Posts Tagged ‘Language’

Baby Sign Language – Yes And No

February 13th, 2010

As a parent, it is likely that you frequently find yourself repeating yes and no to your baby, hoping to teach them and help them understand things that they should be doing and things they should not. American Sign Language can help you to communicate yes and no to your baby more easily (even from across a room) and also help them to better understand you. To sign no, your pointer and middle finger should snap down on your thumb. To sign yes, shake your fist up and down as if nodding your head. It is also very important to remember to use facial expressions when signing, since sign language is such a visual language. When signing no, it would be most effective to make an angrier or firm face. On the other hand, when signing yes, it would be best to smile and make a happier, more supportive face. I have found a book that I think would be especially useful for you to read and sign to your baby. It is titled No No Yes Yes by Leslie Patricelli. The only words in the book are yes and no. There is a picture on each page of a baby doing something wrong, and doing something right on the opposite page. For example, one page shows a baby dumping a bowl on his head and “no, no” is written above it.

The next page shows a baby eating out of a bowl and the words “yes, yes” is written above it. This is a very visual book on its own, and adding signs will make it even more visual and easier for your baby to understand. Remember to keep in mind that it is not necessarily important for your child to be able to sign the words, but most important that parents sign them regularly. This will ensure that the child will recognize and understand the signs and know if they are doing something right or wrong. Remember, I have a Free Video that Reveals my #1 Secret to Drastically Reducing Baby’s Crying and Temper Tantrums

Baby Sign Language Bedtime Story

January 21st, 2010

Story time with your child can be even more engaging when you incorporate American Sign Language signs while you are reading. You will be helping your child learn to communicate better and they will have fun while doing so. I have always enjoyed the book Time for Bed by Mem Fox. I have read and signed this book with my daughter and think it is a wonderful bedtime story. I also currently read it to baby classes and pre-school classes that I teach. “Bed” and “sleep” are two words that repeat throughout the book that I suggest you sign with your child. To sign “bed,” put your palms together and rest your head on your hands as if you were sleeping. To sign “sleep,” bring your open hand down over your face and close it near your chin. As your hand closes, lay your head to the side and close your eyes as if you are sleeping. If you know more words, you can sign those as well. It will not overwhelm or confuse your baby if more signs are used. The most important aspect is that you are consistent. I find it to be helpful to only use these two signs to begin with in order to maintain consistency. This is how your child will come to recognize and understand signs and their meanings. You can add more signs gradually as your child becomes more familiar with these words. In this story, each page shows a different animal at bedtime. The first few pages repeat “It’s time for bed” and it soon changes to “It’s time for sleep.” These words repeat on every page, so the repetition will help your baby to recognize the signs more quickly. The illustrations on each page are an added visual element. You can begin to add animal signs and the other bedtime words in the book later on as well.