Whole-Body Listening  

For children and adults alike, listening is such an important way to connect and build caring relationships with others. All media use can make it hard to listen to others, and video chatting can be challenging for little ones. Whether children are interacting with others on a screen or in person, you can help them build their ability to focus, concentrate, and block out distractions by helping them practice whole-body listening.   

Print and share this page with children and invite them to color Elmo as you talk about the ways he uses his whole body to really hear what his friends and family are saying and what they are communicating with their faces. This helps his friends and family know that Elmo cares! As children color each body part, talk about how Elmo tries to:  

• Use his whole body to face the other monster or person.  

• Use his ears to hear them.  

• Keep his mouth quiet as he listens.  

• Use his eyes to look right at them.   

• Use his brain to think about what they are saying.   

• Keep his hands and feet calm and still.  

Then, whenever the moment calls for it, practice whole-body listening together. Depending on age and the individual child (and depending on the amount of time they’re trying to focus, and whether they’re in person or on screen) they may not be able to do it all, but every little effort counts. You can focus on just one body part (“How can you show me with your eyes that you’re listening?” or “Let’s practice quiet hands and feet. What do quiet hands and feet look like?”)