Last Updated: October 28, 2026

Table of Contents

• Why Perspective Taking Is a Skill You Have to Teach
• Perspective-Taking Games for Kids That Need No Prep
  • The Suitcase Game
  • The Story Swap
• Perspective-Taking Activities for Preschoolers Aged 3 to 5
• Role-Play Activities for Empathy That Work With Siblings
  • The Swap Seats Exercise
• How to Teach Empathy to Children Using Books and Stories
• What to Say When Kids Get It Wrong
• Pick One Activity and Try It This Week
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why Perspective Taking Is a Skill You Have to Teach

Perspective taking is the ability to picture what another person is thinking and feeling, and then adjust your own behaviour because of it (Cognitive and Affective Perspective-Taking). It is not the same as empathy. Empathy is feeling with someone (How we empathize with others: A neurobiological perspective). Perspective taking is the mental step before it: working out what the world looks like from where they stand.

Children are wired to see their own point of view first, and the leap to someone else's takes practice. Perspective taking activities for kids can be simple and take less than ten minutes.

A habit you repeat in small doses can be a useful way to practice.

A useful starting point is the way children develop this skill in stages, which Harvard's Centre on the Developing Child explains through its work on executive function. The short version: young children need concrete props and role-play, while older kids can handle questions and reflection.

The activities below are grouped by age and effort. Some need nothing but your voice. Some suit siblings who bicker.

Perspective-Taking Games for Kids That Need No Prep

These perspective-taking games for kids include activities that need no cards, printing or screens.

The Suitcase Game

Ask your child to pack an imaginary suitcase for someone else. A grandparent. A new baby. A friend who is moving house.

Then ask why they chose each item. "Why did you pack that for Nana?"

For a five-year-old, keep it to three items. For a nine-year-old, add a twist: "You can only pack things that fit in one small bag. What do you leave out?" That question forces a real decision about someone else's needs.

The Story Swap

Read or tell a short story, then retell it from a different character's side.

A simple example: the story of a child who loses a race. First tell it from the child's view. Then ask your kid to tell it as the winner, or as the friend watching from the sideline.

You will get some funny answers. Let them finish, then ask one question: "What might the other person have been thinking there?"

Positive Mindset Game →

Perspective-Taking Activities for Preschoolers Aged 3 to 5

Keep it physical, short, and playful.

Try these perspective-taking activities for preschoolers:

• The wrong shoes game. Put on someone else's shoes and walk a few steps. Ask: "How does walking in Daddy's shoes feel? Is it easy or tricky?"
• Feelings faces. Pull a face and have them name it. Then swap roles and let them pull the face.
• The lost toy. Hide a small toy and ask them to help a teddy bear find it. "Where would Teddy look first?"
• Two chairs. Sit facing each other and describe what you can see. "I can see the window. What can you see?"
• The broken tower. Build a block tower together, then knock it over and ask how the builder might feel.

Keep each one under five minutes.

These five preschool activities are quick, physical and playful, and each one takes under five minutes.

Activity	What to do
The wrong shoes game	Put on someone else's shoes and walk a few steps
Feelings faces	Pull a face, have them name it, then swap roles
The lost toy	Hide a toy and ask them to help Teddy find it
Two chairs	Sit facing each other and describe what you can see
The broken tower	Build a block tower, knock it over, ask how the builder feels

Role-Play Activities for Empathy That Work With Siblings

Role-play activities for empathy give kids a way to rehearse the other side.

These structured interactions serve as a vital foundation for children to develop the confidence needed to encourage open-ended play during their unstructured time together.

The Swap Seats Exercise

Wait for a calm moment, not the middle of a fight. Ask each child to sit in the other's chair and argue the other's case.

Give them a script to start:

• "I felt upset because..."
• "What I wanted was..."
• "What I think you didn't understand was..."

The goal is not a perfect apology.

How to Teach Empathy to Children Using Books and Stories

A character on a page gives a child a subject to discuss.

When you read together, pause at a tense moment and ask one question: "What do you think she is feeling right now?" Then follow with: "What would you do if you were her?"

You could ask about the character, then accept the answer and ask a follow-up. "Why do you think that?"

If you want to go further with this at home, our guide on modelling emotional intelligence for parents covers how your own reactions teach more than any script.

Let them choose a book.

What to Say When Kids Get It Wrong

Your child may snatch a toy, exclude a friend, or say something sharp.

Positive Mindset Game →

You could ask: "You grabbed that. What was going on for you?" Then ask: "What do you think that felt like for him?"

You could avoid a lecture or forcing an apology before they understand.

Try one of these lines instead:

• "What did you want to happen there?"
• "How do you think she felt when that happened?"
• "What could you do next time you feel that way?"
• "Do you want to fix this, or do you need a minute first?"

If you are stuck on the wording, our piece on how to talk to kids about making mistakes has more scripts you can borrow.

Pick One Activity and Try It This Week

You could try one game this week.

Our suggestion: start with the Suitcase Game at dinner. Then add the Story Swap at bedtime.

If you want a printable activity, our Kindness Bucket List Kit is a digital product. For families who like a shared ritual, our Positive Mindset Game includes 120 question cards across three levels, focusing on sharing stories, building stronger relationships and spreading positivity, as well as a 21-day tracker and stickers.

And if you want a wider set of kindness habits to build alongside these, our guide on how to teach kindness to kids is a good next read. For more quick game ideas, see our mindfulness games for 10 year olds.

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Perspective taking can be practised through activities such as games and stories.

Sharing Kindness offers the Positive Mindset Game, Box of Confidence affirmation cards for kids aged 4 to 12, and printable kindness activities. Explore the Positive Mindset Game.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is perspective taking for children?

Perspective taking is the ability to work out what another person might be thinking, feeling or seeing, and to separate that from your own view. For a child, it looks like noticing a friend is quiet at lunch and guessing they might be sad rather than assuming they are being rude. Perspective taking and empathy are related ideas. It develops gradually.

At what age can children start learning perspective taking?

Children can practice perspective taking through activities such as games and stories.

How do I teach empathy to children without it feeling like a lecture?

You could ask a question about a disagreement: what do you think your brother was feeling when he walked off? The Positive Mindset Game includes 120 question cards across three levels, with 12 fun action cards among them.

What are some perspective-taking games for primary school children?

The Suitcase Game, Story Swap and Swap Seats Exercise are activities described in this article. The 30-Day Kindness Challenge is a digital printable.