Which activity is most likely to foster a five-year-old child's sense of empathy?

Feeding a guinea pig is an activity that directly engages a five-year-old child in caring for another living being, which is a key component in developing empathy. By providing food and observing the guinea pig's behavior, the child learns to understand that the animal has needs and feelings. This experience encourages them to think about the guinea pig's perspective and fosters compassion and responsibility for another creature's well-being.

Interacting with animals can cultivate a child's ability to recognize and respond to the emotions of others, which is a fundamental aspect of empathy. It allows children to practice nurturing behaviors and to consider how their actions affect others – a vital step in developing emotional intelligence.

In contrast, activities like building a tower of blocks, constructing a hand puppet, or playing music on a keyboard primarily involve individual creativity or skill development and are less likely to engage a child in the process of understanding or relating to another being's emotions or experiences. These activities can be valuable in their own right but do not inherently promote the same awareness of another's needs and feelings as caring for a pet does.