Once they have the vocabularies to do so, many kids like to talk nonstop, whether for meaningful communication or nonsensical chatter. Listening, however, tends to be more of a challenge for kids, many of whom are "selective listeners," according to website Baby Center. For parents, it can be frustrating to feel as though your child isn't listening to you. Because good listening skills are an important life skill and a key aspect of effective communication, it's best to foster good listening skills in your children as early as possible.
Step 1
Read aloud to your child and encourage active listening. Baby Center suggests pausing during the last few pages of a book and asking your child how she thinks the story will end. Discuss her theories and how they relate to what she's heard of the story so far. This will encourage your child to listen closely and reflect upon what she's heard. Another strategy is to take out an old, familiar storybook and change a few key elements of the story while reading it to your child. This is a fun way of testing how well your child is listening. Kids usually enjoy correcting "silly" adult errors.
Step 2
Play a "talk and listen" game. Website Keep Kids Healthy recommends a game that teaches both the talking and listening aspects of a conversation. Have two children face each other while they are seated in chairs. Have one child stand up, talk, then sit down and be quiet as the other child stands and speaks. You can set a certain length of silence between the dialogue of each speaker. It's OK if kids laugh during this exercise, as long as they don't interrupt each other.
Step 3
Play rhyming games. Baby Center says playing rhyming games motivates your child to listen for patterns in sentences and to become highly attuned to the sounds of words and their content. Your rhymes can be absurd and humorous, and you and your child can take turns adding on to the rhyme.
Step 4
Lead by positive example. Keep Kids Healthy emphasizes that if you don't listen to what your child is saying, you're setting a flawed example. Listen closely to what your child is saying without interrupting and provide opinion or feedback on what he has said. By respecting what he is saying, you're teaching him to respect others while they talk.
Tips and Warnings
- Maintain eye contact while listening. Keep Kids Healthy recommends getting down to your child's eye level when she is talking or listening. This ensures nonverbal acknowledgment of the communication.
Things You'll Need
- Children's books
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