merindah is shaking her tambourine. They're having a great time singing their song together!

But we both love to dance and we both love to sing!
We make up new songs and we toot them with glee.
Singing together, Merindah and me.

Here are Pax and her friend Parima They are looking at themselves in a big mirror. The clothes they are wearing look very different! Pax is wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Parima is wearing a dress, with pants and a scarf. (Parima's outfit is called a shalwar kameez). Pax has light brown skin. Parima's skin is dark brown and she has long, black plaits.

Clothes long and colourful,
Clothes short and bold,

Here are Pax and Parima playing dress ups together! Pax is dressed up as a doctor and Parima is a lifeguard.

But we both like to dress up and see stories unfold!
Doctors or pilots or lifeguards by the sea,
Pretending together, Parima and me.

Here we have all the friends holding hands together in a circle!

So no matter the colour of your skin, hair or eyes.
We're all very similar when you look inside.

Come rain or shine,
no matter the weather,
My friends and I are happiest
when we are together!

And that's the end of the story, All my friends and me!

The End

Building belonging: A toolkit for early childhood educators
on cultural diversity and responding to prejudice (2016)

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