by Stephanie Chandler

Created on: October 02, 2009

In today's world of constant entertainment and instant gratification, the art of listening is getting lost. Listening is important in every facet of life, from education to relationships. Sharpening this skill starts early in childhood and can be done through fun games and activities. The best ones are those that have been around for decades. These games are tried and true and provide hours of fun so that the kids won't even notice they are really learning something.

Simon Says

The classic game Simon Says is great for kids of all ages and can be played with two or more players. First, choose one player to be "Simon". Simon is then responsible for calling out an action for the kids to follow. For younger children keep the action simple such as touch your ear, or touch your toes. When Simon calls out an action preceded by "Simon says" then all the children must perform the action. If however Simon does not say "Simon says", anyone who performs the action must sit down until only one child is left standing.

For older children make the instructions more and more difficult to follow and increase the pace of the game. This game promotes careful listening and following instructions as each child must listen not only for the phrase "Simon says" but also perform the actions as instructed. The last child standing is the winner of that round and becomes Simon for the next round.

Telephone

The game of telephone, also known as Grapevine, is a fun party game for any age. This game only requires a group, minimum of four players is preferable, and an area large enough for the group to sit in a line or circle. Choose one person to start the game. This person will begin by whispering a message to the person on their right. That person will then whisper the sentence, as they heard it, to the person on their right and so on.

The last person to receive the message will then say it out loud. This is sure to be followed by laughter as those at the beginning of the line hear something very different from what they passed on. This game not only promotes listening skills, but also teaches kids the importance of taking a detailed message. If the kids are older, this game can also be used to demonstrate the power of gossip and the damage it can cause.

Mission Control

Mission Control is a game similar to a scavenger hunt, but instead of deciphering written clues, the clues are given orally promoting listening skills. This game can be played one on one with just parent and child, or as a group.

The mission leader gathers the troops and tells them a mission they must follow. The mission can be a list of tasks to complete, items to retrieve or a combination of both. Make the game age appropriate by creating longer and more difficult tasks for older children.

Being a good listener is the key to succeeding in life. Help your children to develop this skill by spending some quality time playing these fun games.

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