Empathy is a powerful skill that helps us connect with others, strengthen relationships, and create kinder communities.

At Mental Health America Lakeshore, we recently had the privilege of bringing an interactive empathy presentation to third graders at Horizon Elementary. This experience highlighted how impactful empathy education can be.

What Is Empathy and Why Does It Matter?

Empathy is the ability to understand and share someone else’s feelings. It’s about putting yourself in their shoes and thinking, “How would I feel in their situation?”

As researcher Brené Brown puts it, empathy fuels connection. It requires us to stay out of judgment, recognize emotions in others, and communicate that understanding. Unlike sympathy, which often focuses on feeling for someone, empathy is about feeling with someone.

Empathy helps us:

• Build stronger relationships.
• Navigate conflicts with kindness and understanding.
• Create inclusive, supportive environments.

Empathy in Action: Horizon Elementary

Our recent empathy workshop with Horizon Elementary’s third graders was a perfect example of how empathy can be taught in fun and meaningful ways.

We started the session with the book Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts. This heartwarming story follows Jeremy, a boy who wants a trendy pair of shoes but struggles to afford them. Through his journey, Jeremy learns about kindness, sharing, and understanding others’ struggles.

The story opened the door to discuss what empathy looks like and how it feels to “walk in someone else’s shoes.” The students eagerly shared their own experiences and ideas, making empathy a relatable and meaningful concept.

Next, we used “empathy task cards” paired with different shoes. Each card presented a scenario and prompted students to think about how they’d feel and how they could help.

This hands-on activity helped students practice perspective-taking while learning how their actions can support others.

To close the session, students designed their own shoes to reflect their individuality while identifying shared connections with their classmates. This creative activity encouraged them to celebrate what makes them unique while discovering common ground—a key to building empathy and inclusion.

Bringing Empathy Home and Beyond

Empathy isn’t just for the classroom—it’s a skill that can transform your family life, friendships, and workplace. Here are some ways to build empathy at home and in everyday interactions:

For Children

1. Empathy Storytime: Read books like Those Shoes or The Invisible Boy together and talk about the characters’ emotions.

2. Emotion Charades: Act out feelings (happy, frustrated, scared) and guess each other’s emotions.

3. Compliment Jars: Celebrate kind acts at home by writing them on slips of paper and reading them together each week.

For Teens

1. Perspective Chats: Talk about current events or situations at school. Ask, “How do you think they feel?” or “What would you do to help?”

2. Media Reflection: Watch movies or shows together and discuss the characters’ emotions and actions.

3. Journaling: Encourage teens to write about times they felt understood and how it made a difference.

For Adults

1. Active Listening: Practice truly listening to others without interrupting or offering immediate advice. Ask follow-up questions like, “How did that make you feel?” (Click here for our Empathy in Action: Active Listening Guide).

2. Check Your Judgments: Pause before reacting and try to see things from the other person’s perspective.

3. Model Empathy: Show kindness in your daily interactions—whether it’s helping a neighbor or thanking a coworker.

Final Thoughts: Empathy as a Lifelong Skill

Empathy isn’t something we’re born with—it’s something we can build and strengthen every day. Whether it’s helping children at Horizon Elementary learn to step into someone else’s shoes or encouraging active listening in our workplaces, empathy creates deeper connections and a more compassionate world.

Want to Bring Empathy to Your Community?

If you’re interested in hosting an empathy presentation like the one at Horizon Elementary, we’d love to collaborate! Contact Anna at anna@mhalakeshore.org or Andrea at andrea@mhalakeshore.org to learn more.

Let’s keep building empathy—one story, one conversation, and one kind act at a time.