Empathy scenarios for kids: 34 real-life situations to practise

Friend Chooses Who to Sit With in Lunch Line

Ages 6–14

In the cafeteria line, your friend says he only wants to hang out with certain kids. Another student standing nearby hears and looks hurt. What do you do?

Also practises: relationship skills, courage, social awareness

Why Won’t My Friend Talk?

Ages 6–14

Your best friend hasn’t spoken to you all day and seems upset. You didn’t do anything wrong — at least you think you didn’t. What do you do?

Also practises: relationship skills, integrity, social awareness

Friends Tease You for Mentoring Young Student

Ages 12–14

You're asked to mentor a younger student at school, but your friends tease you about 'wasting time with a baby.' You want to help but feel embarrassed. What do you do?

Also practises: relationship skills, courage, social awareness

Swapped Goody Bags

Ages 6–10

You accidentally grabbed your friend’s birthday goody bag instead of yours. Theirs had something special in it that you like. What do you do?

Also practises: courage, social awareness, integrity

When Friends Dare You to Be Mean

Ages 6–10

At recess, a friend dares you to say something mean to another student “as a joke.” A few others are watching. What do you do?

Also practises: social awareness, integrity

Is This Video too Old for Us?

Ages 6–11

At a friend’s house, they start watching a YouTube video that says “for ages 12+.” No adults are around. What do you do?

Also practises: courage, integrity, self-control, responsibility

Classmate Copy

Ages 6–12

A classmate keeps asking to copy your math's homework. You like them and don’t want to cause trouble. What do you do?

Also practises: courage, relationship skills, integrity

Friend Wants to Borrow New Toy After Last Time's Accident

Ages 6–12

Your friend asks to play with your new toy, but the last time they broke one. They promise to be careful. What do you do?

Also practises: relationship skills, courage, social awareness

Balancing Secrets and Safety

Ages 6–14

A friend shares something serious with you at recess and asks you not to tell anyone. Later, it seems like they might need help. What do you do?

Also practises: relationship skills, courage, social awareness

Bright Colors, Big Decisions

Ages 6–14

It’s pyjama day and you forgot. Everyone else is in bright colors. You've gone to school with your normal school uniform. What do you do?

Also practises: courage, self-awareness, optimism

Cousin's Tall Tales at the Family Gathering

Ages 6–14

At a family gathering, your cousin starts making up stories about school to impress the adults. You know they’re not true. Everyone seems amazed. What do you do?

Also practises: self-control, relationship skills, integrity

Friend's Success

Ages 6–14

Your best friend wins an award you also applied for. You’re happy for them — but when everyone congratulates them, you feel a sting in your chest and catch yourself saying, “It’s fine, I didn’t even want it.”

Later, you realise you did really want it, and you feel a bit jealous. What do you do?

Also practises: self-awareness, resilience

Friends in a Tiff

Ages 6–14

Two of your friends stop talking and want you to 'choose sides.' What do you do?

Also practises: relationship skills, courage, social awareness

Friendships choices

Ages 6–14

A new student sits alone at lunch. You want to sit with your usual group, but you also don’t want the new kid to feel left out. What do you do?

Also practises: belonging, courage

Gift Surprise

Ages 6–14

At a family party, you’re given a gift by someone you don’t know well. You don’t like it — and everyone is watching. What do you do?

Also practises: self-control, relationship skills, responsibility

Left Out of Sleepover

Ages 6–14

You hear your classmates talking about a weekend sleepover but you are not invited. What do you do?

Also practises: relationship skills, social awareness, courage

Nervous notes

Ages 6–14

Before your piano recital, you get nervous and want to drop out. Your parent and teacher both encourage you. What do you do?

Also practises: self-control, relationship skills, responsibility

Toy Trouble

Ages 6–14

You're at your friend’s house and you borrow their toy and accidentally break a piece. They haven’t noticed yet. What do you do?

Also practises: courage, integrity, responsibility

When Laughter Hurts

Ages 6–14

During group work, one classmate makes a loud, rude comment about someone’s idea. The group laughs. What do you do?

Also practises: social awareness, courage, relationship skills

Taking Turns

Ages 8–12

You’re in a play and supposed to share lines. Your partner keeps trying to say all of them. What do you do?

Also practises: relationship skills, self-awareness, courage

Winning is winning?

