Pre-school Topics, Block 7, Week 66: Only human beings show empathy

Cognition

Week 66
Only human beings show empathy

Cognitive skills, or cognitive abilities, are the ways that your brain remembers, reasons, holds attention, solves problems, thinks, reads, and learns. Logic and reasoning skills help you solve problems and generate ideas. This cognitive ability is part of the preciousness of our humanity. God has endowed us with the ability to think logically well beyond any animal. There is a huge gulf between our cognition and that of animals. Animals mostly live by instinct and inborn behaviors.

Point to emphasize
A young child can show empathy.

References
Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15)

Sample content and conversation with children

We have been discovering how God made us so differently than the animals. Now we will discover that God made us with a marvelous brain that is so far above any animal’s brain.
Today we will see that we can show empathy. This is a big word, empathy. It means that we can understand the feelings of another, and we also share their feelings. We can show empathy in many ways.
Who of you likes to ride a bicycle? It’s so exciting! Here are two pictures of children learning to ride a bicycle that I want to show you.
- [Show picture #1.] Look at the face of this boy. How do you think he is feeling? Is this boy happy or sad? [Let the children answer.] Yes, he is happy! We see someone with a happy face, and we understand that they are happy! Why is he so happy? [Let the children answer.] What would you do if your friend or sibling learned how to ride a bike? [Let the children answer. Possible answers may be to cheer them on, clap for them, say “Good job!”, etc.]
- [Show picture #2.] When you’re learning to ride a bike you might not always be happy, sometimes you might fall. Now, what do you think happened to this girl? What do you think she would be feeling? How would you feel if this happened to your brother or sister? [Let the children answer.] Yes, we feel sad when our brother or sister is sad. That is because God made us so we can share the feelings of others. When our brother or sister is hurt, we want them to feel better, right? What can you do to make your sibling feel better when they get hurt? [Let the children answer. Possible answers may be to find a band-aid, give them a kiss, help them get up, etc.] When you cheer for your friend, and when you kiss their bruises to make them feel better, you are showing empathy!

Who of you enjoys snack time? Everyone! Here are another two pictures that I want to show you, of children going to have snack time.
- [Show picture #3.] Look at this boy! What does his face look like? Is he joyful or not? Why is he so joyful? [Let the children respond.] Right! He is going to enjoy a yummy snack! What would you say to your friend when they are going to enjoy a snack? [Let children answer, for example say “That looks so yummy!”, “Good job making the snack!”, etc.]
- [Show picture #4.] Now, what happened to this boy when he was going to enjoy his ice cream? [Let the children answer.] Right, he was sad and disappointed because he couldn’t continue to enjoy his yummy ice cream. What would you do to make him feel better? [Let the children answer. Possible answers may be to share your snack with him, give him a hug, invite him to play with you, etc.] When you give him a hug, you are showing empathy!
No animal shows this kind of empathy. Your pet dog may come and sit next to you when you are sad. [Show picture #5.] But the dog is really imitating you, it is just doing the same thing you are doing. It is not feeling empathy. A dog could never feel sad for you and try to comfort you in the same way you comfort your sibling when they are hurt; nor cheer you on when you’re learning to ride a bike. A dog could never hug you and make you feel better when you drop your ice cream. Only we can show empathy! God made us so we can be happy with those who are happy, and we can be sad with those who are sad (cfr. Romans 12:15).

Songs
Never forget that it’s God who created you
If you want a great big smile

Suggested activities

Have the parents print out beforehand the sheet provided with a happy face and a sad face. Read out loud the scenarios, and have the children raise the face showing the emotion they would feel in each of them:
- Your sibling has a sore throat and a fever.
- Your cousin is meeting a new friend.
- Your sibling received a gift from a friend.
- Your friend was told by the teacher to stop.
- Your cousin is having trouble with a zipper.
- Your friend is waiting for his/her mom to arrive.
- Your cousin is going on a train ride this afternoon.
- Your sibling drew a very good picture.
- Your friend’s puppy broke its leg.
What am I drawing? Have children figure out what is being drawn. You may use the videos provided.