#signingwithbaby

[mariekammah-blog]

Toddler signs Saturdays! Here Lily shows us a few of the signs she knows. These flash cards have been a great tool for learning new signs as well as bridging French and English since she can practice doing the sign and saying the word in both languages. Plus they are a fun activity that she can do on her own or with us. As Lily transitioned to using more words she did stop using as many signs for a period of time other than to clarify when I wasn’t understanding her. But when we got out these flash cards again for Ophélie I was amazed to see how many signs Lily remembered! . . . #babysignlanguage #signingwithbaby #babysign #toddlersignlanguage #toddlercommunication #learnthroughplay #teachyourbabytosign #teachyourbaby #talktoyourbaby #learnwithyourchildren #motherhood #mamahood (at Sanguinet) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-R_zAgirPf/?igshid=102nc04vmpi1f

[signingwithbaby]

Starter Signs

A great way to get started signing with your baby is to choose a handful of starter signs that you can use throughout your day in meaningful interactions as part of your daily routine. Don’t feel like you have to sign every time you say the word or sign all day long. Using signs during mealtimes and diaper changes as well as playtime will give baby plenty of opportunities to see the sign in context and connect it with meaning. 

For Ophélie, I started with 3 signs that we see and do together often during the day - MILK, MORE, MAMA and 3 signs for things that she finds interesting - DOG, BALL, LIGHT. Signs like these last three are motivating for babies because they are things that are a fascinating part of their world that they will want to tell you about! Other good starter signs like ALL DONE, WHAT, EAT can be used in both useful and playful contexts. You can also choose signs for things your baby likes to do like JUMPING, DANCING, SWINGING. Choosing a variety of starter signs will help your baby learn to communicate both her needs and her interests!

Starting off with a handful of signs helps you develop the habit of using them without becoming overwhelmed and giving up. And for baby, seeing the same signs over and over in various contexts will provide lots of exposure and will help her make the connection between signs and meaning much more quickly.

What first signs will you start off with?     

[leilalikealion]

#signingwithbaby babysitting and learning some sign language. This is impressive. And yet not entertaining.

[mariekammah-blog]

Meet Lily and Ophélie. Lily is three months shy of 3 years old and has been learning baby sign language since she was 6 months old. Even though she speaks in full sentences now, today, unprompted, she used 7 signs! One of which was BUG 🐛 🤷🏼‍♀️. Ophélie, 7.5 months old, has just started her signing journey. We’ve been working on MAMA, PAPA, MILK, DOG, and BALL. In this pic, she’s showing us that she can clap. 👏 We recently moved to France but learned baby sign language in America as a way to bridge the two languages spoken in our household- French and English. My husband won’t forget the day that he asked 1 year old Lily in French whether she wanted to drink milk or water and she signed MILK. It’s an incredible feeling to watch your child communicate with you before they can even talk. Do you sign with your baby or toddler? What signs do you use the most? . . . #babysignlanguage #signingwithbaby #toddlercommunication #toddlerlife #learningthroughplay #learninglanguages #learnwithyourchildren https://www.instagram.com/p/B9XeZDECUVv/?igshid=p9fvsoj4byng

[mariekammah-blog]

“Milk” please mama! This is Lily at 8 months old using one of her first signs “milk”. I started using baby sign language with Lily when she was 6 months old and it was remarkable to see how her communication skills flourished. Now at age 2 years 9 months she speaks both French and English and still uses sign language to communicate with her baby sister - and whenever she needs to clarify a point! 😂 . . #babysignlanguage #signingwithbaby #babysign #toddlersignlanguage #toddlercommunication #teachyourbabytosign #teachyourbaby #talktoyourbaby #learnwithyourchildren https://www.instagram.com/p/B9WKQRHoXAe/?igshid=xi4fjlavn8co

[mariekammah-blog]

Here’s a fun little ditty for the sign for APPLE. Use the sound of your voice and your facial expressions to get baby’s attention. Most of all - have fun! If the learning experience is enjoyable for both you and baby, you will have greater success learning together. * Signed words are in capital letters. The following video shows each sign more slowly. Way up HIGH in the APPLE TREE TWO little APPLES SMILED at me I shook that TREE as hard as I could Down fell the APPLES, MMM they were GOOD . . . #babysignlanguage #signingwithbaby #babysign #toddlersignlanguage #toddlercommunication #learnthroughplay #teachyourbabytosign #teachyourbaby #talktoyourbaby #learnwithyourchildren #ineedahaircutiknow #whohasthetimethough https://www.instagram.com/p/B9bX2vbls-g/?igshid=1juvuuncat6vj

[mariekammah-blog]

B is for Bear! The BEAR went over the MOUNTAIN The BEAR went over the MOUNTAIN The BEAR went over the MOUNTAIN to SEE WHAT he could SEE But ALL that he could SEE But ALL that he could SEE Was the OTHER side of the MOUNTAIN The OTHER side of the MOUNTAIN The OTHER side of the MOUNTAIN was ALL that he could SEE Use props like our beloved bear, Mylo, to help baby associate the sign with the object. The sign for BEAR is to criss-cross two “claw” hands across your chest and “scratch” down twice. You can sign BEAR on your baby’s chest to help them get the feel of the sign, the way you might teach MAMA or PAPA by tapping baby’s chin or forehead with your thumb. This associates the sign with a tactile sensation and teaches proper placement. . . . #babysignlanguage #signingwithbaby #babysign #toddlersignlanguage #toddlercommunication #learnthroughplay #teachyourbabytosign #teachyourbaby #talktoyourbaby #learnwithyourchildren #motherhood #mamahood #momsofinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B-WXs-4Cf_y/?igshid=17xdx8broxq2q

[mariekammah-blog]

It helps to be alert to our baby’s signs so that we can encourage them when we see them. But how do we recognize our child’s signs? Just like with first words, children will have their own version of signs they have seen you use. These early attempts at signs may be hard to understand so it helps to know what to look for. A sign has three main parts: hand shape, location, and movement. Your child may change any one of these, or all three! For example, in this video, Lily is signing BATH. The sign for BATH is to make a scrubbing motion with both fists on either side of your upper chest. So Lily has the hand shape and the movement right, but not the location. Once you start seeing your child’s attempts at signing, acknowledge them! Even if you’re not sure, this will encourage them to keep signing. You can always clarify and show the correct sign: “It looks like you’re signing BATH, do you want to take a bath?” With practice, eventually their signs will become more clear and you will become an expert at interpreting YOUR baby’s signs! . . . . #babysignlanguage #signingwithbaby #babysign #toddlersignlanguage #toddlercommunication #learnthroughplay #teachyourbabytosign #teachyourbaby #talktoyourbaby #learnwithyourchildren https://www.instagram.com/p/B99UHVKqPWq/?igshid=7nafi2k5krmj