Aim of the game:
Listening and paying attention to others is really important for both language learning and education. This Stop-Go Game teaches these skills in a fun and humorous way and also helps your child learn that looking at people helps them to listen and understand better.
What you will need:
Noisemakers such as shakers, makeshift drums such as a tub and wooden spoon, bricks to bash together, bells or shop bought musical instruments.
How to play:
- Sit opposite your child so you are face to face and your child is easily able to watch and listen to your instruction.
- Introduce the game to your child (e.g. “Let’s play the Stop-Go! Game”) and explain that when you say “go!” they can shake their shaker, bang their drum etc and make lots of noise but when you say “stop!” they will need to stop making noise and be quiet. Tell them they will need to listen and watch you so they get it right.
- Start the game with “go!” and vary ‘stop’ and ‘go’ at different rates to make sure they are listening and not following a pattern. You can use a hand gesture or Makaton sign for ‘stop’ if you wish to give child a visual clue.
- Have lots of fun with speeding up rates – you will have your child in fits of giggles!
Warning! This is a very noisy game so you may need to plan ahead your timing with this one if you have any children or people sleeping in the house.
How to extend:
- As the game goes on stop giving any visual clues and make your instructions more subtle so they need to listen harder and watch you more closely.
- Cover your mouth with your hand so your child has to purely use their listening skills to hear ‘stop’ or ‘go’.
- Try this using physical movement – your child can get up and run around with their noise maker when you say “go!” but has to stand still and stop making their noise when you say “stop”
- Play this with other children to help them learn to listen in a group – this makes a great birthday party game.
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