Empathy is the awareness and understanding of another person's thoughts, feelings, and circumstances. The ability to co-experience the feelings and thoughts of other people, is probably one of the most important skills a person may have. Understanding others' feelings and needs helps young people make and keep friends, encourages tolerance and acceptance of others promoting good mental health. Thus, being empathetic assists children and students in building and maintaining strong and healthy relationships developing with their family, class, school, and community. Helping children and students to develop a strong sense of empathy is beneficial because it promotes social harmony, reduces the likelihood of bullying and prejudice, lowers levels of stress and contributes to emotional and social growth. In an ever-changing world appreciating and being sensitive to others’ experiences, backgrounds, and cultures is essential. The activities sourced and designed provide opportunities for children and students to identify and experience the benefits of empathy utilising prosocial behaviours, compassion, perspective taking and other kindness attributes.

The ability to build an understanding of what others are feeling is a valuable life skill for children to possess. Recognizing and naming emotions is an important step in the early years toward developing empathy and regulating emotions. Emotion cards can be used in a myriad of games to identify and label emotions that students feel in their day-to-day lives.