“Empathy is the highest form of knowledge.”
-Plato
As we mark the International Day of Education 2025, we find ourselves at a pivotal moment. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how we learn and connect, reflecting the challenge highlighted in this year’s theme, ‘AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in the World of Automation’.
How can we retain and nurture the uniquely human qualities that set us apart as technology continues to advance?
Amid this change, empathy stands out as an irreplaceable human trait. Early childhood, from birth to eight years, is crucial for building emotional intelligence and social connections are formed. By encouraging empathy during this formative stage, we can shape not only the future of education but the future of humanity itself.
Early Childhood and Empathy Development
In a world increasingly mediated by AI, the ability to empathise becomes even more critical. While AI excels at processing data and mimicking human interaction, it fundamentally lacks the emotional depth and understanding of the context intrinsic to human relationships. Empathy allows us to build trust, resolve conflicts and build collaboration.
As AI takes over repetitive and analytical tasks, the skills that will set humans apart in the workforce and society are those rooted in emotional intelligence: creativity, adaptability and empathy. Therefore, early childhood education must prioritise the development of these essential human traits.
The Science of Empathy: A Neurological Perspective
Contrary to the belief that empathy is a soft, intangible skill, neuroscience reveals that it is a complex cognitive and emotional process. At its core is the brain’s mirror neuron system, which enables us to “mirror” the emotions and actions of others. This neural mechanism is particularly active during early childhood, as children observe, imitate, and internalise the emotions and behaviours of caregivers and peers (Lacobony & Mc Haney, 2009).
The development of empathy requires nurturing. Children must be exposed to environments encouraging emotional expression, perspective-taking, and social interaction. Without these opportunities, the pathways for empathy in the brain may remain underdeveloped, leading to deficits in social and emotional skills later in life.
Arts as a Catalyst
The arts are powerful tools for cultivating empathy, especially in early childhood, serving as a bridge to emotional understanding, and helping children explore, articulate, and connect with the feelings and experiences of others. Unlike traditional forms of learning, it engages them in immersive, and creative processes that encourage emotional and social growth.
Here’s how different forms of artistic expression foster empathy:
1. Building an Emotional Vocabulary Through Artistic Expression
Artistic activities, such as drawing, painting, or creative writing, give children a medium to explore and express their emotions.
Why it matters: Children often struggle to articulate their feelings verbally and art allows them to translate feelings into visible or tangible forms, helping them recognise emotions like happiness, sadness, anger, or fear.
Example: A frustrated child may paint a stormy sky or scribble jagged lines. Discussing their artwork with a teacher or caregiver helps link visuals to emotions, gradually building a more nuanced emotional vocabulary.
Empathy connection: Understanding emotions helps children identify similar feelings in others, enabling empathy.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3511633/
2. Perspective-taking Through Storytelling and Drama
Storytelling, theatre, and role-playing are exceptional tools for teaching children to see the world through another person’s eyes.
Why it matters: Imaginative scenarios where they adopt roles/characters with different perspectives/emotions help them understand the motivations, challenges, and feelings of others.
Example: In a role-playing activity, children might act as characters who feel left out. This experience might make them feel what it’s like to be excluded, promoting compassion for peers who face similar challenges.
Empathy connection: Perspective-taking is a key to empathy. When children imagine other’s viewpoints, they begin to understand that others’ experiences, even when different, are valid and meaningful (Decety & Jackson, 2004).
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/R-
3. Encouraging Non-Verbal Emotional Expression Through Music and Dance
Music and dance offer alternative, non-verbal ways for children to express and process emotions.
Why it matters: Non-verbal forms of communication, like music and dance, often allow children to express feelings they cannot yet articulate, enabling them to channel their emotions into movement/sound, being cathartic and educational.
Example: Children can participate and observe how music and movement affect others (e.g., making someone smile or feel calm), which teaches them that their actions and external stimulations can influence others’ emotions.
Mchaney/publication/235979060_Applying_Empathy_and_Mirror_Neuron_Concepts_to_Neuroleadership
4. Creating Safe Spaces for Emotional Exploration
The arts provide a non-judgmental environment where children can safely explore complex emotions and social dynamics.
Why it matters: Art allows children to take risks, learn through alternate ways, and explore emotional themes without fear of failure, creating an open space to share and understand feelings.
Example: In a group art project, children collaborate to create a mural about kindness, discussing how it looks and how it feels. This deepens their understanding of social values and emotional connection.
Empathy connection: Safe spaces for artistic exploration build trust and emotional openness, essential for developing empathy.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15537986
5. Connecting to Diverse Experiences Through Cultural Art Forms
Exposure to diverse art forms introduces children to the stories, traditions, and emotions of people from different cultures and backgrounds.
Why it matters: Artistic experiences that highlight cultural diversity expand children’s understanding of the world and appreciation of different perspectives.
Example: Listening to traditional music from another culture or engaging in a dance from a different community can spark curiosity and appreciation for others’ lived experiences.
Empathy connection: Engaging with diverse cultural expressions nurtures a sense of global empathy, helping children connect with a shared human experience.
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6. Promoting Collaboration Through Group Arts Activities
Collaborative art projects teach children to work together, negotiate differences, and build relationships.
Why it matters: Artistic experiences that highlight cultural diversity expand children’s understanding of the world and appreciation of different perspectives.
Example: Listening to traditional music from another culture or engaging in a dance from a different community can spark curiosity and appreciation for others’ lived experiences.
Empathy connection: Engaging with diverse cultural expressions nurtures a sense of global empathy, helping children connect with a shared human experience.
The Role of Educators, Parents and Caregivers
While the arts provide the tools, it’s up to the educators and caregivers to create environments that nurture empathy. This involves modelling empathetic behaviour, encouraging collaborative play, and integrating arts into the curriculum meaningfully.
For instance, teachers can use storytelling to prompt discussions about feelings and relationships, which can spark questions like, “How do you think they feel?” or “What could we do to help them?”. These conversations help children practice empathy in a guided and supportive context.
Parents, too, play a vital role. By engaging in activities like drawing, singing, or playing pretend with their children, they strengthen emotional bonds and provide opportunities for empathy to flourish.
Some practical examples of artistic engagement with children are as follows:
- Doing shared art activities like group finger/hand paintings or building crafts together as a family could teach children to share, take turns, and appreciate others’ contributions.
- Encouraging children to make cards or drawings for a friend, family member, or community member when sick or if they have achieved something would teach them to express their feelings of kindness and joy, creatively
- Exposing children to traditional art forms, such as creating rangolis, murals, and paper lanterns and discussing their cultural significance would build respect and understanding for diverse perspectives among children.
- Introducing arts for reflection like gratitude and kindness walls/space at home to share drawings/notes/journals about acts of kindness or gratitude they’ve seen, experienced or practised.
- Listening and Sharing circles could be conducted in school to promote active listening and empathy.
- Creating lifestyle products/craft items using low-cost/no-cost/waste materials.
Conclusion
In an age of automation, our humanity is our most valuable asset. By nurturing empathy through arts and education, we equip children with the skills to lead with compassion, creativity, and emotional intelligence.
Empathy takes root in the earliest moments – whether through a paintbrush, a song, a story, or a simple act of understanding. As we mark the International Day of Education 2025, let’s make empathy the foundation of early childhood education. In a world where AI is shaping more of our lives, it is our capacity for connection and compassion that will truly define our humanity.
Written by Garima Sharma, Kirti Koushika, Kritika Chadha, Aravind R Syam & Shanmuga Priyan M K from the Research & Impact team at NalandaWay Foundation.
