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Communication

The Echo Game: Teaching Children to Listen Well

A playful listening exercise that teaches children to pause, repeat and respond — skills they will use for life.

Grades 1–5 · 10 minutes · Free printable by THEO Homeschool

The THEO approach: “Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak” (James 1:19). THEO treats listening as a skill to practice, not just a rule to follow.

How to play

  1. Partner up. One person shares something short: a favorite memory, a worry or a wish.
  2. The listener echoes it back: “I heard you say…”
  3. The speaker says “Yes” or gently corrects.
  4. The listener asks one follow-up question.
  5. Switch roles.

Level up (Grades 3–5)

  • Echo the feeling, not just the facts: “It sounds like you felt…”
  • Try it during a small disagreement — each person echoes before replying.

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