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Active Listening Games For Kids to Keep Them Engaged

Jack

By Jack Lin

Update on

Listening Games For Kids

Listening Games for kids are a very effective method to keep them engaged and develop their skills.

In fact, listening is an essential skill every kid should have as it affects their education significantly. So, knowing some listening skills games would be handy for any parent.

The Importance of Listening Games for Kids 

There are several different benefits associated with listening skills games. Mentioned below are those benefits for your reference.

  • They help your kids to develop speech and language skills.
  • Active listening games increase auditory perception, which is vital for reading.
  • Listening skills games help them follow verbal instructions without any hassle.  
  • Those games often help them in socializing and effective communication.
  • Your kids will learn how to cope successfully in both home and school environments.

As of today, our kids are often exposed to extended screen time and plenty of other stimuli. As a result, things can be overwhelming to them. Also, the same reason leads them to have a very small amount of free time.

Needless to say, that will eventually affect their overall concentration, performance, and brain development. That will significantly affect their ability to read, hear, and differentiate sounds.

However, the good news is that there are these listening games for kids to bring some productive change. The best thing is that these games are not boringly long. You can practice those active listening games with your kids only for about 10 minutes. They will love it as it feels so different to them.  


When to Start These Active Listening Games for Your Kids?

Well, it is always better to start these active listening games as early as possible. In other words, the earlier you start, the better it is for the kids.

In fact, you can start listening skills games when your baby starts to listen to sounds. Then, you can have them continue through your kids’ preschool and primary school years as well.

PS: let’s learn more about how to easily use Nintendo Switch Parental Controls.


List of the Best Listening Skills Games 

Ok. Let’s get to the main point of this article now – a list of listening skills games. We have done our research to find several listening games for kids, and below, we list them down. You can go through these entries and find the best ones to practice with your little one.

01. Broken Telephone

Broken Telephone

This is one of the most interesting and engaging listening games for kids due to various reasons. You can play it around a table or anywhere else as long as there are at least three members.

To start with, you should use single words, particularly if the child is very young. Then, you can slowly increase the difficulty of the words and even use some simple phrases. Later on, you can use even sentences to make things more exciting as the child grows.

To play the game, you should think of a word, phrase, or even sentence. Then, whisper it to the ear of your child. Then, the child should whisper it to the next person. And, he should pass the same to the other one next to him. Likewise, it should continue. The game gets better when there are more members. The last person in the line should read the message out loud.

As you can guess, the game ends up in laughter. That is because the phrases get changed when they are being passed to the other person through a whisper. The message gets broken. Your child will learn to listen better and convey the same over time when you play this repeatedly.

02. Simon Says

Simon Says

You might already know this game since it is a classic. It is an excellent game to make your child have more attention to the instructions.

As per this game, you are supposed to call out instructions. You should say, for instance, “Simon Says, tap your nose three times.” Likewise, you should give simple instructions that should be followed by the child repeatedly.

As per the rules, the child should respond to instructions that begin with the “Simon Says” phrase. Intermittently, you are supposed to give an instruction without the phrase “Simon Says.” If they follow such command, they lose.

As a result of practicing this game, your child will learn whether or not to follow an order. Also, they will learn what to do.   

You can also consider another variation of this game, and it is called Do This, Do That.

To do that, just stand in front of the child and perform some actions. You should use the term “Do This” along with that action, and the child should follow it. For instance, you can pull your ears while saying “Do This,” and your child should do the same.

However, if you perform an action with the instruction “Do That,” the child shouldn’t do that, but they standstill. They will love this game, and there will be a lot of laughter in it. Things can get more fun when it is done with more kids, if possible.

03. Musical Statues

Musical Statues

This is one of the favorite active listening games among kids across the globe. Just like the previous two listening games for kids, this game too is simple to perform.

What you need to find is some music and a spacious room for your kids to dance. Now, play some good music and stop it randomly. The child should dance only when the music is played. He should freeze whenever the music stops.

Once again, it is better if you can have more members take part in the game. If there’s no one else, you can play with the child using a remote controller to control the music.

04. I Went to the Zoo, and I Saw a…

This game is slightly advanced compared to the previous active listening games. It involves some listening as well as some memorizing. You will have to choose some animal names and then start to play the game.

