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Signing Hands: Baby Signing Basics is a new guide for parents to initiate you into the art of baby signing, a useful and intensely enriching skill that will help parents communicate with their child before they learn to speak. Fans of baby-signing always say that their children are much calmer, more content and cry less because they no longer have to use their tears as a way of expressing their needs and they cry less in frustration. And as all parents know - happy baby = happy parents !
And in the worst case scenario, if you totally fail to get your baby to understand what you're trying to do, it will still be a lovely bonding experience as your child will giggle at you thinking it's all a great game ! I reviewed the Bamba's First Comforts - Baby Signing Kit last year and although Pierre never really picked it up (and, I admit, I didn't really find the time to do it all properly and regularly), he used to love it when we all sat down doing the signs and giggled his head off at me and his sisters !
Speaking of time (or rather lack of it), that is one of the things I love about the layout of this book. Although it contains an interesting introduction (that I recommend you read when the kids are in bed at some stage !), you can just jump straight in and copy the clear instructions to try out some of the signs. There are numerous full-page colourful illustrations, which your baby will love to look at as a picture book while you work out what to do with your fingers, alongside little diagrams showing you how to make the signs. It also means that older brothers and sisters who still can't read can also join in by looking at the pictures.
To make it even more fun, there are songs you can sing as you sign which the whole family can sing along with. When the girls start getting bored in the car on long journeys, trying to remember the words to the song and the signs is always a great boredom-buster too !
The book has been produced in collaboration with leading British Sign Language author, Cath Smith, and experienced baby signing teachers and was a finalist for 'Most Innovative Baby Product 2010' at The Baby Show for Trade. But you don't need to take it too seriously if you don't want to. It can just be a fun way of engaging with your baby and making him smile !
Top Tips on how to get started with baby signing:
1.Is your baby clapping and waving? Then your baby is definitely ready to begin!
2.Pick a few signs from Signing Hands: Baby Signing Basics that are relevant to your family and you're happy to do consistently. It's easier to remember and concentrate on 6 or 10 rather than dozens of signs.
3.Always say the word as you sign it.
4.Make sure you have eye contact with your baby!
5.Repetition, Repetition - Repetition. The more you sign, the more likely it is that your baby will copy you.
6.Is your baby staring at you, laughing at you, getting excited when you sign to them? If so, you can be sure they are taking it all in...
7.Have fun! Babies love to laugh and signing is a great way to engage them.
star rating : 4.5/5
RRP : £10.99
To buy Signing Hands: Baby Signing Basics and find out more about Little Learners Books go to http://www.littlelearnerbooks.co.uk/
To find out more about learning to sign, classes near you and how to become a Little Signers teacher go to http://www.littlesignersclub.co.uk/
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Thanks for that lovely review of our book Cheryl. It is so nice to hear a real mummy's thoughts on the book.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about baby signing recently and I think I'll give it go with the help of this book ;)
ReplyDeletei love doing this with my boys :)<3 xox
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