Empathy Counts is a therapeutic andeducational game developed to teach young people to understand the concept of empathy, to be empathetic, and to take positive actions towards others based on empathy.It is designed forchildren ages 7 to 12 years oldand can also be used as high-interest material for older students.These guidelines can be used by therapists, teachers, counselors in a school setting, or parents at home. There are four decks of cards, each covering a different aspect of the players lives: Friendship, Activities and Hobbies, At School , and All about Myself . Empathy is the ability to understand how others are feeling about issues. We often say that a person with empathy understands what it is like being in someone elses shoes. Empathy is essential for building lasting friendships and positive relationships with family members and adults.Empathy is a complex concept, and the skills required for empathy are not easy to learn. This game takes an incremental approach, teaching basic skills and moving on to more complex skills.There are three ways of playing in order to make the game age appropriate for players ages 7 to 12.