{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"","standfirst":"Empathy is one of the most important life skills we can give our children. Imagine the power of raising a whole generation of empathy-educated young people, determined to put it into action.  That\u2019s the dream of Sarah Mears, Co-Founder of Empathy Lab, who gives us her top tips for developing empathy in young people.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/6848/empathy.jpg","width":1920,"height":1080,"altText":"","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.empathylab.uk/empathy-day\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Empathy Day (EmpathyLab)\u0022\u003EEmpathy Day\u003C/a\u003E on 9 June offers families inspiration to learn more together, experience \u00A0empathy\u2019s power and put it into practice. There\u2019s also a \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.empathylab.uk/family-activities-pack-2020\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Family activities pack (EmpathyLab)\u0022\u003Efamily activities pack\u003C/a\u003E with 14 creative activities.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EScientists say empathy can be learnt \u2013 we\u2019re not just born with a fixed quantity, and stories \u00A0are a powerful springboard for building it. That\u2019s why Empathy Day focuses on using books\u00A0 to step into someone else\u2019s shoes \u00AD\u2013 research shows that when we identify with book characters\u2019 feelings, we learn to understand other people better.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEmpathy is best learnt young, and families have a critical role to play in helping children develop their empathy muscles.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETop empathy\u003C/strong\u003E tips\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHelp children understand empathy\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EEmpathy is our ability to understand and share someone else\u2019s feelings. It\u2019s our human super-power!\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EChildren find it easier to grasp empathy\u2019s nature and importance than we sometimes imagine. This \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/b2f3fbc2/files/uploaded/Family%20Definition%20of%20Empathy%20-%20Family%20Activity%20Pack.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Definition of empathy (EmpathyLab)\u0022\u003ESesame Street video\u003C/a\u003E is a great place to start.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EUse books to build empathy \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EAs you read, try focusing more on the characters than the plot and ask gentle questions like \u2018How do you think the character felt\u2019?\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ELook for stories set in other countries or with characters of different races, religions and experiences. See our Read For Empathy collections for help.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EBooks which explore different characters\u2019 perspectives are great for building the skill of perspective-taking. In Polly Ho Yen\u2019s \u003Cem\u003ETwo Sides,\u003C/em\u003E two girls fall out, and we hear each side of the story.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EMake it creative! Play games where children walk in other people\u2019s shoes. See the \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.empathylab.uk/family-activities-pack-2020\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Family activities pack (EmpathyLab)\u0022\u003Efamily activities pack\u003C/a\u003E\u00A0for loads of ideas.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETalk about emotions\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EMake it easy for children to identify, name and share emotions. If they understand their own feelings, they\u2019ll be better at understanding other people\u2019s. Encourage open discussion of feelings and use emotion words yourself. Don\u2019t miss the Empathy Charades game on Empathy Day.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EListen to children\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ETry to listen deeply, with your full attention, to help children feel their emotions are important and learn to be great listeners themselves. Use \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://www.empathylab.uk/the-listening-switch\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022The listening switch (EmpathyLab)\u0022\u003Ethe listening switch\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECelebrate acts of empathy\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EPraise children for their empathic behaviour as much as for their achievements. Challenge any uncaring behaviour and explore how they could\u2019ve done things differently.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESurround your child with empathic role models\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EHelp children see empathy in real life and in stories. Try to be a role model yourself, sharing feelings and putting empathy into action. Empathy Day powerfully features authors as empathy role models.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBuild children\u2019s empathy habits! \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EHelp them take action to make a difference, and encourage interest in issues that resonate with them, like helping a lonely neighbour. On Empathy Day, work together to make \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://irp-cdn.multiscreensite.com/b2f3fbc2/files/uploaded/Empathy%20Resolution%20-%20Family%20Activity%20Pack.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Make an empathy resolution (EmpathyLab)\u0022\u003Eempathy resolution posters\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"05 June 2020","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":48522,"nodeName":"How to help your children develop empathy","title":"How to help your children develop empathy","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/6848/empathy.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd0eb84230","caption":"Empathy","type":"jpg","size":391530,"width":1920,"height":1080,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"How to help your children develop empathy","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80ODUyMiJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2020/june/how-to-help-your-children-develop-empathy/"}