Television. Video games. Computers. Cell phones.
Have you noticed that many children, and even adults, seem to lack a sense of focus these days? They are easily distracted, and who can blame them? Being surrounded with so many forms of advanced technology is kind of like having ten different doors in front of you! Just thinking about your choice is a distraction, which can lead to a partial or complete lack of focus on any one thing.We all seem to be moving so fast that I wish that - for one day - we could all go back to the time when there were none of these things. A time when a simple radio was all the rage.
The beauty of the radio is that it not only forces you to REALLY listen, but that it doesn't provide you with a moving visual image created by someone else. Your imagination is free to run wild.
Listening to the radio is kind of like reading a book, when you really think about it. Both reveal just enough information to breathe life into the images you create in your own mind. When the story really captures your attention, you actually feel you're in another time and place.
That's why audio books are such a nice alternative to reading books in print once in a while. Okay, so we've moved past the time of radio - to the time of cd players and even computers. But boy, do I have some folktale cd's for you!
I'll share them with you tomorrow. In the meantime, here are some listening and speaking activities you might want to share with your child this evening:
- Make up a story together, by building upon each other's sentences.
- Close your eyes and listen to music together. When the music stops, tell each other what the music made you think of.
- Read (or even create) a book together and try to think of a new title or a different ending.
- When you give your child directions, ask her or him to repeat them back to you.
- Act out a story with your child. You could even use props. If you perform it in front of people, it's even better!
- Spend the night without television, computer, or video games. Play a board game, start talking about the upcoming holidays, read some great books, put together a scrapbook...
- Go outside and listen to nature. What sounds do you hear? Your child might like to come inside and draw a picture to go along with the sounds.
- What does your child think about when all is quiet? I wonder...
Please feel free to add to this list!
In case you missed it, you can find some other ideas at yesterday's post, Listening for Literacy.
