Try a sound walk (and these 3 other activities) to boost your child’s language skills

Your 2-year-old may be starting to show more awareness of environmental sounds. They may get excited when a car horn honks, run toward the door when someone knocks, or notice a barking dog in the distance. 

Naming sounds, like honk, knock, and bark, encourages aspects of your child’s receptive language—words they understand but may not be able to say quite yet.

4 ways to help your toddler tune into sounds

DIY Musical Jars

Add different amounts of water to three to five jars of the same size. Use a metal spoon, pencil, or stick to gently tap the side of the jar, listening to the differences in pitch. Experiment with adding and taking away water to “tune” the jars. Be sure to monitor closely to ensure your child doesn’t tap too hard and accidentally break the glass. 

Go on a sound walk

Invite your child to listen for sounds as you explore your neighborhood together. As you walk, ask your child what they hear and listen with them as they identify sounds. Tell them what you hear: “I hear a bird chirping; I hear a car engine.” 

Play “I Hear With My Little Ear”

This variation of “I Spy With My Little Eye” is a no-prep way for you and your child to listen closely and identify what you hear. You can play this at home, the park, in line at the grocery store, or almost anywhere.

Start by telling your child what you hear: “I hear with my little ear the wind rustling the leaves.” Use visuals to help bring their awareness to the source of the sounds: “Can you see the leaves moving in the tree?” 

Make a DIY drum set

Here’s how to make a drum set out of everyday household items:

• Collect empty cans of different sizes, wash them, and let dry completely. 
• Apply heavy tape over the rims to make them child-safe.
• Cut the ends off of balloons and stretch the tops over the open side of the cans; secure with rubber bands.
• Use a stick, wooden spatula, kitchen whisk, or your hands to bang the drum.
• Be sure to supervise closely and put away or dispose of balloons and rubber bands as soon as play is finished. 

Play the drums together with your 2-year-old: Make a pattern with the drumbeat—ba BUM, ba BUM, ba BUM—and see if your child can repeat the pattern back. If they can, try a slightly more complex rhythm—ba ba BUM, ba ba BUM, ba ba BUM.

This kind of rhythmic sound play helps lay the foundation for language, math, and reading skills that will develop over the coming months and years.