Empathy - Best Inspirational Story

A story that explores compassion and opens a conversation with your child.

★★★★★ Loved by families

Read the Guiding Questions

♥ This book teaches: Compassion. seeing past difference to offer kindness.

Before, During & After Reading

Guiding Questions for Parents.

Definition: The ability to feel what others are feeling and the action of trying to help them with their troubles. In short: Feel what others feel. Summary: Learning Objectives: Guiding Questions:

🌿 Virtue Connection: Compassion means feeling what another feels and choosing to act.

Hands-On Practice

Activities for This Story.

Activity: After watching the video, students participate in a two legged race. They discuss what it was like to mutually support one another when their legs were bound together.

Materials needed: the video; strips of cloth to bind legs together; an area where students can have a race

Directions: Introduce the video: “This video is about empathy. Do you know what empathy means? [pause for responses] You will understand it even better after you watch the video.” Show the video and discuss it. Ask students to share about why the boy wanted the puppy with a limp. Tell students they will do an activity that will help them understand the boy’s motivation even better: “The boy wanted a companion that would understand him the most. It was the puppy who had a limp like him. They could support each other best. The boy was upset when the shopkeeper said he could have the puppy for free. Why was he upset? [pause for responses] Now you’ll do an activity that will help you experience what it’s like to really support one another - a two legged race!” Create student pairs and show them how to bind their legs together. Give them a few minutes to practice. Conduct the race. Guide students in a discussion afterwards, asking them to share about what it was like to work together and support one another.

Wrap it up: Explain: “The boy wanted a companion who had the same challenges and limitations he had. In that way, they could be a comfort to each other. Let’s remember this story, and try our best to empathize and be supportive. Remember how you supported one another in the two legged race. Maybe it didn’t work that well, or maybe it did, but at least you tried!”

About the Story.

This guide is part of the Values & Virtues library, a free collection of 400+ book guides and activities organized around 12 core virtues for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Each guide includes Guiding Questions designed to open a real conversation with your child in 10 minutes or less.