As teachers and parents, we know that children learn best through hands-on activities and play-based learning. Work on good listening skills for kids with this super fun craft in this post! Listening and social skills are no exception to this rule.
See 25+ more SEL Crafts and Activities here.
How do we teach a child to become a good listener?
Some of the ways are using eye contact and active listening skills. These are a great way to begin.
Young children often follow in the footsteps of the people around them too.
This is how they become active listeners themselves.
Of course, it always helps to add some fun and hands-on activities to promote good listening skills too.
That’s why we have come up with a fun and engaging printable craft activity that will help children develop their listening and social skills while having fun!
The activity involves creating an elephant craft and writing their friend’s details on its ear.
This activity is perfect for children aged 4-8 and can be done at home or in the classroom.
This craft below is super simple, I created it so that preschoolers and kindergarten kids can use it just as much with just simple materials.
What are listening skills?
Good listening skills are essential for effective communication and building positive relationships.
Some of the best ways to target listening skills is by playing games in the classroom in a fun way and in small groups.
They can even develop proper communication skills using their own words.
It’s essential that we teach kids how to communicate disagreements as much as agreements.
Teaching kids good listening skills from an early age can set them up for success in their personal and professional lives.
As you all know by now if you read my blog over time, is the overuse of memes. And this post is no exception. 😉
Here are some ways to teach kids good listening skills:
Model good listening behavior: Children learn by observing the adults around them. Model good listening behavior by giving your full attention when your child speaks to you. This means putting down your phone, making eye contact, and actively listening to what your child is saying.
Use active listening techniques:
Teach your child to use active listening techniques like nodding, summarizing, and asking clarifying questions to show that they are engaged in the conversation and understand what the other person is saying.
Sometimes kids can have reactions to different sounds and facial expressions and at a young age, they can become a better listener.
What are poor listening skills?
Poor listening skills in children can manifest in different ways depending on their age and individual characteristics, but some common signs include:
- Difficulty following instructions: Children with poor listening skills may struggle to follow directions given to them by adults or teachers, leading to confusion and frustration.
- Not paying attention: They may appear easily distracted, fidgety, or daydreaming while being spoken to.
- Interrupting: Children with poor listening skills may interrupt conversations or speak out of turn, often not waiting for their turn to speak.
- Forgetting details: They may miss important details or forget what they have been told, leading to mistakes or misunderstandings.
- Lack of empathy: They may not show empathy for others or understand the feelings of others because they are not fully engaged in the conversation.
- Poor academic performance: Poor listening skills can also lead to poor academic performance as children may miss key information in class, struggle to understand instructions, or have difficulty following the lesson.
It is important to identify and address poor listening skills early on as they can affect a child’s social, emotional, and academic development.
Language skills are built in so many ways. Play a game of Simon says, nursery rhyme and a good example of a listening game is play scripts for kids.
Another form of this is pretend play, which teaches kids important life skill.
They learn complex comprehension skills, important information about themselves and their friends. They then become an active learner.
Read on how to build this SEL craft below.
>>> Get THE FULL editable SEL Craft for Listening Skills Right Here in my Shop <<<
Some ways to work on listening skills with kids
Practice turn-taking: Encourage your child to take turns speaking and listening during conversations. This will help them learn to be patient and wait for their turn to speak.
Play listening games: There are many fun games that can help kids develop their listening skills, such as Simon Says, Follow the Leader, and Telephone.
Play SEL games and add some hands-on printables.
These games require children to listen carefully and follow directions.
Use visual aids: Visual aids like pictures, charts, and diagrams can help children understand and remember what they are hearing.
Read books: Reading books with your child can help develop their listening skills as they listen to the story and follow along.
Provide feedback: When your child speaks to you, provide feedback by summarizing what they said and asking questions. This will show your child that you are listening and help them learn to listen actively as well.
Encourage empathy: Teach your child to listen with empathy by putting themselves in the other person’s shoes and trying to understand their perspective.
By using these tactics, kids learn quickly in the early years.
They will learn proper body language with fun activities and they will certainly have better comprehension skills and therefor ask relevant questions.
Another great way to work on listening skills, is using audio stories.
In most cases, you can build even more listening skills here and younger students will less likely be a poor listener.
Good listening skills for kids printable
To get started, you will need the following materials:
Elephant template (you can find one online or create your own)
Construction paper or cardstock in various colors
Scissors
Glue stick
Markers or crayons
Pencil
Instructions:
Print out the elephant template and cut out the pieces.
Trace the elephant pieces onto construction paper or cardstock. Use different colors for the body, ears, and tusks.
Cut out the elephant pieces.
Glue the pieces together to form the elephant.
Using a pencil, draw lines on the elephant’s ear to create sections for your child to write in.
Help your child write down their friend’s name, age, and other details on the sections of the elephant’s ear.
Encourage your child to decorate the elephant with markers or crayons.
Use the editable template to add the names in there (you can either have them swap the elephant crafts and paste their names on each) or you can disregard adding the name letters altogether.
Allow the glue to dry, and display the elephant in a prominent place, such as on a bulletin board or in your child’s bedroom.
This activity is a great way to teach children how to listen and pay attention to their friends’ details. It also helps them develop their fine motor skills and creativity.
These are some of the most important skills for 4 year olds. They play a classic game and even older children will love to pair up and take student lead.
This is a super fun game for preschoolers and kindergarten kids to work on listening skills.
>>> Get THE FULL editable SEL Craft for Listening Skills Right Here in my Shop <<<
Here are some tips to make this activity more meaningful:
Before starting the activity, talk to your child about the importance of listening and paying attention to others.
Ask your child to describe their friend’s interests and hobbies. This will help them think about their friend as an individual with unique traits and characteristics.
Use this activity as an opportunity to discuss empathy and how we can be kind to others by showing an interest in their lives.
Encourage your child to give their elephant craft to their friend as a gift. This will help reinforce the importance of friendship and social skills.
>>> Get THE FULL editable SEL Craft for Listening Skills Right Here in my Shop <<<
In conclusion, this listening printable craft is a fun and engaging way to help children develop their listening and social skills. It’s a great activity for both teachers and parents to use at home or in the classroom.
By incorporating this activity into your routine, you can help your child become a better listener and a more empathetic friend.
