Did you know that EarlyON offers infant sign language programs? Have you ever wondered why we offer this program?
Research shows that there are many benefits of baby sign, so we have certified infant sign instructor who facilitate the courses for infants and their parent or caregiver!
The reason I love using sign language with children is that it gives you a little peek into their minds and personalities before they develop the ability to communicate verbally with us.
Signing helps your child:
Strengthen the connection they have with you.
Communicate specific wants: this can be very beneficial because it can reduce their frustration. When we introduce signs to your child, they are based on American sign language, but the signs are simplified so that your child can reproduce them.
Improve verbal language by adding visual and kinesthetic emphasis to auditory input.
Build on their natural tendency to gesture. An example of this would be starting to wave goodbye or pointing to something.
Tips for introducing Sign Language your Infant:
Always use the word and the sign together. We do not know what type of learner your child is and it is better for them to hear, see and feel how to do the signs.
Help them feel the sign by gently guiding their hands. This can be done with your hands over your child’s. Signing reinforces verbal language by adding visual and kinesthetic emphasis to auditory input.
Start with three signs. Choose three that you know you can work into your daily routine. Those words might be milk, eat, and more.
Being consistent is key when you are signing with your child. I suggest signing anywhere and everywhere. Remember to use the same sign the same way for the same object or action. This will help your child become familiar with the sign and then they will be able to replicate it faster.
I always get asked: what is the best age to introduce signs to a child?
My answer to this is to start as soon as you are comfortable with a few signs. This is a learning curve for you as a parent and if you want to be successful you need to do a lot of repetition and use it in your daily life. It takes practice and patience to incorporate this into your daily routine. You may not see any signs back from your child until around the age of 8 to 10 months. Saying that keep it simple just use a few signs and then build on that. I want this to be a fun adventure for you and your child.
You can attend an EarlyON program where you can get out of the house, meet other parents with children the same age as yours and learn infant sign that will be meaningful to your family! EarlyON offers infant sign language classes about every other month in different locations in the East check out www.keyon.ca to find the next available class.
Additional Infant Sign Information:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diLD-bp0dJI&list=PLlyGxXr5CUt1s8cxYnPjIJwmRUlYFLs-Z&index=6