Why should we use books to teach children empathy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As a behavior specialist and mobile therapist for children, I’ve experienced the benefits of utilizing engaging books to teach my clients about various social-emotional skills, including empathy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When reading to or with a child, you show them care, compassion, and concern. You are modeling these skills for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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You also have a fun way, through books aimed at children, to bring up potentially difficult topics. You have a non-confrontational avenue to teach an important skill for navigating successfully through life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you read about other people’s feelings, problems, and stories with children, you make way for conversations and potential roleplays, which help build problem-solving skills. You and your child, student, or client can act out parts of the stories or create your own similar roleplays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research also supports utilizing books to teach these skills (see references at the end of the article). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of concepts covered in some of the therapeutic books I read with my clients included: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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• how to understand your feelings<\/li>\n\n\n\n
• how to be a friend<\/li>\n\n\n\n
• how to accept differences<\/li>\n\n\n\n
• how to develop empathy<\/li>\n\n\n\n
• how to solve a problem<\/li>\n\n\n\n
• how to be a good citizen<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

  Research also supports utilizing books to teach youth social-emotional skills such as empathy (see research references at the bottom of this article). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  5 Great Books to Teach Children About Empathy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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  Just as it is important for us to have empathy for our children, we want to teach them the importance of having empathy for others! <\/p>\nRachel Wise – educationandbehavior.com<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

  1. Bear Feels Sick<\/em> by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

  Bear Feels Sick<\/a> is about a lovable character named Bear. Bear does not feel well. He is sneezing, wheezing, and achy. He is too sick to play outside.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  His friends come over to help him feel comfortable, but just as Bear gets better, his friends feel sick.<\/p>\n\n\n

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  <\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

  2. Understand and Care<\/em> by Cheri Meiners <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

  Understand and Care<\/a> helps children learn that other people have feelings like theirs, and feelings different from theirs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  By using child-friendly words and illustrations, children see the importance of showing care by listening to others and respecting their feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  The book also includes questions to discuss, and empathy games to play.<\/p>\n\n\n

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  <\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

  3. When I Care about Others<\/em> by Cornelia Maude Spelman <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

  When I Care about Others<\/a>,helps children understand the importance of caring for others when they are sick, hurt, or unhappy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  It also helps children understand the concept of “treat others how you wish to be treated.” It highlights the benefits of offering and receiving support from others.<\/p>\n\n\n

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  <\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

  4. <\/strong>Teach Your Dragon Empathy<\/em> by Steve Herman<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

  Teach Your Dragon Empathy<\/a> is about the joys of owning a pet dragon. They can sit, roll over, and play. They can light candles on a birthday cake, light a campfire, and do many other cool things…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  The story also includes a component where the pet dragon does not think about other people\u2019s feelings. He does and says things that he will regret. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  The main character has to teach the dragon to be considerate, and understand others’ feelings and viewpoints, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n

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  <\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

  5. A Kids Book About EMPATHY<\/em> by Daron K. Roberts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

  A Kids Book About Empathy<\/a> helps children dive into the difficult social situations we all face in our lives. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  It gives them a concrete way to understand others’ thoughts and feelings through practical and relatable content. Kids learn to feel along with people, rather than feel for them. <\/p>\n\n\n

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  <\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

  Research References<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

  Primarily peaceful: Nurturing Peace in the Primary Grades <\/a>
  Using Children’s Stories to Promote Peace in Classrooms<\/a>
  Integrating Literature-Based Social Skills Lessons into an Early Childhood Setting <\/a>
  Social-Emotional Teaching Strategies<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

  You might also like the following:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

  5 Highly Rated Kids’ Games for Practicing Social Skills<\/a>
  Research Says We Can Help Kids of All Ages Develop Empathy – Find Out How<\/a>
  5 Great Activities to Do with Your Social Skills Group<\/a>
  8 Fun Activities to Practice Social Skills with Your Child<\/a>
  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Why should we use books to teach children empathy? As a behavior specialist and mobile therapist for children, I’ve experienced the benefits of utilizing engaging books to teach my clients about various social-emotional skills, including empathy. When reading to or with a child, you show them care, compassion, and concern. You are modeling these skills […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":21053,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11,51,88,16,71,17],"tags":[410,411,412,413,414],"class_list":["post-9049","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-counselors","category-educators","category-fun-ideas","category-parents","category-social-skills","category-social-emotional","tag-how-do-you-teach-a-child-empathy","tag-how-to-teach-children-empathy","tag-teaching-chldren-about-empathy","tag-teaching-empathy-to-kids","tag-what-books-are-used-to-teach-empathy"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\n