Teddy has hurt his knee

2–3 years · Social-emotional · 10 minutes

What you need

How to do it

Tell your child that Teddy has fallen over and hurt his knee, and make Teddy cry softly.

Ask what Teddy needs. Follow whatever they suggest, even if it is unusual, and narrate the care as it happens: 'you are being very gentle with him.'

End with Teddy feeling better and saying thank you, so the sequence closes properly rather than trailing off.

Why it works

Caring for a toy lets a child practise empathy from the outside, where the feelings are safely not their own. Narrating their gentleness gives the behaviour a name, which is how it becomes something they can choose on purpose later.