Can creative writing make your child more empathetic?

Of all the useful skills children develop through reading and writing, there's one that doesn't get nearly enough attention: Empathy.

The ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes and understand how they might see the world.

It's an essential part of growing up, and creative writing is a wonderful way to practise and hone it a a skill.

Everyone sees the world differently

One of the huge revelations a child will experience is the realisation that other people have their own thoughts, feelings, experiences and perspectives.

There's actually a name for this: Theory of mind.

The understanding that everybody you meet has their own inner world, just as complicated and important to them as yours is to you.

This may sound obvious to us grown-ups, but learning to understand why somebody thinks or behaves differently can be challenging for a child.

Especially when that person is someone that may not be a friend, or even someone they don't particularly like.

That's where creative writing comes in.

Writing in somebody else's shoes

When children write stories, they often create characters who are very similar to themselves.

The hero likes the things they like, thinks the way they think and makes the decisions they would make.

But what happens when we ask them to become somebody completely different?

Somebody who sees the world differently, who has different values.

Somebody they might even dislike.

Suddenly, they have to imagine a whole new way of thinking.

And that's a really useful exercise for both their imagination and their social skills.

Try writing from the villain's perspective

Think about a villain from a book or film your child knows well.

Somebody who's selfish, cruel, dishonest or detestable.

Now ask your child to write a short story from that character's perspective.

But…

The villain thinks they're the good guy.

They have their own reasons for behaving the way they do. They may believe they are misunderstood, or that they are doing the right thing.

Every person is the superhero of their own story - even the supervillains!

Ask your child:

Why does this character behave like that?

What are they afraid of?

What do they want?

What might have happened to make them think this way?

What would they want other people to understand about them?

Before long, your child is having to think quite deeply about a character they might previously have dismissed as simply 'bad'.

They might even start to sympathise with them.

Try somebody closer to home

You can make this even more interesting by choosing somebody from everyday life.

Perhaps a teacher your child doesn't particularly get on with.

What would a diary entry written from that teacher's perspective look like?

What might they find difficult about their job?

What pressures might they be under?

Why might they have made a decision your child thought was unfair?

You could even reverse a disagreement your child has had with a friend and ask them to write the other person's version of events.

It's fascinating how differently the same situation can look depending on who's telling the story.

And it gives children practice at understanding that other people's behaviour often has reasons they can't immediately see.

It makes for better stories too

From a creative writing perspective, this is a wonderful exercise.

Children have to think more carefully about character development, motivation, emotions and how people respond to situations.

Their characters become more interesting because they're no longer just good or bad.

They have personalities, reasons, contradictions.

And that makes their stories far more engaging.

It can also strengthen comprehension answers, particularly when children are asked to explain why a character behaves in a certain way or how their feelings might change throughout a story.

A little more understanding

Empathy is one of those skills that matters well beyond school.

It helps us navigate friendships, disagreements, relationships and all the complicated business of getting along with other human beings (especially in the age of AI!).

And reading and writing give children opportunities to practise seeing the world through somebody else's eyes.

So next time your child is looking for a creative writing idea, encourage them to choose somebody they find difficult to understand.

Ask them to tell that person's side of the story.

They might discover a more interesting character.

And perhaps a different way of looking at people too.

How LinkyThinks can help

At LinkyThinks, we help children build the English, reasoning, writing and communication skills they need for school, 11+, entrance exams and beyond.

Our online classes help children think more carefully, explain ideas more confidently and develop stronger habits across creative writing, comprehension, vocabulary and reasoning.

If your child is preparing for 11+, entrance exams or GCSE English, our online tutoring can help them build those skills in a supportive, engaging environment.

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