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FOL Fridays: Becoming a Good Listener

Focusing on one sense at a time helps children strengthen their perception.  Focusing on sound, for example, sharpens listening skills.  Experts say that about two-thirds of everything learned is learned through listening.  When children are given an opportunity to practice their listening skills, they also enhance their abilities to focus and pay attention, allowing them to understand and interpret more of what they hear.

Ideas for parents:

As you take a walk outdoors with your child, encourage your child to listen, identify, imitate, and discuss the different sounds you hear.  Listen for the sound of birds, neighbors chatting, lawn mowers, vehicles, and more.  You’ll have a lot of fun playing the “Listening Game,” and your child’s listening skills will be sharpened too!

Try a Free Kindermusik Class!

We engage kids in fun activities every week in Kindermusik music classes for kids – and focus on developing listening skills, cognitive skills, musical skills and more. Learning through music and movement is fun and effective, come check it out.

– Contributed by Theresa Case, whose Greenville, SC program, Kindermusik at Piano Central Studios, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.

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Kindermusik and Your Child: Exercising Your Listening Muscles

Improve Listening Skills with Kindermusik

Improve Listening Skills with KindermusikLike a muscle, your child’s listening skills need constant exercise in order to grow stronger. Kindermusik classes give your child weekly opportunities to “exercise” and develop listening skills as we listen to specific sounds, listen to many various instrumental sounds, listen to directions and musical cues, listen to suggestions from your Kindermusik Educator for ways to participate in class activities, listen to encouragement from you to participate and share ideas, listen to various styles of recorded and live music and singing, and of course listen to ideas from other parents and students!

A good listener is able to focus attention on what he/she hears. Becoming a good listener will help your child:

  • Learn more quickly and effectively for later academic success
  • Heed danger signals
  • Get along better with you and other adults
  • Make better friends

There are many things you can do to help your child develop listening skills. Your example speaks volumes to your child if you are a good listener, chances are, your child will learn good listening skills from you!  If you ask your child “listening” questions, then your child’s neural network will learn to listen.  For some great articles that contain tips for helping your child develop listening skills, check out the following links:

Getting Your Toddler to Listen (8 easy steps)

Fun Activities to Promote Listening Skills (by Learning Style)

How Can Parents Model Good Listening Skills?

Compiled by Theresa Case, whose Kindermusik program at Piano Central Studios in Greenville, SC, is proudly among the top 1% of Kindermusik programs worldwide.