or older child as a teaching partner since you might need to sit the child on your lap as the other person helping shows baby an object such as a flower or a ball.
Learning Baby Sign Language with Music & Song
Babies love music! One excellent way to introduce a baby to a signed concept is to contextualize it in song. This is best done using multimedia that provides the child with a visual association to the sign. In addition to helping baby learn a sign music teaches little ones to process information in their brain in a different way that speech does. The area of our brain that processes music is different from the area that processes speech and communication. By connecting both concepts you provide baby with a special advantage as they grow and are faced with more complex mental processes. Incorporate signs to songs you are already using with baby or consider learning new songs with Baby Signing Times which is part of our Premium Baby Sign Language Kit.
Learning-Specific Props & Toys
If you don’t live on a farm teaching farm animals may present a challenge as baby won’t have any concrete examples to make associations. If baby is not yet of an age where reading small books might prove appropriate consider securing small figurines representing objects not naturally available in the baby’s day-to-day context. If you reserve these props and toys exclusively for baby sign language teaching times baby might just be encouraged to sign with the hope of receiving time with these props as a reward.
If you wish to learn additional advanced methods to help you encourage your baby as they discover the joy of pre-verbal communication you may want to read our teaching guide. Chapter 5 in particular includes unique teaching methodologies based on research and proved to help in encouraging early communication. In our home we used the Pepperberg Method with excellent results. You might just want to give it a try! Finally, we encourage you to remain upbeat and positive. Before you know it, your little one will be signing far more than you ever expected. When it finally happens we would love to celebrate with you. Stop by our Facebook page and share a video or photo with us to commemorate this great achievement.