Sound Seeking (Auditory)

"My toddler taps and bangs a stick against items in our house while turning his ear to the sound. If I remove the stick he likes, he finds another item and taps it on different surfaces while listening to the noise and walking to something new to tap." 

It "sounds" like you have a kiddo who is Auditory Seeking! 😄

What it looks like:

The child frequently taps toys against hard surfaces, hums or repeats specific noises, loves turning objects over to hear them crash, or seeks out high-contrast sounds and musical toys.

Parent-Led Activities:

• Mystery Sound Shaker: The caregiver places a variety of items with different textures and weights into a plastic container, one at a time. The caregiver shakes the container, points to their ear, and says 'Listen!' Talk about what could be inside to build anticipation. Open the container, reveal the item, and name it to the child to go over vocabulary while providing the sounds the child loves to explore. 

You can also use a surprise or mysery ball as the contatiner for this game (see image below) as these are large and open like an easter egg. 

• Ready, Set, Sound Pots: Set upside-down plastic bowls, pots, or metal tins on the floor between you. Use wooden spoons or bare hands as drumsticks. Model playing loud and soft beats ("Loud bangs!" vs. "Quiet taps..."), pausing and holding your hands up to wait for the child's cue before starting the rhythm together again.

• Echo Microphone Play: Use a cardboard paper towel tube or PVC pipe as an echo cone. Speak into the tube to amplify funny vocal sounds, raspberries, or vowel stretches ("Oooooo!", "Beep beep!"). Turn the tube toward the child's mouth and invite them to make a sound back, fostering turn-taking and vocal imitation. 

• The "Loud and Quiet" Voice Game: Caregivers can help children regulate their volume by practicing extremes. Start by whispering a song or nursery rhyme together. Then, suddenly say, "Now LOUD!" and sing the next line boisterously. Switch back and forth to help the child practice volume control and auditory processing.

• Crinkle Paper Stomp: If a child loves the sound of tearing or crinkling, save packing paper, tissue paper, or even safe, clean autumn leaves. The caregiver and child can jump on the paper together, narrating the “CRUNCH!” sound, or take turns ripping the paper to see who can make the loudest sound.

• The Hum-and-Vibrate Hug: Sound seeking often overlaps with proprioceptive seeking (the desire to feel the sound). The caregiver hugs the child tightly to their chest and hums a low, sustained note or a song. The child can feel the vibration in the caregiver’s chest while hearing the sound, creating a deeply calming and connected experience.

• Kitchen Band Imitation: Lay out various pots, pans, and plastic containers. The caregiver plays a simple rhythm (e.g., tap, tap, pause) and encourages the child to repeat it. If the child just wants to bang wildly, the caregiver can join in the chaos, then suddenly stop and say "Shhh... sleeping band," before starting again.

• Water Pouring Station: For children who love the sound of splashing or running water, set up a small bin with water and different cups or pitchers. The caregiver pours the water from high up, saying "Listen to the waterfall! Whoosh!" and then lets the child pour, focusing on the sound the water makes hitting different surfaces (e.g., a plastic cup vs. a metal bowl).