To begin, you should say, “I went to the zoo, and I saw a lion,” for instance. Then, the child should respond by adding one more animal to what you have said. For instance, he should say, “I went to the zoo, and I saw a lion and a penguin.”

Then, it’s your turn to respond. You should add another animal “I went to the zoo, and I saw a lion, a penguin, and a horse.” Then, it’s your child’s turn once again. Likewise, it continues. In each turn, a new animal name should be added to the list.

Although it may sound somewhat difficult, that helps your child to learn the names of the animals perfectly. Just like the other games in this article, this game too becomes more exciting with more members. In fact, this game is more suitable for kids who are older than five years.

05. Wonky Donkey

This is not the most popular game, of course. Despite its less popularity, Wonky Donkey is an awesome game that can make your little one engaged and excited. As per the game, the children should sit forming a circle.

Now, you should pick one child who should stand in the middle. The one in the middle is the Wonky Donkey. He or she should cover the eyes with their hands so they can’t see anything.

Make sure that the respective child has a fake tail as well. You can use a small piece of cloth or a rope as the tail. Now, the Wonky Donkey is complete, and he should hold the tail in one hand. Also, it should be draped over the shoulder, and it goes down the back.

You should pick one child silently. The chosen child should stand up and go to the Wonky Donkey. Then, shake that tail and shout “Wonky Donkey,” and sit down.

Now, allow Wonky Donkey to wake up. The child should make three guesses and identify the one who said “Wonky Donkey.”

In fact, this is a voice recognition game, so children will learn what their friends sound like. In addition to that, children will learn from which direction the sound came from.

06. Noisy Neighbor

This is one of the oldest listening skills games for kids, and children will definitely love this game. To play this game, you should prepare with a feely bag. If not, you can even use a box. You should also have some objects that can make some unique noise. These objects will be used by the noisy neighbor.

Before the beginning of the game, you should show all those objects to the children. Then, you should make noise as well so they know which object makes which noise. This makes things easier for them.

You can consider items like a dog toy, bell, crisp packet, plastic bottle, bell, newspaper, etc. Basically, it should be anything that can make a noise. Then, the chant should go like the following.

Noisy Neighbor! Noisy Neighbor! Stop that noise!

Now, you should put your hand in the box or the bag and make a noise with one object. The children should guess the object. That’s it! Even if it sounds pretty simple, this game will be exciting for your little ones.

07. Mother, May I

As per this game, the person who plays the role of the mother should stand on one end. All the other players are supposed to line up at the other end. Each player will have to take a turn and ask if it is possible to move. For instance, “Mother, May I take two steps backward?” There’s plenty of fun involved in this game. Also, it helps children to learn about directions as well.

08. Red Light Green Light

First, start with the regular rules. For instance, the “Red” light is to stop, and the “Green” light is to go. Moreover, you can find plenty of variations using creativity.

Different types of colors can represent different movements. For instance, yellow light is to skip, purple to hop, blue to walk backward, and so on. If not, you can relate an animal to each color.

PS: let’s learn more about the best Wii games for kids.


FAQs

  1. What are the benefits of listening games for kids?
    • Listening games enhance attention span, improve the ability to follow instructions, stimulate creativity, and foster good listening habits.
  2. Can listening games help in the child’s academic performance?
    • Yes, listening games can boost memory and comprehension skills which can indeed help in academic performance.
  3. Are digital listening games beneficial?
    • Absolutely! Digital listening games are interactive, engaging, and can be personalized according to your child’s age and preferences.
  4. How can I incorporate listening games at home?
    • You can incorporate listening games during storytime, while watching a movie, or during casual conversations with your child.
  5. Can listening games improve social skills?
    • Yes, good listening skills foster better communication and social interaction, thereby improving social skills.

Conclusion

Listening games for kids are powerful tools that promote the development of essential listening skills while also providing hours of entertainment.

From classic games like ‘Simon Says’ to innovative digital games, there’s an array of options to choose from. So why wait? Start incorporating these listening games into your child’s daily routine and watch their listening skills soar!

Jack
Jack

10 years of experience in information and computer technology. Passionate about electronic devices, smartphones, computers, and modern technology.

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