Parents help children expand their listening skills by pointing out sounds. Toys, animals, actions, vehicles and other sounds can be explored when they occur. Families can also identify different sounds for their child to notice in their daily routine. Therapists may suggest specific sounds for the listening experience. The list below can be used to create listening opportunities. Listening is fun to do together.
| Toys | Vehicles | |||
| Bubbles | pop-pop | Ambulance | woo, woo, woo | |
| Clown | Hahaha | Boat | p, p, p, (whisper) | |
| Doll | wa, wa, wa | Bus | bu, bu, bu | |
| Shovel | dig | Car | beep, beep | |
| Top | round and round | Helicopter | wapa, wapa, wapa | |
| Siren | oowar, oowar | |||
| Train | ch ch ch oo | |||
| Truck | bbrrr | |||
| Animal | Actions | |||
| Bear | gr-gr | Airplane | aahhh | |
| Bird | tweet, tweet | Cowboy | yahoo | |
| Cat | mmmeeeeooww | Drip | plop, plop | |
| Chick | buk, buk, buk | Eating | mmm | |
| Cow | mmmoooo | Falling | down ouch | |
| Crow | caw, caw | No | no, no, no | |
| Dog | bow wow, woof woof | Raining | pitter, patter | |
| Duck | quack, quack | Rocking | la, la, la | |
| Horse | (click tongue) | Running | gg-g-g- gggoooo | |
| Monkey | hee, hee | Santa Claus | ho, ho,ho | |
| Owl | hoo, hoo | Sleeping | sssshhhhh | |
| Pig | oink, oink | Slide | whee | |
| Rabbit | hop, hop, hop | Up | up, up, up | |
| Rooster | cock-a-doodle-doo | Walk | walk, walk, walk | |
| Sheep | baa, baa | Wave | bye, bye, bye | |
| Snake | sssssssssss | Wind blowing | whoosh | |
Adapted from:
Estabrooks, W. (Ed.). (1998). Cochlear Implants for Kids. Washington, DC:Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf. Wilson, K. (2004, Oct.). Listen up! A model of auditory learning, games, activities, strategies, & techniques for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Presentation. Norfolk, VA.
