Skill
Shows Empathy
Child notices others' feelings and responds with care.
Ages 36–60 months
Why it matters
Empathy — recognizing and responding to how others feel — is the foundation of kind relationships and prosocial behavior in group settings.
Builds toward this milestone
- expresses care and concern toward others. — Head Start ELOF
What mastery looks like
- Notices when a peer is hurt or upset and responds (comforts, fetches an adult, offers a toy).
How to observe it
- When another child is upset, does the child show concern or try to help?
Accessibility
- Model and name caring responses explicitly; some children need the helping action shown.
Activities
Learn first
Evidence
- Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF) — U.S. Office of Head Start · 2015 · U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs (4th ed.) — National Association for the Education of Young Children · 2022 · National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Early Atlas