10 Practical Tips for Teaching Empathy to Kids (Ages 6-9)

10 Practical Tips for Teaching Empathy to Kids (Ages 6-9)

Helping children develop empathy is crucial for building emotional intelligence, compassion, and positive social interactions.

Here’s a guide for parents to nurture empathy in children between the ages of 6-9:

1. Model Empathy in Everyday Life

Children learn by observing. Show empathy in your interactions with family, friends, and even strangers. Use phrases like:

• “That must have been hard for them.”
• “I can see how you’re feeling. Let’s talk about it.”

💡 Tip: Narrate your thoughts when you show empathy, so your child understands your reasoning.

2. Encourage Emotional Vocabulary

Help your child recognise and label emotions in themselves and others. Use emotion words like happy, frustrated, nervous, excited, and worried.

🗨️ Conversation Starter: “How do you think your friend felt when they didn’t get a turn?”

3. Practice Perspective-Taking

Ask your child to put themselves in someone else’s shoes. This helps them understand that others may feel differently in the same situation.

🎭 Activity Idea: Role-play different scenarios, such as someone losing a toy or being left out at playtime/ recess and discuss how each person might feel.

4. Highlight Acts of Kindness

Point out examples of empathy and kindness when you see them in real life, books, or movies.

📚 Book Suggestions:

• “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud ( one of my all-time favourites!)
• “Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Peña

5. Teach Active Listening

Encourage your child to listen carefully to others without interrupting, and to respond in a way that shows they understand the speaker’s feelings.

👂 Activity Idea: Play a game where one person shares a story, and the listener has to repeat back the feelings they heard.

6. Create a “Feelings Chart” at Home

Have a chart with faces showing different emotions. Ask your child to identify how they feel each day and to guess how others might feel in various situations.

📊 Bonus Tip: Include solutions for how to help someone feeling sad or angry.

7. Discuss Real-Life Situations

When your child experiences conflict or sees someone upset, ask reflective questions:

• “Why do you think they’re upset?”
• “What could you do to help them feel better?”

8. Encourage Volunteering and Acts of Service

Help your child see the impact of empathy through action. Volunteering at a local charity or helping a neighbour fosters kindness.

💙 Example: Ask your child to make a “get well soon” card for a sick friend.

9. Recognise and Praise Empathetic Behaviour

When your child shows empathy, acknowledge it.

• “I noticed you helped your friend when they were sad. That was very kind.”

🎉 Reinforcement: Positive reinforcement strengthens empathetic behaviours.

10. Use Storytelling to Build Empathy

Stories are a powerful way to help children understand others’ emotions. Ask questions like:

• “How would you feel if you were in that situation?”
• “What could the character do to make things better?”

📖 Story Prompt: “Imagine a child at school feeling left out. What could you do to help?”

Bonus Tip: Practice Mindful Breathing to Manage Emotions

Teaching kids how to manage their own emotions is key to developing empathy. Mindful breathing helps them calm down and think before reacting.

🧘 Breathing Exercise: “Breathe in like you’re smelling a flower and breathe out like you’re blowing out a candle.”