Score a story
Read a book aloud and ask your child to add sounds where he thinks they’ll fit best, using his voice and hands or objects. Not only will he pay more attention to the plot, but his creativity will get a workout as he interprets the story with a soundtrack.
Name that tune
Hum a song your kids are familiar with or play several seconds of it to see if they can guess the title. As they try to recognize the melody, they will activate their memory and increase their focus through listening. Take turns and see who ends up with the most correct guesses!
Home in on nature’s noises
Head outside and tell your kid to identify whatever she hears. For example, if she detects chirping, she may say it’s a bird. Ask her specific questions: “Do you hear that truck, too? Does it sound close, or far away?” By isolating sounds in a noisy environment, kids can learn to drown out distractions in a variety of settings—like the classroom or an auditorium.
Source: Dena Register, Ph.D., associate professor of music therapy and music education at the University of Kansas
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