As your child grows, it’s important for him or her to learn about personal-volume control, and when to use certain kinds of voices that are appropriate for different situations and environments they are in.
1. Remember that you’re teaching more than just volume control
Teaching your child how to moderate his or her voice’s volume control teaches them other skills as well: self-control, judgment as to what is or is not demonstrating correct behavior.
Teach these skills gently and forgivingly in tandem with teaching your child about volume control, and remember they’re only just learning this for the first time so patience and repetition is key, but be mindful that these are great teaching moments for those things as well.
2. Teach by example
Don’t use loud voices in the house or other places you don’t want your child to use his or her loud voice. They are always watching and will learn to mimic whatever behavior you or your spouse are exhibiting in normal life.
Remember to be mindful in situations when you may not otherwise think twice about volume control on your own voice, but still sets the example for what is appropriate behavior to model after – yelling for your husband to come help you with something from across the house, or shouting at the referee for a bad call on the sports game. Nuanced situations for you; mixed messaging to your child demonstrating the opposite behavior from what you want to instill.
3. Play whispering games
Playing a whispering game with your child in quiet moments is a great way to teach and reinforce to them what it sounds and feels like to listen to and speak in a low-volume voice. Switch off with speaking in whispers, and turn the volume gradually down as low as you possibly can while still hearing each other. Make it a fun game, and they’ll love the chance to practice their new skill with you!
4. Give them the opportunities to shout it out as well
By letting and encouraging your child to yell and shout at times and in places where appropriate – like the schoolyard, or a playground, or a sports game – not only helps them get their sillies and energy out, but it also helps your child learn that loud voices are appropriate in some environments and situations as well.
5. Don’t call it “indoor/outdoor” voice
Although “Shh let’s use our indoor voices” is a common phrase, perhaps a better way to phrase it to your child is “quiet/regular” or “loud” voice. If your child is at a video game arcade, or a restaurant with lots of play area and games, they’re not expected to use their “indoor voices” only. Similarly, a wedding or a funeral may be outside, but their “outside” voice still wouldn’t be appropriate here.
6. Diversify their experiences
Taking your child to many different environments is a great way to help them practice with making the connection that different places require different volume levels and behaviors.
Young children will need reminders, and consistent feedback, but they are also able to distinguish between different environments and situations from a young age. The more practice they get, the better!
7. Practice with a microphone
Volume control can be difficult for little ones, especially when they are transitioning to a new environment, such as a classroom setting, for the first time. Creating games can provide a fun way to help children work on their volume control without them realizing it, allowing it to become more natural.
A game built around using a microphone can provide instant feedback and demonstrate to students that they do not have to yell to communicate effectively and be heard. The microphone game can pair well with the whispering game to help children grow as communicators and maintain a lower volume in settings where that is necessary.
8. Use a traffic light system
The Traffic Light System is a simple but effective way to work on volume control with your children. The colors are easy to understand, and they can be used to convey acceptable times for different levels of volume and types of conversation.
Red noise levels point toward total silence and are suitable when children are focusing on individual tasks or when a teacher is leading an activity or lesson. Yellow noise levels are suitable for situations where children are working with a partner and can signify a time for quiet voices.
The green light noise levels match with moments when conversational volume is allowed during group activities, such as games and discussions. Parents can pair the Traffic Light System with a visual volume meter to help young ones track the volume of their noise and gauge whether they are being too loud.
9. Implement named voice levels
Named voice levels can provide a precise idea of how loud children can be. Parents can assign the names to different levels of volume control to quickly convey the amount of volume that is tolerable in a given circumstance or environment.
It is helpful for parents to use names that correlate to different settings children will experience when entering elementary school or preschool in Chicago. The Library Voice is an excellent option for when young ones need to speak quietly when communicating, while the Table Talk voice is a great way to communicate that moderate communication is acceptable. The Playground Voice is the loudest option of all, allowing young ones to be loud without consideration for their volume control.
10. Teach using non-verbal cues
Non-verbal cues can be used to communicate without the need to speak over the volume young children use when excited. Consider teaching volume control with non-verbal cues and hand gestures to convey that they need to lower their volume.
Work with your children to establish what different hand gestures mean to help your child modify his or her voice when they are starting to get too loud for the environment. Gestures to consider include creating a sliding motion with your arm to signal that the children need to lower the volume.
Placing a finger to your lips can signal that the young ones need to be silent. It’s beneficial to teach the hand gestures and non-verbal cues with the Microphone Game or Volume Control Game to help them work on volume control in different situations.
11. Avoid teaching during meltdowns
Part of raising a young child is learning how to handle meltdowns. When helping a young child learn volume control, it’s best to wait until the child has calmed down before teaching the lesson. Allowing the child to calm down can make it easier for the parent to maintain their own level of calm and convey the lesson at a time when the child is likely to be more receptive.
You can also use positive reinforcement as a deliberate message to the child that listening and maintaining an appropriate volume level will be rewarded. Should your child continue to struggle with their volume control, parents should check for underlying issues, such as their hearing, that may be causing the lack of volume control.
12. Remain consistent
Consistency is vital when helping children with their volume control. Set expectations early for yourself and your young one. Long-term consistency should continue over months, allowing children to begin identifying what an appropriate volume level is in different social settings and environments.
That consistency also ties into the level of voice you use when parenting. Modeling good behavior and maintaining a consistent tone and volume level can light the way for your child to better understand what their voice volume should be.