Listening activities: 8 important ideas for teaching listening skills in the preschool, kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade classroom, such as whole body listening, class games, and daily practice ideas.
8 Listening Activities for the Classroom
As teachers, we always hope that our students listen carefully to our verbal instructions for lessons and assignments. Unfortunately, sometimes, they are not listening to what we say, which can affect their learning. This becomes a problem when they miss key information during instruction. But do not worry. There are plenty of listening activities to help students become more attentive and engaged in the classroom.
Table of Contents
- 8 Listening Activities for the Classroom
- Why Listening Activities are Important in the Classroom
- 8 Listening Activities for the Primary Classroom
- Listening Activities and Resources for Teachers
- Free Listening Mat Activity
- More Listening Activities for Kids
Why Listening Activities are Important in the Classroom
Teaching listening skills in the primary classroom isn’t just about getting students to sit still and pay attention (though that would be nice, too). It’s about laying the foundation for successful learning, communication, and social interaction.
When young learners develop strong listening skills, they’re more likely to understand instructions, follow classroom routines, and engage meaningfully with lessons. Plus, let’s be honest—teaching becomes much smoother when students hear what you’re saying the first time.
Listening also plays an important role in language development:
- Young learners absorb new vocabulary, sentence structures, and ideas by listening to stories, participating in discussions, and engaging in group work.
- Improved listening skills enhance speaking, reading, and writing abilities, making it essential to overall literacy development.
Beyond academics, teaching listening helps build essential life skills:
- Students learn empathy by valuing others’ perspectives.
- They practice patience by waiting their turn to speak.
- Thoughtful responses become more natural as they actively listen before replying.
In short, teaching listening in the primary classroom is essential because it boosts learning, improves communication, and fosters respect. Plus, it saves teachers from repeating themselves a million times daily—what’s not to love?
8 Listening Activities for the Primary Classroom
It’s a good idea to take some time to explicitly teach listening skills so that students can build their memory and retain more of the information we give them.
These seven fun and practical ways to teach listening skills in the classroom are exactly what you need. Your students will learn to be active listeners—paying attention, staying engaged, and responding thoughtfully to a speaker—while following directions to complete tasks. Plus, when your students practice good listening skills, you might find that your days as a teacher become much easier.
1. “Simon Says” Game
In front of the classroom, play a short game of Simon Says with one child volunteering to be “Simon” and you as the game player. This is a great game for following directions activities. Students often do not even realize they are learning!
Model vital listening strategies such as looking the speaker in the eye and making eye contact, repeating the directions to yourself (aloud so they can hear you), not starting until you’ve listened to all the instructions (say aloud, “Ok, he’s finished giving me the instructions so now I may begin”), and speak aloud what you’re going to do as if you were picturing it in your mind before doing it.
After “Simon” gives you a few short instructions, ask the class to tell you what they witnessed you did well. Write their answers on a thinking map on the board.
2. Classroom Morning Meetings
Classroom meetings are another great opportunity to model and practice listening skills. The class sits together in a circle, sharing their thoughts and feelings on the discussed topic. Children are encouraged to look at the speaker and listen to what they say.
Teachers can reinforce active listening by summarizing key points, asking follow-up questions, and encouraging students to respond to their peers’ ideas. Using a talking stick or another object to designate the speaker can help ensure that everyone has a turn to share while others practice patience and respect. Over time, these morning classroom meetings create a sense of community, build empathy, and strengthen communication skills.
3. Partner Conversations
Pair children up and give them a general discussion topic. Each child takes turns being the speaker or the listener. When the speaker is finished, have the listener repeat one of the speaker’s main points and compliment them.
Using “Think, Pair, Share” during lessons and discussions or “book chats” when reading social-emotional books aloud are great ways to practice receiving and sharing what is heard and build communication skills.
4. Storytelling Pods
Sort children into groups of three. In these “pods,” they are to play the storytelling game only in successive story events rather than one word. For example, the first student starts with an event like “The rabbit found a carrot in the garden.”
The second student then adds an event that happens afterward in the story, such as “The carrot was too big to carry.” The third student adds, “So the rabbit put it in a wagon to pull it to his burrow.”
After the pods have created their three-event stories, instruct the students to move to a new pod. In those groups, they must accurately retell their stories to their new pod members.
5. Teach “Whole Body Listening”
A concept often used in early primary grades is “whole-body listening.” In whole-body listening, students practice keeping essential body parts focused on the speaker.
- Eyes are watching
- Ears are listening
- The brain is focused on the speaker’s information
- Mouth is closed
- Shoulders are squared toward the speaker
- Heart cares about the message
- Hands are folded or in their lap
- Feet are still on the floor
In other words, they actively “listen” with their entire bodies. Teach your class this concept and practice it as a group before expecting them to apply it.
I teach this concept with the book Lacey, Walker, Non-Stop Talker. This book is excellent for teaching kids to be good listeners, and there are many other great books out there for teaching communication and manners!
6. Listening Mats
Listening mats help primary students develop active listening skills. These mats provide a visual and hands-on way for students to stay focused while listening to instructions, stories, or lessons. As students listen, they complete tasks on the mat—like coloring, circling, or drawing—which keeps them engaged and reinforces what they hear.
Using listening mats regularly helps young learners practice following directions, paying attention to details, and improving comprehension. They benefit K-2 classrooms, where foundational listening skills are essential for academic success. Plus, they make listening practice feel more like a fun activity than a chore!
7. Directed Drawing
Directed drawing is a fun and effective way to teach listening skills in the primary classroom. Students must follow step-by-step instructions to create a drawing, encouraging them to focus, process what they hear, and respond carefully.
Each step matters—miss one, and the drawing won’t turn out as expected. This motivates students to listen closely while building patience, concentration, and the ability to follow directions. Plus, the excitement of completing their drawings keeps them engaged, making it a simple yet powerful tool for teaching active listening.
8. 20 Questions Listening Game
In this classic game, you can practice many listening skills without explicitly calling it a “lesson in listening skills.” Play this game any time you feel you need subject review and practice listening skills at the same time!
For instance, tell the class you are an item that starts with a particular letter, a fictional character, or a Science object you’ve recently learned about. Have them ask you 20 yes/no questions to figure out what you are.
BONUS ACTIVITY: The Storytelling Listening Activity
In this listening exercise, you start a story with a beginning phrase, and then each child in the classroom adds one word. Students must be active participants and follow the story closely so that when they add a word, the story makes sense, and they understand the speaker’s main points.
Another way to practice this is by playing a traditional Telephone game, in which a message is passed around the room from student to student. The last person will reveal the message to them, and you will see if it stays the same.
There are many more listening activities you may want to try with your students and children. These activities are typical or easy to teach, and they are lots of fun, and each helps build this important life skill!
- Red Light Green Light
- Freeze Dance
- Sound Hunt
- Audiobooks
- Blindfold Walk
Listening Activities and Resources for Teachers
These Listening Mats from Proud to Be Primary will help teach kids to focus on oral instructions, visualize the tasks given, and complete tasks accurately. Students must listen, visualize, and think about what is read and complete the appropriate task on the mat (picture) provided. They will build listening and reading skills through repeated practice.
Free Listening Mat Activity
Want to help your students build better listening skills? Grab this FREE listening mat to get started! It’s an easy, low-prep tool that encourages active listening while keeping students engaged. Give it a try and see how it transforms your classroom listening routines!
Click the image below to download the FREE printable Listening Mats today.
More Listening Activities for Kids
Following Directions Activities
How to Teach Kids to Be a Good Listener
PIN for Later
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