Creating Rainbow Pride Prints: Embracing Inclusivity and Celebrating Diversity

Creating Rainbow Pride Prints: A Fun and Inclusive Activity

Welcome to our website blog! Today, we'll guide you through a fun and creative activity that celebrates diversity and inclusion: making Rainbow Pride Prints. This activity is perfect for Scouts and anyone interested in exploring LGBT+ themes while fostering a sense of community and understanding. Let's get started!

Before You Begin

Before diving into the activity, it's important to prioritize safety. Use our safety checklist to plan and conduct a risk assessment for this activity. If you need additional help with risk assessment, you can find examples here. Make sure all participants, both young people and adults, are aware of the safety guidelines and how to engage in the activity safely.

At Scouts, we embrace inclusivity and value-based principles. To learn more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity, visit our dedicated pages. You can also explore what Scouts are doing to support Pride, as we actively participate in promoting understanding and acceptance.

To further enhance your learning experience on LGBT+ topics, we recommend checking out the resources provided by Pop ‘n’ Olly, who offer a wealth of educational materials.

Setting up for the Activity

To ensure a smooth activity, set up the paints, paintbrushes, or sponges at your meeting place before the participants arrive. You'll need paints in each color of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and dark pink. Make sure to have enough paintbrushes or sponges for each participant.

If you'd like to incorporate natural elements into your prints, consider using leaves or other objects collected during the Diversity in Nature activity.

Story Time

To kick off the activity, reading a story can help set the tone and spark everyone's imagination. Here are a couple of book recommendations to get you started:

1. "How Do You Make a Rainbow?" by Caroline Crowe: This rhyming story follows a little girl who asks her grandad to help her paint a rainbow in the sky on a rainy day. It's a colorful celebration of love, positivity, and community. You can borrow this book from your local library.
2. "Kenny lives with Erica and Martina" by Olly Pike: This book introduces Kenny, whose world becomes more vibrant when new neighbors move in. However, not everyone is accepting. You can either have someone read the book aloud or use this video as an alternative.

Learning About the Rainbow Flag

Before diving into the art activity, take a moment to engage the group in a discussion about the rainbow flag. Start by asking if anyone can name the colors of the rainbow. Encourage participation and ensure everyone feels included.

Next, inquire if anyone has seen a rainbow flag before and if they know its meaning. Share some information about the rainbow flag's origins:

The rainbow flag was created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, commissioned by a politician to design a flag for San Francisco's pride parade. Baker chose a rainbow as a symbol of nature's beauty and unity. Each color represents togetherness, highlighting how individuals from diverse backgrounds come together as one within the LGBT+ community.

Explain that some families use rainbows to celebrate having two mums, two dads, or having a family member who identifies as LGBT+. Pride month, celebrated in June, is an opportunity to be proud of LGBT+ individuals and different types of rainbow families. Throughout the year, Pride parades and events take place, allowing us to show our support and pride as allies. Displaying the rainbow symbol signifies our commitment to this cause.

Remember, there are various pride flags representing different groups within the broader LGBT+ community. To explore more about these flags and their meanings, check out this informative article: https://www.seventeen.com/life/g32577915/lgbtq-pride-flags/