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Compassion for Others
Ages 5 to 6Social / Compassion
Understanding what someone else is carrying.
Let’s Experience It
Pema sees a friend sitting alone at lunch. The friend’s face looks sad. Her shoulders are down. Pema thinks, “How does she feel?” Pema walks over. She says, “Do you want to sit with me?” Her friend smiles. Now they eat together.
What’s Happening?
Pema is showing compassion. She noticed how her friend felt. She cared about her friend. She did something kind. Compassion means understanding feelings and wanting to help.
We can recognize emotions in others. Faces tell us a lot. A smile means happy. Tears mean sad. A frown means upset. Bodies tell us things too. Crossed arms might mean mad. Slumped shoulders might mean tired or sad. Watching faces and bodies helps us understand others.
When we think about how others feel, we have empathy. We ask, “How do you think they feel?” We imagine being in their place. This helps us be a good friend.
Kind actions show we care. We can help someone who dropped their things. We can share our snack. We can comfort a sad friend. We can include others who are alone. These kind actions make a big difference.
Including others is very important. No one likes to feel left out. We can invite others to play. We can make space at our table. We can say, “Come join us!” This makes everyone feel welcome.
Why It Matters
When we show compassion, we build friendships. People feel safe with us. We make our classroom a warm place. Everyone feels like they belong.
Being kind makes us feel good too. Helping others makes our hearts happy.
Try It Yourself
Feelings Detective:
Look at someone near you.
What does their face show?
What does their body show?
How do you think they feel?
Is there something kind you can do?
Remember
Notice how others feel. Care about them.
Do kind things. Include everyone.
This is how we show compassion.
Check yourself
14 questions on this topic. Nothing is saved and nothing is
sent anywhere.
These were written for the next age band up — the curriculum has no set
of its own for this age.
Your friend is crying because they dropped their snack. What can you do?
When someone is sad, we can show kindness by helping them feel better. Sharing and giving hugs shows you care! This is called compassion - caring about how others feel and wanting to help them.
You see a new student sitting alone at lunch. What should you do?
Inviting someone new to join you shows compassion and helps them feel welcome. Being new can feel lonely and scary. When you include someone, you help them feel they belong. This is called kindness - doing things that help others feel good!
Your friend's face looks sad and they're not smiling. How might they feel?
We can understand how others feel by looking at their faces and bodies. A sad face usually means someone is feeling upset. This is the start of empathy - understanding how other people feel. When we notice someone is sad, we can try to help!
During Losar (Tibetan New Year), families visit each other and share food. Why is this nice?
During Losar, Tibetan families celebrate by visiting and sharing. This shows compassion - caring about others' happiness. When we spend time with people and share good things, we show we care. Festivals remind us to celebrate our connections with others!
Your friend fell down and hurt their knee. They're crying. What can you say?
When someone is hurt, kind words and asking if they need help shows compassion. Saying 'I'm here' helps them know they're not alone. This is being a good friend - caring when someone is hurting and offering to help.
Your friend's face has tears and they're looking down. How do they probably feel?
Tears and looking down usually mean someone is sad or upset. When we notice how others look, we can understand their feelings. This is the start of compassion - caring about how others feel and wanting to help!
A classmate can't find their backpack and looks worried. What can you do?
Offering to help when someone is worried shows compassion! You see they're struggling and you want to help. Two people looking is better than one. Small acts of kindness like this make people feel cared for!
In Tibet, children often help elderly people carry things. Why is this kind?
In Tibet and everywhere, helping elderly people shows respect and compassion! As people get older, some things become harder. When children help, they show they care and notice when others need support. This is kindness in action!
Your classmate is struggling to zip their jacket. What shows compassion?
Asking 'Do you want help?' is compassionate because it shows you care AND respects their choice. Sometimes people want to try themselves! Compassion means caring about others while also letting them decide what they need.
A kid trips and falls in the hallway. Other kids are laughing. What should you do?
When someone falls and others laugh, they feel embarrassed and hurt. Going to help shows compassion - you care about their feelings more than fitting in with the crowd. Being kind when others aren't takes courage!
Your friend didn't get picked for a team and looks sad. What can you say?
When a friend is disappointed, showing you understand their feelings helps them feel less alone. Saying 'that must feel bad' shows empathy - you get how they feel. Offering to play together shows compassion in action!
You notice a classmate always sits alone at lunch. What's a kind thing to do?
Inviting someone to join you or sitting with them shows compassion! They might be shy or new. When you include someone, you help them feel they belong. Everyone wants to have friends and feel welcomed.
Your friend's pet fish died and they're very sad. What helps?
When someone loses a pet, they feel real sadness. Saying you're sorry and that it's okay to be sad shows compassion. You're not trying to fix it - you're just letting them know you care and their feelings matter.
What does it mean to 'put yourself in someone else's shoes'?
Putting yourself in someone's shoes means imagining how they feel. If your friend lost their toy, how would YOU feel if you lost your toy? This helps us understand others and feel compassion. It's a way of caring!
Compassion for Others at other ages
The same topic, written for older and younger children. Worth a look when
you are judging how far to take it.