Backyard Adventures and Outdoor Fun for Listening and Learning

Let’s Play the LSL Way: Backyard Fun

Playing outside offers little ones so much: fresh air and sunshine, space to explore and imagine, and opportunities for listening and learning. Backyard play is full of opportunities for your child’s brain to grow and develop.

For your child who is deaf or hard of hearing, backyard fun is also a perfect time to build listening and talking skills. With some simple Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) strategies and techniques, you can turn everyday outdoor play into powerful learning moments. Read below for easy, engaging ways to play the LSL way in your own backyard!

Baby 

Outside Fun 

Get outside to discover playtime and learning opportunities! Until your little one is toddling on their own two feet, try some of these LSL outdoor baby games and let the fun begin.

Take a Listening Walk

Go for a stroll and talk about the sounds in your neighborhood. Help your baby hear and experience the connections for everyday sounds such as kids playing, a bird singing, or a lawnmower.

Use the Be a Director and Be a Bird Dog LSL strategies to point out sound and describe what you hear. “Listen!” *pause and wait* “I hear a motorcycle. It goes vroom, Vroom, VROOM!”

Tunnel Time

Use the tunnel or tube at your playground! When it’s empty, try placing your baby on their tummy inside, facing the entrance. Play “peek-a-boo” by popping your face around to see them.

If your little one is older and starting to crawl, place your busy baby at one end while someone calls from the other end. Say, “Listen! I hear your name. Mom is calling you!”

Swing! 

Once your baby has good head control and can sit up with support – for most little ones, around 6-7 months old – they’re ready to try the bucket swings. Stand in front of the swing and talk while you push.

Try singing and using their name: “Swinging, swinging to and fro. Swinging, swinging (name) loves it so!”

Toddlers

Step outside and discover endless opportunities for playtime and learning! Let the fun begin as you and your toddler play these outdoor games with a little LSL learning.

Sandbox Adventures 

Create a world of fun and learning as you climb into the sandbox with your little one. As you play together, use the Play-By-Play LSL strategy to focus on action words and describe what’s happening by using phrases such as

• ”You’re pouring the sand into the bucket.”
• “I’m sifting the sand.”
• “Should I…. dump the sand out of the truck?”
• “Can you rake the sand?”
• “Let’s shovel the sand together!”

Be Curious

Toddlers LOVE to ask questions! Questions play an important part in helping your child learn and develop curiosity. You can model curiosity by thinking aloud as you play outside together.

• “I hear a buzzing bee! I wonder where he’s going. He seems to love those roses. What do you think he’s doing?”
• “Look at that robin! Maybe she’s collecting worms for her baby birds. Where do you think her nest might be?”
• “Wow! There’s a castle at the playground. I wonder who lives in that castle. Who do you think might be inside? Let’s go look!”

Play Ball!

Toddlers move quickly from using single words to combining words and forming phrases. Continue helping them make connections and build off the words they already know as you play with something as simple as a ball.

Practice at the Playground 

Toddlers learn words by experiencing them. Pretend to be a sports announcer, and use the Play-by-Play LSL strategy to talk about what’s happening at the playground. Describe the playhouse, tunnel, monkey bars, drinking fountain, and swings.

Preschooler

Fun AND learning aren't hard to find when you’re playing outside with your child. These activities include helpful ideas to make playtime purposeful.

Making Friends at the Playground

Teaching social skills doesn’t just happen in preschool. You can encourage social interactions with your child at home, with family, and even on the playground! Playgrounds offer SO many opportunities for your child to interact with others and build social skills.

• Swings and slides encourage preschoolers to take turns.
• Bridges and castles encourage group and pretend play.
• Social games like playing catch, going on a nature scavenger hunt, and hide-and-seek encourage social skills.

Backyard Exploration

Take advantage of your preschooler’s natural curiosity about science and nature. Go on a rock hunt with your little learner and fill a bucket with your discoveries! As you hunt together, use new words like rocks, stones, pebbles, and boulders. You could also add new action words like dig, poke, push, and shove.