Children often struggle with learning “how” to listen. It is an important skill so learning to do so is vital to their success as they start school. Noticing a lack of listening skills as children grow up in child care centers is important for you as the owner or manager of a child care center.

Recently, Charlotte Parent Magazine shared an article that offers up some activities you can offer that can help children be better listeners – and they are fun.

Before looking at the Charlotte Parent activities, think about what the difference is to hear and to listen. They are distinctly different.

hear [heer] verb (used with object), heard [hurd], hear·ing.

To perceive by the ear: Didn’t you hear the doorbell?

lis·ten [lis–uhn] verb (used without object).

To give attention with the ear; attend closely for the purpose of hearing; give ear.

Hearing is a passive activity. You don’t have to be involved in it. As the Charlotte Parent article sites children hear thunder, the car engine humming and bees buzzing.

Listening involves active participation of the brain. One must be engaged to listen. What a child hears must register in their brain.

Active listening can be accomplished by following just 5 steps.

The steps are prepare mentally, pay attention, allow the speaker to communicate without any interruption, until the speaker concludes, provide feedback and repeat the feedback process until you and the speaker are satisfied that the message was amply conveyed. These steps are clearly detailed and illustrated at the link above and could help you understand how to help the children in your center become active listeners.

Now, please continue to the Charlotte Parent Magazine article, “8 Ways to Help Your Kid Become a Better Listener”, and learn some fun ways for helping your children learn to listen.