Listen Up! Inspiring Quotes for Kids About Listening

Did you know that listening can be one of the most important things you ever do?  And that it is one of the biggest habits of successful people. IMK’s quotes for kids about listening will help you understand why.

But first, how good of a listener are you?    

The act of listening…or not listening…can speak very loudly to those around you. Listening to your parents or teacher when they speak to you, or even give you advice, says that you love and respect them. Not listening, on the other hand, says just the opposite.

But there are many times when it can be hard to listen. For example, if your friends are pressuring you to go to an event or place that your parents have already told you to stay away from, you have a choice to make. Do you listen to and obey your parents, or do you follow your friends?

Most often, listening isn’t an act of obedience, but rather an act of friendship and respect. Today, when cell phones and other electronics can often become the focus of our attention, truly listening to someone has become hard to do. And it is even more important than ever.  You can become a better listener by:

• Being patient and not interrupting the person who is speaking.
• Asking more questions
• Putting away and turning off any devices or distractions
• Paying attention to what a person is trying to say, not just their words
• Giving the person your full attention.  Tryngi not to think about you want to say next.

Now, here are some great quotes for kids about the importance of listening:

• “Taking the time to truly listen to someone can communicate our love and respect even more than the spoken word.” -Dave Willis
• “The earth has music for those who listen.” –Shakespeare
• “When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” –Ernest Hemingway
• “We have two ears and one mouth, so we should listen more than we say.” –Zeno of Citium
• “Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking.” –Bernard M. Baruch
• “The most basic of all human needs is the need to understand and be understood. The best way to understand people is to listen to them.” –Ralph G. Nichols
• “One must talk little and listen much.” –African proverb
• “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill
• “The first duty of love is to listen.” – Paul Tillich
• “A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something.” – Wilson Mizner
• “He understands badly who listens badly.” –Welsh proverb
• “Most people don’t listen with the intent to understand.  They listen with the intent to reply.” – Stephen Covey
• “Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you’d have preferred to talk.” –Doug Larson
• “I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I am going to learn, I must do so by listening.” -Larry King

Topics for Discussion:

• Which of these quotes for kids about listening do you like the best? Why?
• Who is the best listener that you know?  What can you learn from them?
• Share about a time when someone listened to you. How did you feel?
• Are there any quotes you have heard about listening that aren’t shared here? What are they?
• What are some distractions that can get in the way of listening?
• Share about a time when you listened to someone. How did you feel? How do you think you made them feel?
• Share a time when you had to make a decision about listening. What did you do?

Take Action:

• Learn how to become a better listener
• Write down 3 ways that you can become a better listener. Go ahead and try them out it!  Today.

Additional Resources:

• Check out these other inspiring quotes for kids by IMK
• Learn more about the importance of listening

Teacher Features:

• Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for elementary school students.
• Here is a link to a Critical Reading Skills worksheet that you can use for middle school students