Empathy is one of the most important social-emotional skills children can learn. When kids understand and care about how others feel, they are better able to build healthy friendships, resolve conflicts, and contribute positively to their classroom and family environments.

In Teaching Social Skills to Youth, 4th Edition, Boys Town’s proven model outlines a clear, practical skill that helps children develop empathy in everyday interactions: Expressing Empathy and Understanding for Others. Teaching this skill step-by-step gives kids the tools they need to listen well, connect with others, and respond with kindness.

The Skill: Expressing Empathy and Understanding for Others

Teaching empathy isn’t abstract—it can be modeled and practiced. Here are the skill steps recommended in Teaching Social Skills to Youth:

1. 1. 1. 1. Listen closely as the other person expresses their feelings. Giving full attention shows the speaker their feelings matter.
         2. Express empathy by saying, “I understand…” Simple, supportive language helps children build emotional connection.
         3. Demonstrate concern through your words and actions. Tone of voice, facial expressions, and posture all communicate care.
         4. Reflect back the other person’s words by saying, “It seems like you’re saying…” This helps kids check for understanding and shows they truly listened.
         5. Offer any help or assistance you can. Taking action turns empathy into meaningful support.

These steps can be practiced at home, in school, and during everyday moments when children encounter peers or siblings who are sad, frustrated, or struggling.

Why Empathy Matters

Empathy helps children:

• • • Build stronger, more supportive relationships
    • Resolve conflicts respectfully
    • Understand perspectives different from their own
    • Develop compassion, generosity, and emotional intelligence
    • Contribute to positive classroom and family cultures

Kids who practice empathy grow into adults who can collaborate, lead, and care for others—skills that matter in every community and workplace.

Tips for Parents: Helping Kids Build Empathy at Home

Empathy grows through small, everyday moments. Parents can help children practice with supportive guidance:

1. Label Feelings in Real Time

Model identifying emotions: “Your sister looks upset. Let’s check on her.”

2. Encourage Perspective‑Taking

Ask questions like: “How do you think your friend felt when that happened?”

3. Praise Empathetic Actions

Recognize when your child shows kindness: “I noticed how you asked if your friend was okay—that was thoughtful.”

4. Use Books and Stories as Teaching Tools

Pause during storytime to talk about character feelings and choices.

5. Model Empathy Yourself

Children learn most by watching how adults respond to others.

Tips for Educators: Supporting Empathy in the Classroom

Classrooms thrive when students feel seen and supported. Teachers can promote empathy with simple classroom practices:

1. Teach and Model Active Listening

Use the skill steps from Teaching Social Skills to Youth to help students practice listening with attention and care.

2. Use Circle Discussions or Class Meetings

Give students opportunities to share feelings and listen to their peers.

3. Incorporate Perspective‑Taking Activities

Role‑playing, reflection prompts, and partner discussions help expand understanding.

4. Reinforce Empathy Language

Phrases like “I understand…” or “It seems like you’re saying…” become powerful tools when modeled regularly.

5. Highlight Literature with Strong Social Skill Themes

Use empathy-focused children’s books to spark discussions and connect stories to real-life situations.

Recommended Reading: Empathy‑Centered Books

Books are one of the most powerful tools for helping kids see the world through someone else’s eyes. These Boys Town Press titles support perspective-taking, compassion, understanding, and emotional awareness. 

These stories give children relatable examples of characters practicing empathy—helping them see how understanding others strengthens friendships and builds confidence.

Empathy Is My Superpower! Grades K-4 | $10.95 Show kids the power of noticing, understanding, and caring about the feelings of others. Add to Cart

Everyone's Contributions Count Grades K-4 | $10.95 Remind kids that every person brings value to a group. Add to Cart

Freddie the Fly: Truth or Care Grades K-4 | $10.95 Teach children how to balance honesty with compassion and how empathy can guide them to speak with kindness. Add to Cart

Freddie the Fly: Seeing Through Another Lens Grades K-4 | $11.95 Explain how everyone experiences the world in their own way and that empathy can help us navigate these differences kindly. Add to Cart

Isaac the InstiGator Grades 1-5 | $10.95 Teach kids to pause, consider others' feelings, and repair relationships with empathy. Add to Cart

When Sophie's Sorry Wasn't Enough Grades 1-5 | $11.95 Show children how to take responsibility, recognize how their choices affect others, and use empathy to make sincere amends that rebuild trust. Add to Cart

Parker Plum and the Intergalactic Space Detective Grades 2-6 | $10.95 Help kids learn empathy, self-refelction, and thoughtful provlem-solving. Add to Cart

The Adventures of Jeff & Reed: A Four-Story Anthology Grades 2-6 | $14.95 See how empathy, communication, and perspective-taking strengthen friendships and help kids work through conflicts. Add to Cart

Am I Weird? Grades 3-6 | $12.95 Teach kids to embrace uniqueness while also practicing empathy toward friends and classmates who struggle with similar worries. Add to Cart

The Good, the Bad, and the Backstory Grades 4-8 | $9.95 Encourage empathy in older elementary and middle-grade kids by showing them how to look beyond someone's actions and consider the feelings and circumstances behind them. Add to Cart