Listening is one of the earliest and most important social-emotional skills children learn. It helps them build strong friendships, follow directions, engage in classroom learning, and understand the world around them. When preschoolers learn how to listen with intention, they gain confidence, empathy, and better communication skills. Here’s how to help your child grow from simply hearing words to truly understanding them.
Passive Listening vs. Active Listening
When children listen passively, they hear the words but don’t take in the meaning. Maybe they’re distracted, thinking about something else, or simply not ready to focus. Every parent has asked a child to put on their shoes only to find them playing with a toy two minutes later. That’s passive listening at work.
Active listening is different. When children listen actively, they are paying attention, processing information, and connecting what they hear to their own thoughts or next steps. These skills take practice, and preschoolers learn them best through warm, supportive interactions at home and at school.
1. Practice Eye Contact
Direct eye contact helps children stay focused and signals that they’re ready to listen. Make this skill fun and gentle by practicing during playtime or conversations. You can even turn it into a game: see who can make eye contact the longest before giggling. Small moments like these help strengthen attention.
2. Encourage Follow-Up Questions
Asking questions helps children make sense of what they hear. When you’re reading together, pause to ask a few simple questions about the story and invite them to ask their own. This helps build comprehension, curiosity, and confidence in conversation.
3. Play Listening Games
Games are one of the easiest ways to strengthen listening skills. Try “What Was That Sound?” where your child closes their eyes while you make or play a sound. They guess what they heard and describe it back to you.
You can also set up a drawing game where your child listens to your description and tries to draw the scene as you describe it. Kids love seeing how their artwork turns out.
And once they get the hang of it, listening games can even be part of your daily routine. Try asking them to help you follow a recipe, find ingredients, or listen for simple steps.
4. Work on Waiting Without Interrupting
Preschoolers are full of ideas, and waiting their turn can be tough. Explain how it feels when someone interrupts a conversation, then practice waiting together during storytime or family chats. Offering simple alternatives like putting a hand gently on your arm or waiting for a natural pause gives children a concrete tool to use.
5. Communicate Clearly and Model Good Listening
Children learn active listening by watching their grown-ups. When your child talks, show them what active listening looks like through eye contact, nods, and warm expressions. Slow down when giving instructions so they can follow each step without feeling overwhelmed. These small shifts help children feel heard and valued, and they also show them how to listen with care.
Strong listening skills help children thrive in every part of their day, from circle time and classroom activities to imaginative play and building friendships on the playground. When children feel heard and know how to listen to others, they become more confident, empathetic, and ready to learn. At The Gardner School, teachers model active listening in every interaction, creating a classroom culture where children feel valued and understood. Through consistent routines, thoughtful communication, and intentional moments of connection, we help young learners practice the skills that strengthen relationships and support their social and emotional growth.