Easy Ways to Apply LSL to Fun Fall Festivities

Every season brings a multitude of new activities and places that can be turned into learning opportunities for a child with hearing loss who’s on their LSL journey. Using LSL strategies in those new activities and places can help your child build connections and grow their brain for listening and spoken language. Providing meaningful listening and talking experiences every day can grow your child’s future. Think about all the fall festivities your family enjoys, and then find ways to use LSL strategies during those times. There are so many fun fall activities that can become learning moments, but here are some of our favorites!

#1: Point Out Sound

Children begin to understand the meaning of sound and spoken language when you direct them to listen to sound by pointing it out, naming it, and talking about it. In particular, your child needs you to point out and label the sounds outside of your home, which may be harder to hear because they can be further away, muffled or softer. Practicing this helps them learn to link sounds with words.

Jumping in the leaves or taking a walk are fun ways to explore sound, direct your child’s attention to sound, and label them. For example, “Listen! I hear the leaves. Crunch, crunch, crunch. The leaves are crunching.”

#2: Describe Actions and Thoughts

Your child has a lot of words to learn over the next few years. Babies with hearing loss need to hear meaningful words in sentences over and over with their hearing devices on. Much like a sports announcer, describing the play-by-play action and thoughts of what your child experiences every day will help them grow their listening and language skills.

Whether baking your favorite fall pie or carving a pumpkin, you can provide the play-by-play action and the repetition of words that your child needs. For example, “Now it’s time to pour the sugar. I’m mixing it together. Next, I crack the eggs and stir, stir, stir.”

#3: Visit New Places

Most of the world is new for babies, and the more your child can experience new places to hear and see, the more they learn. By talking about what you see and what you’re doing, your child will learn about that place and grow more vocabulary that leads to listening, talking, and reading.

Whether it's apple picking or visiting a pumpkin patch, find a great outing to implement this strategy. Talk about what you see and what you’re doing. For example, talk about the apples: “This is a round, red apple,” or “This is a big, orange pumpkin.”

Remember, every day is a learning day. When you use LSL strategies in your daily routines and activities, your child can learn and grow from you. While you’re having fun in the fall, always remember to point out sound, describe actions & thoughts, and go to new places!

What are some fun things you like to do in the fall?

Blog post originally appeared on the Hearing First blog, 3 Ways to Apply LSL to Fun Fall Festivities