Purposeful Playtime for Babies with Hearing Loss

Playtime with your little one is so much more than just giggles and fun — it’s also how babies learn! And for your child who is deaf or hard of hearing, you can use playtime as a way to maximize their learning and build their brain for listening and talking. How? With some simple Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) strategies and techniques, you can turn playtime into a fun learning experience!

Let’s Play the LSL Way: Bright Babies

Here are some great ideas to help you build your baby’s listening and language skills as you play together.

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!”

Musical Fun 

Let’s sing, dance, and rhyme! Professional singing voice NOT required! Your baby loves to hear YOUR voice. 

Research shows music and singing can help children who are deaf or hard of hearing develop listening and talking skills. Music is beneficial even while your baby is waiting to receive their first hearing devices.¹

Giddy-up Horsey

Have your baby seated on your lap. Pause and wait, then say, “Let’s go!” Begin making galloping sounds by clicking your tongue and gently bouncing your baby. Start to sing “Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up Horsey. Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up, go, go, go!”

Use the Hear It Before They See It (or audition first) strategy. Make the horse sounds before you start singing and bouncing. Your baby starts to know what’s coming and may bounce in excitement!

Pat-a-cake

When singing with your baby, model the motions for Pat-A-Cake while facing them. Then, move your baby to your lap and hold their hands for the motions as you sing through it. Soon, your baby will start doing these actions on their own when they hear you sing the song!

Pop Goes the Weasel

Use the It’s All About Me strategy and sing with your baby’s name. As you sing, “All around the Mulberry Bush, the monkey chased (name). The monkey stopped to pull up his sock, and…POP goes (name)!” When you say “pop,” lift your baby up!

Water Fun

Dive into the world of water and see how much fun your baby can have! Your baby will LOVE to play with water – and touch it, see it, and taste it. Take advantage of their curiosity and delight for some listening and language opportunities with these ideas.

Splish-Splash

Spread a large towel on the floor and seat your baby between your legs. Use a cookie sheet with a little water and an ice cube or two. Use the Hear It Before They See It LSL strategy and say “splash-splash!” before you splash the water.

Give baby a turn! Once they start imitating you to splash, describe what they’re doing with the Play-By-Play LSL strategy. “You’re splashing! Splash-splash!”

Soap Up and Sing!

Make water play a fun, engaging activity to bond with your little one and grow their brain for listening. Try this! Fill a plastic bin with water, add some soap, and gather your baby’s favorite plastic toys to give them a bath.

Talk about each toy as you wash it. 

• "Let’s wash the truck! It is soooo dirty from driving." 
• "Let’s wash the apple! We need to make it clean so that it is good to eat. Chomp! Chomp!”
• “Let’s wash the animals! The cow needs a bath. What does the cow say?… “Mooooo!”

You can even float a toy boat while singing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” Then start to use the Hear It Before They See It (or audition first) strategy. Start singing before you touch the boat. Does your baby reach for it to make it move?

There are so many ways to play

Playtime can be purposeful when you incorporate tried-and-true LSL strategies and techniques! Not only are you building your bright baby’s listening, learning, and talking skills, but you’re also creating precious memories and a special bond together!

Check out the video below to learn more about how to make the most out of playtime with your little one each day!

Teaching Through Playtime

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_{1 Torppa, R., & Huotilainen, M. (2019). Why and how music can be used to rehabilitate and develop speech and language skills in hearing-impaired children. Hearing Research, 380(September), 108-122. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378595518301783}