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Social Story for Listening
A listening social story breaks “listen to me” into steps a young child can actually do: stop, look, listen, then do. Most young children aren’t ignoring on purpose. They are deep in something else, or the direction had three parts and they caught one.
The story below turns the steps into a game and keeps directions short. It doesn’t scold a child for not listening. Read it on a calm night and use the same four words in the day. Free to read aloud and to print, or make one with your child in it.
What will happen, in order
- Stop what you are doing
- Look at the person talking
- Listen to the words
- Do it, one step at a time
Read the steps together in the daytime, more than once. The free printable below has these steps at the top and the bedtime story underneath.
Finn and the Stop, Look, Listen Game
A free story to read aloud tonight
Finn had very good ears. He could hear an ice cream truck from three streets away. He could hear the cookie jar open from upstairs. But when Dad said, “Finn, shoes on,” somehow, Finn didn’t hear it at all.
So Dad taught him a game with four steps. Stop: freeze, like a statue. Look: turn your eyes to whoever is talking. Listen: open your ears wide. Do: do the thing.
They practiced. Dad said, “Stop!” Finn froze, one leg in the air. “Look!” Finn looked. “Listen: touch your nose.” Finn touched his nose. “Do!” Finn did a jump, which was also allowed.
The next morning, Dad said, “Finn, stop, look, listen. Shoes on.” Finn stopped. Finn looked. Finn listened. And Finn put his shoes on, one and then the other, and they were out of the door on time.
“Two things this time,” said Dad at bedtime. “Teeth, then pajamas.” Finn did teeth. Then he stood there. “What was the second thing?” “Pajamas,” said Dad. “Two things is a lot.” And Finn did pajamas.
Then Finn got into bed and played the game one last time. Stop: he lay very still. Look: he looked at the ceiling. Listen: he heard Dad’s footsteps going down the stairs. Do: he closed his eyes, and he slept.
Read it a few nights running rather than on the morning of. Familiarity is the part that works. The aim is that by the day itself, none of it is new.
Why doesn’t my child listen?
Usually because they are absorbed in something else, or because the direction was long. Getting close, saying their name, waiting for them to look, and giving one step at a time tend to help. If your child often doesn’t seem to hear, or finds following directions much harder than other children their age, ask your pediatrician about a hearing check or other support.
How many steps can a young child follow at once?
It varies a lot by age and by child. Short steps, given in the order they will be done, are easier at any age. When in doubt, give one step, then the next.