Check out this list of books that teach kids empathy

Photo above by Jerry Wang used by permission via Unsplash.

It’s not always easy to help young children learn to practice empathy toward others. Fortunately, our friends at Common Sense Media have created a resource to help parents do just that: a list of books that teach kids empathy.

“Teaching kids character strengths and life skills such as empathy is one of the most important jobs of being a parent. Empathic kids can put themselves in someone else’s shoes. It also allows them to develop other caring character strengths, such as compassion and gratitude,” Common Sense explains.

To help you find books that teach empathy and gratitude, they’ve created a detailed, searchable list of books broken down by age groups — preschoolers (2-4), little kids (5-7), big kids (8-9), tweens (10-12) and teens (13+) — that explore these important topics. In different ways, each of these books can help kids develop these strengths by celebrating friendship, difference and the importance of caring for one another.

Search the list of books that teach kids empathy here.

For more empathy-building media picks from Common Sense Media, check out their lists of movies and TV shows that promote empathy. And to help kids cultivate patience, check out our guide to mindfulness for the whole family.