Encouraging Empathy in Children

Even at the age of two or three, children are able to empathizThe boy and girl playing to a sandboxe with the feelings of others, because they experience strong emotions themselves. Imagine a group of preschoolers playing in the sandbox. One boy’s shovel breaks and he begins to cry. But the girl playing next to him offers the boy her shovel, finds another toy, and they both go on playing happily. That girl is showing empathy.

In this situation, a teacher might praise the girl like this, “I noticed how you gave your shovel to your friend. I bet it felt good to help him. It made me feel good to see you helping.”

Want to know more? Our free Sesame Street Workshops begin on March 6. Or check out this article from our partners at Sesame Workshop for ideas on building empathy in young children.

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