How to stimulate your child’s auditory memory?

Auditory memory evolves from birth and gradually allows the child to develop his language and understanding of the world around him. By understanding and retaining the words he hears, he manages to reproduce them and develop his social skills.

Listening is the first step to understanding and learning

If the child has the ability to hear from birth, and even in utero, it is around the age of one year that he begins to understand the instructions and to know what to do to apply them thanks to his auditory memory. Whether at home, in daycare or at school, it is the listening skills that allow him to learn a lot, whether academic or social.

How to stimulate your auditory memory?

Before one year, all you have to do is get into the habit of talking regularly with your baby, describing everyday actions, naming body parts or clothes, for example. You can also make him listen to music with lyrics or sing him nursery rhymes.

Up to 3 years old, it is possible to use a picture book, animal sounds, songs or nursery rhymes by repeating, finding or completing words. At this age the child is also able to listen to and understand simple instructions, so avoid double instructions because he has trouble remembering two things to do in the same request.

After 3 years, understanding and learning develop, the child then becomes able to understand a story, to reformulate, or to play certain memory games. Do not hesitate to ask him questions about what he has understood or what he has done to train his memory or even to make riddles.

Find out more: “My first language games – Development, stimulation and enrichment – From 18 months”, by Lucie Brault Simard, Dangles editions.