Many times, a parent may feel as if they have to say things a hundred times before their child actually listens. Listening is a skill that takes practice to master. Here are a few fun ways you can help your child improve her listening skills:
• Be a good listener yourself. Don’t just hear what your child is saying, get involved in her conversations. Ask her questions and encourage your child to tell you more.
• When you read a story to your child, stop and ask her what she thinks is going to happen next. Not only does this give you a good indication if she has been listening or not, it also will get her to listen more if you do it often enough. She will want to be able to answer your question so she will listen to the story.
• Play the old favourite game ‘Simon Says’. Simon says, ‘Jump up and down, and sing a song’. It’s fun and encourages a child to pay attention to what is being said.
• Send your child on a fun scavenger hunt. Tell her three items to retrieve from around the house, such as a hairbrush, a shoe, and a book. When she brings all three back, she wins!
• Create a Story. The whole family can play this one. The first person starts the story with one sentence, and each person thereafter adds a sentence to the story. This game encourages your child to listen to what each person contributes to the story so she can add the next line.
• Be a good listener yourself. Don’t just hear what your child is saying, get involved in her conversations. Ask her questions and encourage your child to tell you more.
• When you read a story to your child, stop and ask her what she thinks is going to happen next. Not only does this give you a good indication if she has been listening or not, it also will get her to listen more if you do it often enough. She will want to be able to answer your question so she will listen to the story.
• Play the old favourite game ‘Simon Says’. Simon says, ‘Jump up and down, and sing a song’. It’s fun and encourages a child to pay attention to what is being said.
• Send your child on a fun scavenger hunt. Tell her three items to retrieve from around the house, such as a hairbrush, a shoe, and a book. When she brings all three back, she wins!
• Create a Story. The whole family can play this one. The first person starts the story with one sentence, and each person thereafter adds a sentence to the story. This game encourages your child to listen to what each person contributes to the story so she can add the next line.