Ages 8–12

You win a backyard race and can't help but keep bragging. Your friend remains quiet for a while and says nothing. What do you do?

Also practises: relationship skills, social awareness, self-control

Group Text Turns into Teasing Trouble

Ages 8–14

Your classmates start a group text teasing someone who’s not in the group. At first it seems like a joke, but it keeps going. You’re in the chat. What do you do?

Also practises: social awareness, relationship skills, online safety

Leadership troubles

Ages 8–14

You and two others are assigned as group leaders. One person tries to take over everything. You’re not sure how to speak up. What do you do?

Also practises: courage, social awareness, self-control

Losing Streak

Ages 8–14

Your basketball team has lost five games in a row. Everyone’s frustrated. At practice, some players stop trying and start blaming others. You feel the same — what’s the point if you keep losing? What do you do?

Also practises: optimism, resilience

Silent Treatment

Ages 8–14

You accidentally said something in a group chat that embarrassed your friend. You apologised right away, but since then, they’ve stopped talking to you — no replies, no eye contact at school.

Days turn into a week. You start wondering if the friendship’s over.

What do you do?

Also practises: online safety, relationship skills, self-awareness, resilience, integrity

Tablet Time with Sibling

Ages 8–14

You and your sibling are supposed to share tablet time. When it’s their turn, you realise you forgot to save your game and ask to finish. They don't want to share. What do you do?

Also practises: self-control, relationship skills, responsibility

Unchosen

Ages 8–14

Your teacher announces a surprise class project — “Pick your own partners!” — and the room bursts into noise. You quickly turn to your best friend, but they’ve already teamed up with someone else. You look around and see a classmate sitting alone — someone who’s usually quiet and not very confident. You feel disappointed, and part of you wants to just work alone. Then the classmate looks up and says softly, “Do you… want to work together?”

Also practises: resilience, kindness, self-awareness

You Snap. You regret

Ages 8–14

You’re doing homework when your little brother bursts into your room and accidentally knocks over your water bottle onto your project. You yell, “Get out!” — louder than you meant to. He runs away crying. A few minutes later, you realise he didn’t mean to — and your throat feels tight with guilt. What do you do?

Also practises: self-awareness, self-control, kindness

Classmate Submits Artwork That Someone Else Created

Ages 10–14

You notice a classmate submitted a drawing you saw someone else working on last week. No one else seems to realize it. What do you do?

Also practises: courage, integrity

Homework fight?

Ages 10–14

You’re trying to finish a big assignment that’s due tomorrow — one that could raise your grade.

Halfway through, you hear your parents arguing again in the next room.

You try to block it out, but the voices get louder, and you catch your name.

Your chest tightens. You can’t focus anymore.

You know the deadline is close, but all you can think about is what’s happening at home.

What do you do?

Also practises: self-control, focus, resilience

Target Shifter

Ages 10–14

You spoke up last week when a group started teasing another student.

Since then, the group has stopped talking to you — and now they’re posting inside jokes online that seem aimed at you.

One of your old friends messages privately:

“They’re just joking — don’t make it worse. Maybe say sorry, even if you didn’t do anything.”

You feel torn — you did the right thing, but now you’re the one being left out.

What do you do?

Also practises: courage, social awareness, resilience, belonging

The Argument you weren't in

Ages 10–14

You’re in your room doing homework when you hear your parents arguing loudly downstairs.

It’s about money — again.

You hear your name come up. One of them says,

“We can’t keep paying for all these extras — they don’t even appreciate it.”

The room goes quiet.

A few minutes later, your mum knocks on your door, eyes red, and says softly,

“Hey, everything’s fine. How’s your homework going?”

You want to yell, cry, and ask what’s really happening — but you also don’t want to make things worse.

What do you do?

Also practises: integrity, self-control, resilience, self-awareness

The Split Secret

Ages 10–14

Your parents have been arguing a lot lately.

One night, your dad tells you,

“Please don’t tell Mum I’m thinking of moving out — I just need time to figure things out.”

The next morning, your mum asks,

“Has your dad seemed distant lately? Be honest with me.”

You freeze.

You love them both. You don’t want to betray either — or lie.

What do you do?

Also practises: integrity, self-control

Unexpected Lunch Photo Shared with Friends

Ages 10–14

A student takes your photo while you're eating and shares it on a group story without asking. Others start commenting. What do you do?

Also practises: kindness, social awareness, online safety