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Sound It Out: How to Help Your Child Tune In, Not Tune Out
Rhythm, music, and movement tools to strengthen auditory processing and support better listening skills.
Eliana Savitsky
August 01, 2025
✨ Hey there!
This week is all about helping your child listen, not just hear. If your kiddo struggles to follow directions, gets overwhelmed by noisy environments, or seems to “zone out” when things get loud, their auditory processing system might be working overtime. The good news? There are playful ways to support it.
Here’s what we have for you this week:
• 👟 Freeze Dance Fun — Movement + music = the ultimate listening workout
• ⏱️ Metronome Moves — Rhythm exercises to boost school-day focus
• 🎵 Music That Grounds — Songs that soothe and support sound integration
✨ First Things First: Quick Wins for You
This week’s tools are all about tuning in through rhythm and sound. Great for preschoolers, early elementary, or any kid who needs help organizing what they hear.
• 🕺 Freeze Dance Playlist – Movement meets auditory cues in a game that teaches start/stop listening.
• ⏱️ Metronome App – Set it to a steady beat and try clapping, jumping, or school-style desk work (like copying shapes or letters) to the rhythm.
• 🎶 Soothing Soundtrack – Use soft classical or instrumental music during wind-down time to promote auditory organization.
→Break out some Vivaldi
🔁 Why Auditory Processing Matters
When your child hears a sound, their brain has to quickly decide:
What is this sound?
Where is it coming from?
Is it important or can I tune it out?
If your child struggles with auditory processing, they may:
Seem startled by loud or sudden noises
Struggle to follow multi-step directions
Have trouble in noisy classrooms
Appear forgetful or inattentive
But sound can also train the brain. With rhythm, repetition, and structure, we can actually help kids improve their ability to filter and focus.
👶 Why I Care About This
My kid would sometimes get overwhelmed when he would hear the microwave or toaster beep. It can be a normal thing for babies to get overwhelmed by loud noises, but I wanted to help him learn and get used to different sounds- loud and quiet.
We made it into a game. Now he’s the one who presses the buttons (of course I am holding him for safety purposes). Now, “beep beep” has become a staple word in our house. Every time he hears any “beep beep” he runs in excitement. He associates it with his food and yells “cook”!
Auditory processing isn’t just about the ears—it’s about how the brain makes sense of all the input coming in. And when that system’s on overload? It can look like distraction, defiance, or distress. But with the right activities, we can help train those auditory pathways to filter, organize, and respond better.
🧠 Simple Sound-Based Exercises
🎵 Freeze Dance
How to do it:
Play music and dance around with your child.
Pause the music randomly—when the music stops, everyone FREEZES.
What it builds: Auditory attention, reaction time, and impulse control.
⏱️ Metronome Moves
How to do it:
Set a metronome beat to around 60 bpm.
Try activities like:
• Clapping along to the beat
• Walking heel-to-toe to the rhythm
• Copying shapes or letters in time with each tick
What it builds: Auditory timing, motor planning, classroom readiness
🎧 Music That Grounds
How to do it:
Play soft instrumental music during play, transitions, or clean-up.
What it builds: Auditory filtering, regulation, emotional grounding
Wrapping Up for Today
Auditory processing is a hidden skill—but it shapes so much of how kids learn, listen, and feel in the world. These rhythm-based activities can bring structure, predictability, and joy to their sensory world—and yours.
And if your child still seems stuck or overly sensitive to sound, that’s okay too. Sometimes, we just need to listen a little closer to help them find their beat.
Big high-five,
Eliana, OT & Mom
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