Empathy Detective Game – Item 554

This is an Empathy Detective Game – This game is aimed at asking children to think about how others might feel in different situations.

Included in the Empathy detective game:

• How would you feel if… cards (60 different scenario cards)
• Emotion fan (12 different emotions) with and without words – you might want to not include suggestions for words. So many words would fit the facial expressions given.
• Bingo style game board (print one for each player)
• Empathy magnifying glass (one for each player)
• How is your friend feeling game board – one has words included and one is just the facial expressions.
• Instructions on how to play

How to play

Each child needs six counters to play.

Decide whether you want to use the emotions with or without words. There is space to write words on the blank fans. Sometimes it is good to see what the children come up with rather than just giving the words. There are so many words that would fit the facial expressions.

Each child has a magnifying glass, a bingo board, and a ‘How is your friend feeling’ board.

Choose a child to go first. That child is given the feeling fan and has to choose a question card. Either you read out the card or the child can read the card loudly so that everyone can hear. They must think about how they would feel in that situation BUT they must keep it secret. They must choose one of the emotions on the feelings fan and hide from the rest of the children.

All the other children must use their magnifier and decide how their friend must feel. They really need to think about this and use the knowledge they have of their friend. Often empathy comes from having experienced a similar situation. They choose one of the emotions on their board and circle it with white board pen.

When everyone has chosen an emotion they must show the first player. He or she then reveals the emotion from the feelings fan. If the others have chosen the same they get to move their counter on their bingo board. There is lots of opportunity to discuss this emotion and if a child has not chosen the same emotion then discuss why they chose a different one. They might not be wrong if they have a good explanation. Also it is good to explain that how we feel doesn’t necessarily mean that someone else feels the same.

The next player then has the fan and reads the next question. Continue until one child has placed all six counters on their bingo board. They are the empathy hero!