At what stage do children typically start exhibiting empathy?

Children typically begin to exhibit empathy around the ages of 2 to 3 years. During this developmental stage, they start to understand the feelings of others and can respond to those feelings with concern or comfort. This early form of empathy often manifests as toddlers viewing situations from another’s perspective, which is a critical cognitive and emotional milestone.

At this age, children are also developing their social skills and may begin to show reactions to others' emotional states, such as offering a toy to a friend who appears upset. While infants show a basic awareness of emotional cues, it is not until the 2 to 3-year range that children start to demonstrate more complex empathetic behaviors, such as trying to help others in distress.

In contrast, the later stages of 4 to 5 years and 5 to 6 years involve a more advanced understanding of empathy, including the ability to recognize and discuss feelings in more detail, which develops as children mature cognitively and socially.