Activities to Help Your Child Through Hearing Loss

If your child is experiencing hearing loss, they may be feeling sad, confused or frustrated, so it is really important that you do everything you can to support them as they come to terms with their condition. The good news is, there are lots of fun and creative activities you can do with them that will really help them along their journey to acceptance and good living with hearing loss…

1. Rhythm and Beat: Music Therapy and Hearing Care

Music therapy and hearing care go hand in hand when it comes to stimulating auditory pathways and boosting mood. Introduce your child to percussion instruments—think tambourines, shakers and bongos. Encourage them to tap out simple rhythms while you clap along or nod to the beat. This sensory play not only promotes sound awareness but also strengthens motor skills. Turn it into a game by mimicking each other’s patterns or inventing secret drum codes for “time to clean up.”

2. Silent Movie Day: Facial Expressions Rule

Who needs dialogue when you have dramatic eyebrow raises and over–the–top gestures? Host a silent movie marathon featuring classic cartoons or modern mime performances. After each short clip, ask your child to recount the story using facial expressions and body language. This helps them practice lip reading and nonverbal cues in a fun, pressure–free setting. Bonus points for draping a bedsheet over the couch to create a “home theater” ambiance.

3. DIY Sound Walk: Detecting Everyday Noises

Turn a routine stroll around the block into a detective mission. Equip your child with a simple checklist of sounds—barking dog, chirping bird, hum of an air conditioner, car horn. As they check off each item, talk about the differences in pitch, volume and duration. This activity sharpens listening skills and highlights the diverse soundscape that often goes unnoticed. You can even award “awareness badges” made from colorful paper to celebrate their discoveries.

4. Storytime with Noise Makers

Reading aloud is a classic bonding activity, but you can level it up by adding props. Keep a small box of noise makers—rain sticks, mini bells or crinkly paper. When a character tiptoes or a storm brews, let your child choose and use the appropriate noise maker. This multisensory approach reinforces vocabulary, engages attention and ensures that your child connects sounds with story elements.

5. Tech Treasure Hunt: Exploring Hearing Devices

Help demystify hearing aids or cochlear implants by turning them into gadgets in a treasure hunt. Hide “clues” (stickers or simple notes) around the house that lead to different parts of the device—battery compartment, microphone port, tubing. At each station, explain its function in clear, simple terms. This teaches your child about their equipment, empowers them to care for it and reduces anxiety around using assistive technology.

6. Sign Language Charades

Learning a few signs can be both practical and hilarious. Write down simple words or phrases on slips of paper—dog, eat, I’m tired—and let your child act them out in sign language. Family members guess the sign. This game encourages receptive language skills and shows your child that communication comes in many forms. Plus it makes for some entertaining charades when Grandpa tries to sign pizza.

7. Bubble Conversation Practice

Blow bubbles together and take turns “responding” in short sentences whenever a bubble pops. This playful twist on turn–taking encourages clear speech, attention to lip movements and reinforces conversational etiquette. The bubbles add an element of surprise and delight, making practice feel like play.

Access a symphony of support, and your child won’t feel so alone with their hearing loss!