In this mindfulness activity, children will strengthen their listening skills by focusing on hearing different sounds during a walk outside.
Learning Area(s): Language and Communication; Sensory and Art
LET'S PLAY
Take a listening walk outside. Walk and listen closely to the sounds all around you. Pick a safe place to stand still and start by saying, “Today we are going on a listening walk outside. We’re going to practice listening very carefully. Close your eyes and you will hear some sounds all around us. You will try to figure out what is making the sound. With your eyes closed, your ears can really focus.”
Your child will listen carefully and then guess what is making the sound. You can take a turn by closing your eyes and identifying a sound that you hear, too. “I heard a plane flying overhead. I wonder where it was going. Did you hear the plane?” It can be helpful to show your child that you are listening by pointing to your ear, and then smiling and nodding. You can also say, “I hear something!” and use your voice to copy the sound. For example, you may hear birds chirping, leaves rustling, squirrels running in the trees, traffic or car motors, a horn honking, lawn mower starting, water running, people talking, or a baby crying in the distance.
Some examples of things you could ask your child are:
- “What sound(s) do you hear?”
- “What do you think makes that sound?”
- “How did you feel about our walk?”
Be sure to answer the same questions you are asking your child. If your child is not sure how to respond, share your thoughts and feelings first and then give them a chance to do the same on their own.
As your child becomes familiar with this game, continue to walk and take turns identifying sounds in the environment with your eyes open. If your child has difficulty focusing in on sounds, pause your walk again and have him close his eyes to really focus in on the sounds around him.
TIPS
- The walk does not have to be in nature or even outdoors—it can be in a store or other indoor place, especially if the weather is bad.
- Younger children usually have shorter attention spans than older children. A good starting point is the same number of minutes as your child’s age (e.g. 4 minutes for 4-year-olds, 5 minutes for 5-year-olds, etc.). Feel free to change the duration of the activity according to your child’s needs.
- You and your child can check out the book The Listening Walk by Paul Showers at a local library.
- For additional mindfulness activities, go to: