The Sounds Left When We're Quiet

Lying down with eyes closed, children quietly listen to the sounds around them and raise a finger for each new one they discover. They practice calming down, silence, and listening to their surroundings.

How to play

1. Lie on your back with loose arms while the teacher asks, "When we're all quiet, do the sounds stop?" (1 min).
2. Close your eyes and breathe slowly three times, hearing the air go in and out (1 min).
3. Listen in silence, and each time you discover a new sound, raise a finger without talking (2 min).
4. Open your eyes and, still lying down, each child softly shares one sound: a car, a bird, a classmate's tummy rumbling (1 min).
5. Last minute: find the tiniest sound of all, then stand up slowly without covering it up (1 min).

Rules

• While we listen, mouths stay closed.
• Fingers count the sounds.
• Stand up very slowly and quietly.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: do it sitting in the chair or reclining on a cushion.
• Hearing impairment: places hands on the floor to feel vibrations (footsteps, a door) and counts those.
• Autism: can listen with eyes open, gazing at one spot on the ceiling.

Learning goals

• Calm down after activity.
• Listen carefully to sounds in the environment.
• Enjoy shared silence.

Teacher tip

Before starting, close the door or open the window depending on what you'd like them to hear. If someone makes a noise, don't scold; say "that's a sound too" and keep going.

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