Teaching Kindness Early: Inclusion Begins on the Playground

Earlier this week, I took Mia to a local indoor play place. Like any curious, energetic toddler, she was eager to explore. She wanted to do what the other kids were doing—climbing ramps, sliding down slides, and experiencing the joy of play.

Here’s the thing about Mia: she’s small—about the size of a 16-month-old. She’s also not walking or standing independently yet, but she has the most determined little bootie scoot you’ve ever seen—and let me tell you, she is fast.

It’s easy to look at Mia and wonder if a place like this is really “for her.” It’s easy to fear for her safety or question what she can do. She moves like a baby. She looks like a baby. But she’s not. Mia is a vibrant, joyful, determined 2-year-and-4-month-old—just as curious, creative, and capable of wonder as any other child her age.

She watched as other children climbed to the top of the play structure to go down the big slide. And then, with pure willpower and focus, she decided she was going to join them.

Many children raced past her in their excitement. Most didn’t even notice her. A few seemed annoyed by her slower pace. One child even stepped over her, bumping her head in the process. Occasionally, adults reminded the kids to “slow down” or “be careful,” but the moment passed as quickly as the kids themselves.

But Mia? She stayed the course.

She paused, observed, and looked for me—checking that I was still close by. I tried to help, but she gently pushed me away. She didn’t want to be rescued. She just wanted to know I was there. She wanted to do it on her own. She wanted to belong.

And she did.

Mia made it all the way to the top and down the slide, her face glowing with pride. I was overwhelmed with joy… and quietly heartbroken. Because even at this young age, she was met not with cruelty—but with indifference. With impatience. With misunderstanding. Not yet rejection, but certainly not inclusion either.

That’s why we wrote Mia Was Here.

Mia Was Here: A Lesson in Kindness and Friendship is more than a children’s book. It’s a call to action. Designed to help young children understand what it means to be kind, this book teaches children to include others, and to recognize that differences are not deficits—they’re beautiful parts of what make us human.

In her book, readers follow Mia, learning how she interacts with the world and how her friends can show kindness and understanding along the way.

Check it out HERE

Invite Mia to Your School!

Reading the book is a wonderful start. But the real magic happens when students get to meet Mia in person.

Mia and I are available to visit local schools, daycares, churches, and community events to share her story and speak with young children about kindness, friendship, and inclusion. We’ll read Mia Was Here, talk about how we’re all different in wonderful ways, and answer questions from curious young minds. We understand that at a young age, curiosity comes in the form of "why do her eyes look like that" and "why do people with Down syndrome sound funny?" Empowering children with knowledge and answers creates advocates and partners instead of allowing the unknown to fester into fear and negative beliefs.

These visits are designed to be developmentally appropriate, warm, and interactive—tailored for preschool and elementary learners. We want children to see that kindness isn’t something they “should” do—it’s something they want to and can do, right now, with the children around them.

Why It Matters

Children begin forming ideas about inclusion, ability, and difference at a very young age. If we don’t talk about it early, they will form assumptions based on what they don’t understand.

By teaching empathy and modeling inclusive behavior, we give children the tools they need to become compassionate, accepting individuals. A story like Mia Was Here gives them a window into someone else's world—and an invitation to be kind.

Let’s Start the Conversation

If you’d like to host a reading, invite Mia and me for a classroom visit, or learn more about how to promote inclusion at your school or event, please reach out. We’d love to be part of your journey toward a more kind and welcoming world.

Because kindness can start with a slide, a smile, or a story.

And sometimes… it starts with Mia.