Sunshine Babies & Kids with Susie!
WEEKS THREE & FOUR
Some new baby signs to play with or add:
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Please remember that adding more signs/words is not always better - you might not even want to add any these signs into your routine for a while - its more important that you keep repeating the signs you started with.
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As discussed in class -some of these signs (e.g social emotional like "wait" or patience" etc) can be seen as ideas we play with before we think children are able to "achieve" them - start early during this receptive learning time.
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Don't think too much like an adult (aka immediate result orientated) - think of playing with these signs - signing and playing with a social behavior should be more rhetorical practice - more a type of playful scaffolding.
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"Sweet" and "cute" are wonderful, affectionate praise signs to use with your baby. Sweet can also mean the taste of something.
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Please, please do not think of these new signs listed as required homework :) Add the signs you like. That's how we learn best. I am listing them for the purposes of the adult's interest from class - not as a rate to introduce them to the baby. Slow down, observe your baby, follow your gut and add signs when it feels right - and fun.
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Please read and keep on repeating the signs from weeks 1 & 2 signs below :)
WEEKS ONE & TWO BABY SIGNS
Tips & Reminders:
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We do a lot of signs in class - don’t think you should remember them all right away.
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It is good to do only 2-3 signs to start - but repeat them a lot, over and over again.
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We are playing at first with the concept of language and messaging with our hands.
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Say and do the sign together several times in a row. Repeat if often during the day.
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Sign is a visual language. Be sure to make eye contact with your baby when you sign - and be expressive, communicate with your face too.
WEEK ONE SIGN LINKS:
FYI Dr Bill’s site is a great resource.
ALL DONE:
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The sign is “finished” but with babies we like to say “all done.”
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It’s great to use this sign at the end of anything and everything (diaper changes, end of meals, end of play time, getting ready to leave, etc) to signal a transition.
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Because babies do not always understand endings - they are totally in the moment - and some babies can have a hard time with transitioning, change or endings. •Using this sign as a repetitive cue can help them get more comfortable with transitioning.
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Another wonderful thing about this sign is when your baby starts to be able to signal to you that they are done. Meaning signaling things such as I’m full, I don't want to do this anymore, I’m overwhelmed, time to go!
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It’s a very empowering sign for a baby to be able to signal you with. Instead of a melt down they can start to use language to communicate their state to you.
AWESOME:
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Always one of my first signs in class - one of my favorites for positive reinforcement!
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It's a super-fun, very expressive sign that uses gross motor movement (v.s. fine motor) and that can make it easier for babies to master and be expressive with :)
ALL DONE:
-
The sign is “finished” but with babies we like to say “all done.”
-
It’s great to use this sign at the end of anything and everything (diaper changes, end of meals, end of play time, getting ready to leave, etc) to signal a transition.
-
Because babies do not always understand endings - they are totally in the moment - and some babies can have a hard time with transitioning, change or endings.
-
Using this sign as a repetitive cue can help them get more comfortable with transitioning.
-
Another wonderful thing about this sign is when your baby starts to be able to signal to you that they are done. Meaning signaling things such as I’m full, I don't want to do this anymore, I’m overwhelmed, time to go!
-
It’s a very empowering sign for a baby to be able to signal you with. Instead of a melt down they can start to use language to communicate their state to you.
AWESOME:
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Always one of my first signs in class - one of my favorites for positive reinforcement!
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It's a super-fun, very expressive sign that uses gross motor movement (vs. fine motor) and that can make it easier for babies to master and be expressive with :)
WEEK TWO BABY SIGNS
We were also talking a bit in class about supporting babies in developing strong brain architecture in this early development stage - along with supporting communication and language skill development.
Lots of language and communicating with the baby is much of how we can support their developing a strong brain architecture.
CHART OF EARLY NEURAL CONNECTIONS BEING MADE:
In our Baby Sign Class we are often talking about how what we want to support the baby's early brain development - sometimes we say "to help them develop a strong brain architecture". This great chart from zerotothree.org shows sensitive periods for neural connections related to receptive language and speech production - that is all happening so early in the babies development. It's amazing!
Chart is from zerotothree.org's The Growing Brain course' curriculum.
WEEK TWO SIGN LINKS:
Reminder:
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Be sure you keep repeating any signs you started using last week - it is more important at first to keep repeating the same signs than to add vocab words.
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Feel free to stick with the signs you are repeating already and add more signs later.
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It will get easier to add when you are in the habit of signing a few words with lots of repetition.
Sleep/Sleepy
When signing with babies we also might say “night-night” when our meaning is sleep. We do not sign “night” for night-night, we sign sleep-sleep.
Potty/Toilet can also be used to mean "pee" with kids.
A parent had asked for these additional potty training signs so I included them - but fyi I prefer to just sign “potty/toilet” with babies and toddlers.
PEE:
Signing “pee” can be tricky - you need to puff your cheeks as you sign it to indicate a full bladder (that also shows that you do not mean the male body part) - so it’s hard to say-and-sign it. It’s also best to only tap your nose once to avoid inadvertently signing the male body part.
For “Pee” a lot of people prefer to use the sign TOILET.