Encouraging Sensitivity in Children
Material for this blog was drawn from Character First Education curriculum, and is used with permission.
Sensitivity Defined
Carefully using my senses so I can better respond to the people and situations in my life.
Did your children trade Valentine’s Day cards or gifts? Why not encourage siblings and friends, young and old, with praises all year? Who wouldn’t brighten if they found a complimentary note in their lunchbox, on the mirror, or the front of the refrigerator?
It’s so much easier to criticize others, isn’t it? No one is perfect, that’s for sure. That’s a topic for another day. Try to give sincere praise three times for every criticism. Sometimes, it’s hard! But the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Let’s explore this.
The Five Senses
Our bodies use our senses to be aware of our surroundings. We use all of them to feel joy, sadness, pain, etc.
Sensitivity goes further. A sensitive person uses their senses not only for their own needs but for the needs of others. Watching facial expressions and body language of other people can give clues to how they’re feeling. Many times, listening to someone talk about their problem brings more comfort than all the words you could offer for the solution. Practicing sensitivity helps you look beyond the obvious and see things from a different perspective to understand more about a person or situation.
Activities
Adopt A Friend (project, 20 min.)
As a class, “adopt” someone who is presently in the hospital, in a nursing home, or who is ill. Write encouraging notes or make small gifts to give this person.
A sensitive person notices what is going on and finds a way to practically care for that person.
Sometimes a small gesture is all that is needed to show you care—a smile can let someone know that you see them and are willing to be their friend, or a high-five can show you appreciate someone’s effort.
What Can You See? (game, 10 min.)
Have two students sit opposite each other and block their view from the floor immediately in front of them. Use a puzzle or a toy that can be broken into several pieces. Scatter the pieces on the floor so that can see some pieces, but not all of them. Have each explain to the other person what pieces they can see. Have both students try to figure out what the picture or item is.
In order to show sensitivity to another person, it often requires communication. Listening to the other person explain what they can see helps you to understand their perspective and know how to respond.
I’m All Ears (game, 15 min.)
Gather several different balls (golf ball, tennis ball, softball, bouncy ball, marble, mini-basketball). Conceal them in a bag, go to the back of the room, and instruct the students to face the front while you drop the balls one at a time. Ask them to raise their hand if they think they can identify the ball. Call on a volunteer to guess which ball was dropped.
Put the balls they guess correctly in one place and the ones they guess incorrectly in another. Repeat the activity to see if their ears were more sensitive to the sounds the second time through.
In Someone Else’s Shoes (exploration, 10 min.)
Bring an assortment of shows to class. (high heels, work boots, slippers, loafers, ballet slippers, cowboy boots) Choose several volunteers to try them on for size. Bring unusual styles, if possible, and a variety of sizes. If volunteers are having trouble balancing or walking, have other students help them so that they can walk across the room.
Just as shoes are different, students and their circumstances are different, too. Because people often judge only from their own point of view, it is hard for them to understand others.
Your mind plays an important role in sensing the feelings of others. By trying to understand what it is like in their shoes, a sensitive person gains a whole new appreciation of others’ circumstances.
Remember—a sensitive person doesn’t just see a person struggling and ignore them; rather, a sensitive person reaches out to see if they can help.
I Will…
Listen carefully to others.
Watch their body language.
Notice their tone of voice.
Put myself in others’ shoes.
Show that I care.
Character Quiz
Sensitivity means always agreeing with other people: TRUE? or FALSE?
What is one of the most important things you can do to show sensitivity to other people?
What are the five senses?
Why is sensitivity important?
Can you list five kind things you can say (or write a note about) to encourage your brother, sister, or friend?
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