Holiday therapy ideas for children with hearing loss

As the holiday season is upon us, we invite you to consider imaginative ways to create memories and maintain your child’s listening and language skills this holiday season. Check out our first five ideas below:

1. Create a holiday memory book: A holiday memory book can be a great way to remember holidays past and discuss plans for the present. This is a great activity you and your child can do together. The activity is designed to stimulate language, build vocabulary and use your child’s imagination to create pages that are meaningful.

2. Make holiday flash cards: Create a list of 20 holiday words that are important to you and your family. Place the word, a picture of the word and the definition on an index card and review them with your child. The goal of this activity is to strengthen your child’s vocabulary skills. 

3. Read your favorite holiday book: Great for any age, check out the local library or bookstore with your child and together pick out a holiday book that the entire family can enjoy.

4. Listen to holiday music: What a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday season by listening to holiday music with your child. Practice listening to and repeating the words in the songs!

5. Make holiday cookies: What child doesn’t love cookies! In the spirit of the holiday season, take some time to make your child’s favorite holiday cookies together. Your child can practice listening for instructions, reading the recipe out loud and learning how to cook all at the same time.

We invite you to share your favorite holiday therapy moments with us by sending a picture of you and your child participating in one of the activities listed above or maybe one of your own that you created. Send your photos and activities to stories@cochlear.com.

Keep an eye out for our second blog post in December for five more ideas!

For more resources to improve listening, encourage conversations and instill confidence, visit the child section of The Communication Corner.

For more information to help parents of a child with hearing loss, visit IWantYouToHear.com.

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Renee Oehlerking

Renee Oehlerking is the Public Relations Manager at Cochlear Americas where she is responsible for the region’s public relations and consumer marketing social media. Renee enjoys uncovering, telling and showcasing the inspiring stories of hearing implant recipients. As a recent transplant to Denver, Colorado, Renee enjoys exploring all that the state has to offer outdoors.