The Listening Walk: A Learning Exercise for Children with Hearing Loss

Getting outside and taking in some fresh air is always a great idea for you and your family. For parents of children with hearing loss, the outdoors can also provide plenty of opportunities to enhance listening and spoken language development. Even a simple walk can be an interactive learning experience. 

What is a Listening Walk?

A listening walk is an easy-to-do activity for the whole family that is especially beneficial for your child with hearing loss. On a listening walk, the idea is to focus on the sounds around you. Your child can be asked to list the sounds she/he hears as you walk. Depending on the location of your walk, these sound sources could be natural, such as birds, dogs, the wind or rushing water, or products of the environment, such as cars and airplanes. 

The ease of going on a listening walk makes it accessible for everyone. You can go for as long as desired and continually change your route to seek out more sounds. 

What are the Benefits of a Listening Walk?

A listening walk encourages your child with hearing loss to focus on the sounds around him/her. It provides exposure to new sounds and promotes discerning between different volumes, pitches and tones. Additionally, it can help expand vocabulary as children describe the sounds they are hearing.

For children working to develop their listening comprehension skills through use of their hearing-assistive technology, a listening walk serves as a great developmental tool. 

Side benefits of a listening walk include physical exercise, critical thinking and family bonding.

Take it a “Step” Further

While a listening walk may seem basic, there are ways to make it more interactive and beneficial for your child with hearing loss.

Creating a list of sounds to listen for ahead of time turns the activity into a scavenger hunt, and you can check them off as you walk. Move the location of your walk to keep the activity fresh – walking through a park, a zoo, a neighborhood or along a trail will lead to a different experience each time.

Listening walks are great for developing vocabulary. During the walk, use descriptive words to detail the different sounds being emitted. After the walk is over, you can recount all of the sounds you heard, giving expressive clues that will encourage your child to use critical thinking and memory. 

Enjoy the Great Outdoors

Helping your child with hearing loss develop listening and spoken language is a full-time job, and it can be overwhelming at times. The ease of a listening walk provides a relaxing opportunity to enhance your child’s knowledge and skills. It is something children of all ages can enjoy and with so many variations available, it is an activity that can continually be used to get your family outside and enjoying some fresh air while promoting development for your child.