A number of companies have put out active listening computer games (see Resources). Some of these include silly tests such as "click the button," in which the player is supposed to listen to the word said, not the one written on the screen. This helps pupils really pay attention when their brains are distracted. Others show videos and then ask a series of questions. Children get better at correctly answering questions about the words said, not the images seen.
Group games get all children going and add a level of competition to the listening. A classic is Simon Says. Though it may not seem like a listening game, it's all about hearing what the person says, not just doing what he does. You can also set up an audio obstacle course. On a playground, children race from activity to activity, but they must do them in the correct order and must follow the audio clue at each task. This is usually another pupil or parent giving them instructions. They must do everything right to get a pass to the next part of the course.
For parents, the battle over television never ends. Use the device to improve listening skills with your children. Watch a favorite show with them and ask questions afterward. You can even prepare a quiz and offer a reward for a certain number of questions answered correctly. Another fun game to play is to blindfold the child and ask her who is speaking when. This helps her develop not only audio recognition but also reasoning skills, such as why a particular character would be saying something.
Reading aloud often engages elementary children. Not only do they enjoy hearing the story come to life, but it becomes more interactive. With that in mind you can take a small group and read portions of stories aloud. Stump the Reader is a game in which one of the non-readers asks the reader a question based on what was just read. If the leader gets it right they get to ask the listener a question. If the listener gets the question right, he gets to be the next reader. If the reader gets the question wrong, the listener who asked the question gets to read.