At what age do children typically begin to show empathy towards others?

Children typically begin to show empathy towards others around the age of two. At this developmental stage, toddlers start to recognize and respond to the emotions of those around them. This is often demonstrated through simple acts such as offering comfort to a friend who is upset or expressing concern when they see someone in distress.

Around this age, children develop a better understanding of social cues and emotions, which is foundational for empathetic behavior. Their growing language skills also enable them to express their feelings and understand other people's emotions better. While some signs of empathy might be observed as early as one year, it is around the second year that more pronounced and intentional empathetic actions are typically exhibited.

By the age of three, children often show more complex forms of empathy, such as sharing, cooperation, and perspective-taking, but the initial signs and the ability to empathize meaningfully tend to emerge during the second year of life.