Pass on the Message
Here's What To Do
1
Play a message game where one person whispers a short phrase to the next person. Then, that person will whisper it to the next person, and so on.
2
The last person will say the message out loud and compare it with the original message to see if it’s still the same.
3
Highlight that it’s OK if we sometimes misunderstand something and have to ask someone what they said or meant. And, it’s OK if someone doesn’t understand us and we have to repeat or clarify something we said.
4
Take turns leading the game and choosing the message.
Put PEER Into Action
P
Pause:
- Get everyone’s listening ears ready by closing your eyes, taking deep breaths and saying one thing each of you hear.
E
Engage:
- “The first person will whisper a short, silly message to the next person. Then, they’ll pass on the message to the next person.”
- “The last person will say the message out loud, and we’ll see if it’s the same message.”
E
Encourage:
- Have older family members lead first to demonstrate.
- If your child isn’t sure what to choose as their sentence, suggest a topic, “You could tell us something you like to eat.”
R
Reflect:
- “Why do you think the last message was different from the first message?”
Not quite ready?
Whisper a familiar word instead of a phrase.
Ready for more?
Use longer, more complex sentences.
As your child masters this skill...
They will clarify a word or statement when misunderstood by others.