Listen Like a Scientist: Introduce Listening Skills in Preschool

When teaching preschoolers that we can be scientists and explore the world, I love adding sensory games. Our five senses are the first tools we all use to make observations. This fun listening game helps children to listen like a scientist and discover everyday objects using just their hearing! Best of all, you can play it with items you already have around the class.

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Scientists rely on their senses, like hearing, to observe the world around them. With this listening game, your preschoolers will practice using their ears to make observations. As they play, they’ll strengthen their listening skills and learn to connect sounds to the objects they see—just like real scientists! Plus, it’s a fantastic way to build critical thinking and matching skills.

I designed this game when planning my unit called Scientists Use Tools. You can read about how to teach children to use magnifiers in my post: Introducing Preschoolers to Magnifying Fun. Although I had plenty of ideas for tools, pipettes, magnifiers, etc., I realized my that my preschoolers first science tools are their senses.

• Two sets of small objects (e.g., marbles, pom poms, plastic spoons, metal spoons, jingle bells, and small plastic animals)
• A tray to display the first set of objects
• A container for shaking the second set of objects (My container is an empty baby formula can, covered in black vinyl.)

Step 1: Set Up the Tray. Place the first set of objects on a tray, where everyone can see. Use everyday items like marbles, bells, or pom poms—objects that create unique sounds.

Step 2: Explain the Game. Introduce the game by saying, “Scientists use their five senses to learn more about the world. Today, we’re going to use our ears like scientists! Let’s see if we can match sounds to the things we see.”

Step 3: Identify the Objects. Help the children identify each object on the tray. Encourage them to describe the items. You could say, “I see the marble. It looks like a hard ball. I wonder what sound it will make. The pom pom looks puffy. Will it sound different from the marble?”

Step 4: Shake and Listen. Without showing the children, place one object from the second set into the container. Shake it and ask the children to listen closely.

Step 5: Match the Sound. First, ask the children to match the sound they hear with an item on the tray. Then, encourage them to explain their thinking, just like scientists do. Finally, let them know that it’s okay to guess the wrong object. Scientists learn by making mistakes and trying again and again.

Step 6: Reveal the Object. After the children make their guesses, open the container to reveal the object. Next, show them which item on the tray matches the sound and then lay the item on the tray so the children know it’s been matched. Now, continue the game with the remaining objects until all the items are matched.

For Toddlers: Use 3–4 objects with very different sounds. Try using a wooden block and a metal spoon—objects that are easy for little ones to distinguish.

For Preschoolers: Use 6–8 objects and introduce items with more similar sounds, like marbles and bouncing balls, to make the game more challenging. After the children understand the game, try it again with new objects but skip the step of describing or naming them first. Without these discussions, the children have to rely only on what they hear. In short, they can’t use those verbal clues to help them guess. This encourages them to strengthen their listening and thinking skills.

After the game, take a moment to review with your students. Ask questions like:

• What made one sound different from another?
• How did you know which item made the sound?
• When do you think a scientist uses hearing?
• What other things can you name that you know what they are just by hearing a sound they make? Answers might include: firetrucks, kids on the playground, my parents, a cellphone ringing, popcorn popping, etc.

Questions like these encourage critical thinking and may lead to other games or experiments for your students to try. In addition, your students may want to extend the activity as suggested below.

Want to keep the fun going? Try these extensions:

• At the end of the game, have the children sort the objects by any attribute.
• Let the children choose objects to place in the container for the group to guess.
• Set up the game as a center activity so children can practice listening during free play.
• Add an empty container to your sensory bin or other centers, allowing students to create their own listening game.

In conclusion, the listening game is a simple yet powerful way to introduce preschoolers to the scientific process. It encourages children to listen closely, match sounds to objects, and think like young scientists. Plus, it’s adaptable for all ages, making it the perfect fit for your classroom. Watch as your preschoolers build key listening, matching, and critical thinking skills. In other words, watch them become scientists!

One little tip: Even the teachers love this game! I had to remind a few not to blurt out the answers before the kids had a chance to guess. When the grown-ups enjoy it too, that’s when I know it’s a great activity!

Note: I don’t earn any commission from these links, I just want to share items that have worked well for me!

• The Listening Walk by Paul Showers
• Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What do You Hear? by Bill Martin, Jr.
• Baby Loves the 5 Senses: Hearing by Ruth Spiro. (I love this book because it shows how sound works and different ways of hearing, including hearing aids, cochlear implants, and sign language.)

If I have time at the end of the lesson, we will play this listening game. Check out the site. There are several listening games to choose from.