People look different. They act different. They like different things. Everyone is different. Different does not mean better or worse. It just means different. Hair can be different colors, lengths and styles. Some people are taller or shorter than others. Eye color is different from person to person. It goes from very light blue to dark brown.

Most people are right-handed. About 1 in 10 people is left-handed. Some differences are easy to see, and some are not. Some people use a wheelchair to get from place to place. Having a disability does not mean a person is sad. It does not mean a person cannot do things for themselves. Braille is a system of raised dots. People who are blind or have low vision read it with their fingers.

Families come in all different shapes and sizes. A grandparent, an aunt or an uncle sometimes takes care of a child. Some families have stepparents. Some have one parent. Some have parents who found their children through adoption. People like different things, and that is okay. A smile and an invitation to play is a kind way to meet someone new.

When a child asks about a difference, a simple and honest answer is best. Young children usually ask direct questions about differences. They ask out of curiosity, not to be mean. Staring, pointing and leaving someone out are unkind. A respectful question is fine. A kind way to include someone is to invite a child who is sitting alone to join in.

Treating someone badly because they are different is not okay. Kids who bully sometimes pick on someone who looks or acts different. This is never okay. Teasing can become hurtful, unkind and constant. Then it crosses the line into bullying. Leaving someone out on purpose can be a kind of bullying. Kids watch how grown-ups treat people. They learn from it.

If you see someone being picked on, you can stand up for them. You can also tell an adult you trust. Playing and working with people who are different from you helps you practice kindness and empathy. Kids feel good about themselves when they try things. They feel good when they make friends, do favorite activities and are kind. A grown-up you trust can help when someone is being unkind. A grown-up you trust can help when being different feels hard. A grown-up you trust can help.

Words to know

• braille: raised dot writing
• disability: harder task
• bullying: hurtful meanness
• empathy: feeling for others

The short version

People look different, act different and like different things. Different does not mean better or worse. It just means different. Treating someone badly because they are different is not okay, and a grown-up you trust can help when being different feels hard.

Quick facts

• Most people are right-handed, but about 1 in 10 people (10.6%) is left-handed.
• Braille is a system of raised dots that people who are blind or have low vision read with their fingers.
• Families come in all different shapes and sizes.
• Leaving someone out on purpose can be a kind of bullying.