Ways to Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Starlight encourages all families to take the time to explore these cultures and teach their kids about their rich histories.  

This month is a time to honor the influence and contributions of the AAPI communities to the history and culture of the US, which is often celebrated through festivals and educational activities.  

 Here are five activities you and the whole family can do to celebrate:   

1. Read a children’s book written by Asian authors, featuring Asian characters, or illustrated by Asian artists. PBS.org has a list of recommendations that you can choose from! 

2. Visit a museum! If you live nearby an Asian history museum, it could make for the perfect family outing! If you aren’t ready to do in-person activities or don’t have one local to you, try the Asian Art Museum’s Museum from Home, or Google Arts and Culture offers a great round-up as well. 

3. Get crafty! There are so many great crafts that you and your kids can do together that will provide you all with an opportunity to talk about the role they each play in Asian culture. Check out this list of fun activities. 

4. Have a movie night. There are so many different movies that you and your family can spend a Friday or Saturday night watching and learning more about AAPI cultures together.  

5. Spend the night cooking together. Skip your normal go-to meal and spend time picking out a new dish to make in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month!  

 Whether you do one of these activities or all five, it is so important to take the opportunity to spend time teaching your kids about the historical impact of AAPI communities in the US and celebrate how they impact our culture every day.