Children with good listening skills grow up to be great communicators. It is a skill that should be developed early on to be polished as the child regularly practices it. Listening skills can not just help your child do well in their personal life but also improves their classroom comprehension.
Helping your child develop listening skills can help them become problem solvers and potential leaders. While some children are born with the ability to listen attentively, some require a little help. Regular practice can boost these listening skills further.
Here are some helpful tips to enhance your child’s listening skills:
Make Reading an Interactive Habit
Make reading time more fun by making it into an interactive activity. Read a page aloud to your child and then ask them what they thought of it. Encourage them to explain their answer to determine how well they were listening.
Avoid criticizing them if there weren’t listening well and instead ask them what they think the story is about and what would happen next. Get them engaged, and your child will not just improve their listening skills but also enhance their creativity.
Ask Questions
When you are having a conversation with your child, be sure to ask more questions. This will ensure that they would listen more and interact with you better. You can also encourage them to ask questions when talking to someone, as it will help improve their understanding and clarification.
Try Some Listening Games
Fun learning is the best way to help your child develop more skills. Incorporate listening games in their playtime, like Simon Says, to build their listening comprehension in a rewarding manner.
Other games you can try out include the Whispering Game, in which you whisper, and others have to comprehend what you said. Sound Hunt allows your child to head outside and describe the sounds they hear.
You can even make up some interesting listening games to engage your child, like finding objects in the house and making up stories about them.
Play the Story Chain Game
This is another fun game that the whole family can take part in. One person makes up a story and says the first line, the next person has to add another line, and then the next person pitches in. Go around in a circle as everyone adds in one sentence until the story finishes.
Be a Role Model
Children models behaviors from adults. Therefore, make sure you are practicing good listening skills to teach your child. Don’t interrupt your child when they share something with you, ask questions, and respond to their queries. Giving positive indicators, like supportive words, smiling, and nodding, can also help.
Becoming a better listener requires determination, concentration, and plenty of practice. Be sure to make these activities a regular addition to your child’s daily life to help boost their listening skills. With practice, they can become better communicators, which is a skill that would help them throughout their life.
At Mt. Elizabeth Academy, listening comprehension skills are given importance, and our staff incorporates various activities to help enhance the students’ listening skills. Our daycare offers after-school programs, vacation camps, infant care, childcare, pre-K early learning, and other early learning activities for families in Acworth, Marietta, Kennesaw, Brookstone, and other areas.
Get in touch with us today for more information.
