Empathy is not something children are simply born knowing how to do—it is a skill that develops over time through relationships, guidance, and practice. In early childhood, empathy often begins with noticing feelings, naming them, and learning how our actions affect others.
At Heartfelt Impressions, our teachers are learning how to intentionally practice empathy-taking in real classroom moments, especially during conflict, frustration, and emotional experiences. These everyday moments become powerful opportunities for learning.
What Our Teachers Are Learning
Through professional learning and reflection, our teachers are deepening their understanding that:
- Empathy develops through co-regulation and modeling, not lectures
- Young children need language and support to understand others’ perspectives
- Conflict and big emotions are opportunities to teach empathy—not disruptions to learning
Teachers are learning to slow down and guide children through perspective-taking by helping them ask:
- “How am I feeling?”
- “How might my friend be feeling?”
- “What can I do to help?”
This approach shifts the focus from simply resolving a problem to building social-emotional skills that last far beyond the moment.
What This Looks Like in the Classroom
You may see empathy-taking modeled and practiced in many real, everyday classroom moments:
- During a disagreement over a toy, teachers help children pause and notice emotions
- When a child is upset, teachers narrate feelings: “Your face looks sad. You wanted a turn.”
- Teachers model empathy aloud: “I see you’re frustrated. I’m here to help.”
- Children are guided to repair relationships through words or actions
Instead of rushing children to say “sorry,” teachers focus on helping them understand the impact of their actions and explore ways to make things right.
These moments build emotional awareness, problem-solving skills, and compassion.
Connecting Learning from School to Home
Families can support empathy-taking at home by practicing similar strategies:
Name feelings often
Talk about emotions throughout the day—yours and your child’s.
Model empathy out loud
Say things like, “That was hard for you,” or “I wonder how that made your sister feel.”
Use everyday moments
Books, sibling conflicts, and play are great opportunities to practice noticing feelings and thinking about others.
Focus on repair
Help children learn how to reconnect after conflict—through kind words, helping hands, or space when needed.
Why This Matters
When children practice empathy-taking, they develop skills that support friendships, emotional regulation, and problem solving. They learn that feelings matter—their own and others’—and that caring adults will guide them through difficult moments with patience and understanding.
At Heartfelt Impressions, empathy is woven into our daily teaching, not added on later. By practicing empathy-taking in real classroom moments, we help children grow into kind, thoughtful, and emotionally aware learners.
Thank you for partnering with us as we nurture empathy—at school and at home.
Written by:
Brittany Kay
Director of Program Quality at Heartfelt Impressions
