To describe the pairs game first, all children get into twos, and one child will be the ‘sheep’ and one the ‘shepherd’. ![]() This activity can be played as a whole group game, though I have usually played it as a pairs game. You ask a question, but instead of ‘bobbing up’, the children will do some kind of pre-agreed movement instead. This game combines the ‘Bob Up’ concept with ‘throwing some funky shapes’ as well. ‘Bob up if you think the mouse is going to get eaten by the Gruffalo.’įor lots more sitting-down listening games for kids, then check my article out here. You could, for example, read a page of a story, and then do a quick ‘bob up’ predicting what will happen next. ‘Bob Up’ can be used as a discrete game on its own, but it is also very useful to ‘throw in’ to other activities or group-led times. Some other questions could be on topics such as: If a child likes cakes, then they will stand up, and then sit back down (‘bob up’). For example, say something, ‘Bob up if you like cakes.’ You ask them questions which might apply to them. The basic idea is that to start with the children either sitting or standing in a group. This is quite a well-known listening game that can be played with young children, but I have also seen it done with 8 to 10 year olds as well. Later on, transition to a child being ‘it.’ 3. Put the music on, all dance again, and then freeze with a different animal position. All the children do their best grizzly tiger pose, with bared teeth, claws and all the rest of it. For example, you might shout out ‘tiger’. ![]() When you stop the music, shout out an animal for them to freeze like. Put some music on, and the children all start dancing around. This game is a bit like musical statues, but with the statues all looking different every time. It’s a good idea for the adult to be ‘it’ in this game to start with, and the children can have a go of that role when they have lots of ideas. Of course, the children could come up with their own ideas for the animals, and the more ownership you can give them in activities like this the better. I think it helps to have two animals that are pretty diverse in their movements (such as they slovenly sloths, and those super-rapido cheetahs.) Ii) Mice and giraffes (crawling low versus stretching tall) I) Snakes and kangaroos (slithering and hopping) If things are going well, you could extend it to different animal movements. It’s as simple as that – keep going swapping about every twenty seconds or so. Move around for a while, before you call out ‘change.’ They swap roles – the monkeys becoming the elephants and vice versa. ![]() You know the drill – long trunks and big ears for elephants, and general ‘monkey arms’ and beating their chests for the monkeys. This is just to signify which team they are in (and will be a lifesaver if they all get confused).īasically, the children in the bibs are going to move like elephants around a designated space, and the other half are going to move like monkeys. It may be a good idea for the children in one team to have some kind of bib or band of some sort that they put on. This first listening game is an excellent physical activity that can be done either with a small group, or with a larger class.įirst, split the children into two in some kind of way. You can do all of them with a group, a whole class, and lots will work with just one or two children if you are a parent. Remember the golden rules – get children moving and excited, and their listening skills will radically improve.Īll of the following games will work brilliantly for children aged from about 3 to 6. I have taught children between the ages of 3 to 5 over the last ten years, and definitely my favourite active listening games (that I’ll expand on in this article) are the following: They need to be actively engaged, moving, and engrossed in something interesting.Īll these factors will increase their listening abilities by an exponential amount.Įver think that children have selective hearing? Or that they never hear if they’re not interested? Guess what – that’s exactly right.īut what are some of the best games active listening games? Most children don’t learn to listen by sitting still.
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