Empathy Activities for Kids & Parents: Turn Playtime Into Learning About Kindness & Empathy by Jocelyn Greene

Kindness and empathy are like a magic elixir. Our brain rewards us when we do kind things – and that means better mental and physical health. Empathy activities are also ones that can take up a good portion of our day and, therefore, banish the boredom! Through acting on the kindness, you can dig into issues that matter to you and your family in this heightened time of essential activism.

• Read Books: Great books are an incredible way to step outside our own experience and have compassion for others. Then, turn the books into games!

• Play "Emotion I Spy": Helping kids name and identify feelings is a powerful gateway into feeling for others. The idea is that you simply sit on a park bench and observe people’s emotions like you would in "I Spy" and the guess who you are observing. This will help your child process their own feelings and also strengthens their empathetic muscles.

• Theater Games: Play theater games like Emotion Charades, Emotion Freeze Dance, Emotion Sculpture. Learn how to play these games.

• Practice Perspective Taking: Play "A Day in the Life," a game where you go deep into a character so much that you imagine the nuances of their day, dreams, family, etc.
  

Here are more empathy activities that can connect us:

• Compose an original song (for a favorite babysitter’s birthday!).
• Write letters (to seniors in isolation).
• Research organizations that you want to donate to or start your own local fundraiser, clothing or food drive. 
• Make a trailer on iMovie (for your teacher/schoolmates). 
• Use Paperless Post to write notes (to friends you miss).
  
• Find a cause you care about and sign petitions/write letters to politicians.
• Make breakfast (for your parents!).
• Find a few new chores you can do to pitch in around the house.
• Drop off a goody bag and note to a friend's stoop or front door to show your love. (Tip: It's all about the note!)

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