Ask Ollie
Three Times Listening
Here's one to try together!
Hear one song three different ways and spot what your ears missed the first time!
Reviewed by our team.
Safety first
- Keep volume at a comfortable level to protect hearing
- Lying down with eyes closed: make sure the space is clear of obstacles
What you need
- Phone, 1
- Paper, 1 sheet or more
- Crayons or markers, 1 pencil
- Pillows and cushions, a few (optional)
How to do it
Grown-up prep: Pick a song with lots of instruments and few or no words, and set the volume to a comfortable level.
- Find a comfy spot to sit or lie down.
- Close your eyes and take three slow breaths.
- Listen to the song once and notice how it makes you feel. Ask: What do you think you will hear in this song?
- Open your eyes and draw or write one word about the first listen.
- Listen again and follow just one instrument the whole way through. Ask: Which instrument will you choose to follow?
- Draw or write one word about the second listen.
- Listen a third time and hear all the sounds together, including the quiet moments.
- Write your third word, then compare your three words with someone else. What changed? Ask: Which listen felt the calmest, and why?
Play it again
- New song: pick a very different style of music and see what changes.
- Eyes open: listen outside and follow one natural sound, like a bird.
- Guess the word: swap your words and guess which listen each one came from.
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