Receptive Language Simon Says at Home

A simple game where your child listens, understands and acts — that quiet moment between hearing and doing is receptive language growing.

In short

Simon Says is a wonderful home activity for building receptive language — your child's ability to understand and follow spoken instructions. Start slow with one-step commands, use clear words paired with actions, and keep it playful with lots of praise. A few joyful minutes a day matters far more than long sessions.

How to play it for language growth

Start where your child is

• Begin with one-step, familiar actions: "Simon says touch your nose," "Simon says clap." Pair the words with the action yourself at first so your child can copy and learn.
• Speak slowly and clearly, and give your child a few seconds to process — understanding takes time before doing.

Build up gradually

• Once one-step commands are easy, add two-step instructions: "Simon says touch your head and jump."
• Introduce position and describing words — "Simon says put your hand up," "Simon says tap the big block" — to stretch vocabulary.
• Add the classic twist (only act when you say "Simon says") only when your child is confidently understanding the commands; this layer is about attention, not language, so don't rush it.

Keep it warm and winnable

• Celebrate every correct response with a smile, a cheer, a high-five.
• If your child looks unsure, gently model the action — this is teaching, not testing. Never make it about "getting it wrong".
• Five to ten minutes, woven into play, is plenty. Try it during bath time, dressing or in the garden.

When to check in with a professional

Simon Says is a play activity, not an assessment. If your child consistently struggles to follow simple one-step instructions that peers manage, seems not to understand familiar words, or you have a quiet worry that's not going away, it's worth a conversation with a speech therapy professional. Early support is gentle, hopeful and effective.

The Pinnacle way

At Pinnacle Blooms Network, our therapists weave games like Simon Says into structured, joyful sessions that grow listening and understanding step by step. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care — never from a home game or an online score. With 25 million+ therapy sessions and 4.95 lakh+ families served, we're here to walk alongside you.

Trusted sources

Guided by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) on receptive language development, and the CDC's developmental milestone guidance for understanding and following instructions.

Next step — to understand your child's listening and language strengths, book a developmental check with our team on WhatsApp: +91 91001 81181.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under qualified clinician care.