Are you looking for fun listening activities for kids? Try one of these simple listening games out.
Some days it feels like my kids never listen to me...
I ask them to do something and I wait...and wait..and wait...
"But, mom, I didn't hear you!"
Classic kid move, right?
I mean I was guilty of saying that as a kid too!
The reality is that some kids need some extra practice when it comes to listening skills. And playing games is a great way to help your child with listening skills.
Below, you'll learn about 10 simple and fun listening activities for kids that will help sharpen those listening skills!
How Can I Help my Child with Listening Skills? Try One of These Fun Listening Activities for Kids!
1. Simon Says
Simon Says is a great way to work on impulse control and listening skills, obviously. The leader (aka Simon) calls out a movement or action for the others to perform, but the catch is, you should only do the action if the leader says, "Simon says..." first.Need a social story for this listening game? Grab a copy of the Simon Says social story here
2. A Simple Classic Listening Game
You probably remember playing a variation of this game as a child and I even noticed my boys playing it last week at swimming listening. Similar to Simon Says, this game is great for working on impulse control. And it's a great way to work on comprehension and following directions too.In this game, the leader will say things like "Raise a hand if you are wearing red" or "Jump into the pool if you like spaghetti." Then you do the action if the statement applies to you.
3. Red Light, Green Light
When my son went through his traffic light phase, we played this game a lot. Red means stop and green means go in this light, just like in real life. But you have to always be listening to the leader because if he or she catches you moving after they declare red light, then you have to go back to the start.Need a social story for this listening game? Yup, I've got a social story about playing Red Light, Green Light here.
4. Freeze Dance
A good way to work on impulse control, Freeze Dance is a classic childhood favorite. Simply turn on some tunes and start dancing, but watch out! If the music stops, then you need to stop your body too.5. The Place Game
Growing up, my family and I used to play this game on long car rides. Basically, someone names a country, town, city, or place. The next person has to use the last letter of that place to name a new place. So for example, player one might say, "Saskatchewan." The next player then has to think of a place that starts with the letter N.My younger brother loved geography as a young kid so he always said the most obscure place names, making the game a bit more interesting at times.
You don't have to use places. You could just use any words you'll like instead.
6. Musical Hide & Seek
Someone hides a toy that plays music and then you have to go search for it. A spin on a classic childhood game! Check out how to play musical hide and seek here.7. Telephone
Sit in a circle with a group of friends. One person whispers a phrase or sentence into the ear of the person sitting next to them. Then that person whispers what they heard to the next person and so on. The last person then says what they heard out loud. Hopefully the original phrase makes it all the way around, but often, it doesn't!8. What Time is it, Mr. Wolf?
Great for working on counting, What Time is it, Mr. Wolf? is another classic listening game. You have to ask the leader (aka the wolf) what time it is and then take steps towards the wolf depending on what time they say. So if they say 7 o'clock, then you need to take seven steps.Need a social story to help? Here's a social story about how to play What Time is it, Mr. Wolf?
9. I'm Going on a Camping Trip
We used to play this game a lot on road trips growing up. It's a great way to work on listening skills, memory recall, and turn taking.To play this game, one person starts the game by saying, "I'm going on a camping trip and I'm bringing..." then they name an object that starts with A.
The next person then says, "I'm going on a camping trip and I'm bringing (whatever the A object was) and..." and then they name an object that starts with B. You keep taking turns, working your way through the alphabet until someone messes up the order or forgets any of the objects.
Super fun, but also challenging.
10. Sound Matching Game
Fill containers up with objects and then try to match the pairs that sound the same. This game requires good concentration skills as you have to listening carefully and rely purely on the sounds you hear. You can learn more about this game here.Other Social Skills Resources You'll Love
50 Social Skills to Teach KidsWhere to Find Free Social Stories
Social Skills Apps for Kids
