There is plenty of frenetic activity during the holidays—baking, wrapping, picking up in-laws at far-flung airports—but the holiday season is also a time when our regular routines grind to a halt. Kids stay home from school, appointments are put off until after the New Year, and cold weather drives even the most driven among us to hunker down inside.
Can you make a list of 13,000 words you know? This is the average vocabulary for 6 year-olds who are developing communication skills at a typical rate. However, for many children who are struggling with speech and communication skills, that vocabulary list is much shorter. Sue McCandlish, an Education and Speech Pathology professional, developed the model below that outlines how valuable listening is to the overall model of communication. She encourages teachers and parents to engage the “working memory” of children through listening games and activities. So why not get in the holiday mood and try some Thanksgiving listening games for kids? Continue reading
Do you ever feel like the only way to get your children to listen is to continuously raise the volume of your voice? Whether it is competing with the chaotic noise level of the busy house or struggling through a battle of wills with an independent child, getting children to listen is sometimes one of the most challenging experiences we have as parents. As a mother of four children I’ve had to discover tips to get kids to listen more – without raising my own vocal volume in the process. Continue reading
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I have never met a parent who claims that his or her young child always listens. A combination of attention span, concentration, and interest all contribute to the energy kids put towards listening – and sometimes it seems like all of these things fly out the window. However, listening skills are not only important for family harmony, but they are integral to communication every day. Help to improve listening skills in your young child by making him or her a Listening Detective – and let the fun begin! Continue reading
