Listening Activities

1.    Gather a variety of a) noisemakers and b) common household objects. Talk about the different types of noises then select approximately six for the activity. Blindfold the child or have him/her cover his/her eyes. Play one of the noisemakers or drop/manipulate on of the objects, have the child uncover his/her eyes and select the object

2.    Repeat the above activity making two noises for the child to repeat in sequence. As the child demonstrates the ability to remember and correctly sequence the sounds, add a third or fourth sound.

3.    Play Hide and Seek with noises!

a.   Hide a ticking clock or music box for the child to find within a particular room.

b.   Take turns with the child selecting objects within a room to make noise, allowing the other person to cover his/her eyes and guess what the noise was.    (For example, turn on the water, drop a spoon, or open the cabinet door.)   You may want to try the same activity by sequencing two or more noises for the child to repeat, as in #2. Walking around the room to repeat the sequence requires that the child remember the information for a longer period of time.

4.    Play musical patterns on a toy xylophone and allow the child to imitate:

a.    Play 3 to 5 notes, repeating some in the sequence.

b.    Play 3 to 5 notes varying the rhythm and asking the child to copy.

5.    Blindfold the child and ask him/her to listen for noises in the environment. "What do you hear?" Walk with the child to various rooms in the house and ask him/her to identify the room according to sounds he/she may hear (Example: the TV in the living room, clock in the bedroom, washing machine in the laundry room.)

6.    Read a short story without pictures. Ask the child to raise his/her hand (or signal in some manner) each time he/she hears a specific word. For example, "Raise your hand every time I say boy."

7.    Tap or clap several times, having the child count the number of taps. Vary the speed and regularity of your clapping/tapping rhythms. (You can also ask the child to imitate the rhythms.)

8.    Display two to three pictures (gradually adding more as the child can remember more). Name the pictures as you turn them over (remember to name them left to right), then ask the child to name them in sequence as a cue to remember the sequence from left to right.

9.    Place 5 or 6 objects in front of the child and give directions for the child to follow. Begin with two directions in a series then add more as they become easy for the child to follow. For example, "Put the block under the cup and give me the shoe."

10.    Repeat #9 adding some background noise, first soft music, then louder music, then perhaps the television.

11.    When reading stories to the child, periodically ask questions about the story. Review the same types of questions when the story has ended. Focus on facts involving Who? What? When? Where? Why?

12.    When reading stories, pause and let the child "fill in" or anticipate the completion of a sentence. For example, the little boy fell and skinned his _____.

13.    Take opportunities to read stories which can be ongoing for several nights at story time. Begin the story one time, then review, asking the child to answer questions or re-tell the initial part of the story, at the next story time prior to reading another part of the story.

© Parent-Child Services Group, Inc. 4/99

Lynne F. Harmon, M.A., CCC-SLP