There's Still Room...

...for tomorrow's baby signs workshop! The one hour workshop is $15 per parent/child pair. Come learn the basics of baby sign language and leave with a ton of information to start signing with your little one tomorrow!

2pm
on the lawn at
Westwood Park

Email me to reserve a spot (littlehandsbabysigns@gmail.com) Hope to see you there!

Parents Magazine Article

Parents Magazine recently ran an article about baby sign language, and what a great article it is! I'm so glad that signing with hearing babies is really coming into vogue... there are so many resources now for parents who want to try it with their babies.

I've included a link to the article at the end of this post. Here are a couple of quotes that I especially loved. First, an idea about ASL vs. made-up signs:

Many programs use signs based on American Sign Language, the language taught to the hearing impaired. Others use made-up signs. It doesn't matter which system you use or even if you do the signs exactly as pictured. Modify them according to what works for you (kids will often come up with their own versions anyway!). The only important thing is that you and your child understand what they mean.

I'm so glad the article mentioned this! Anyone who has taught a child baby sign language can tell you that babies frequently modify signs themselves, or create their own signs all together! My own daughter modified the signs I showed her for "bug" and "more", and made up her own sign for "butterfly". Instead of trying to make her conform to another sign, I celebrate her creativity. We have plenty of time for pronunciation issues as she learns more spoken English! The goal of Little Hands Baby Signs is to facilitate communication and ease frustration between caretakers and their children by teaching a bridge language that includes a lot of ASL signs... not to produce children who are fluent in ASL.

The article also talks about the ease of teaching baby signs:

You don't have to put special time aside to teach your child signs. All you have to do is make the gesture whenever you say the word in your day-to-day routines. The key is consistency and persistence on your part: Every time you give your child his bottle, say the word "milk" and do the sign for "milk."

It's just like teaching any other language! So much of what children learn about language is embedded in our everyday interactions. It can be the same for baby signs.

Finally, at the end of this article, there is a list of resources (books, DVDs) that you can use to help you and your child learn together. What a great resource!

Don't forget to sign up for Little Hands' Beginning Signs Workshop at 2pm on Monday, October 19th at Westwood park. The repetition and play-time with other sign-happy babies and parents will be great for you and your child.

Click Here to read the full text of this Parents Magazine article.

Let's Go to the Movies!

So Violet and I were both having a cranky afternoon today. Erik was off to the Bruins game, and Violet and I were missing Daddy and being pouty. So I thought, "How about a movie?" Violet is 16 months old and very active- she doesn't get to watch too much TV, but when she does she (surprisingly) enjoys it, and it really calms her down. So I thought that it would be an enlightening experience, if nothing else, to take my cranky baby to a movie. We chose a post-nap showing of _Slightly Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs_.

We arrived right before the _Where the Wild Things Are_ preview, and sat near the exit (just in case). Violet was enthralled and possibly overwhelmed by the big screen, but immediately started signing "cat" and pointing to the monsters on the screen. Then she started saying "woof woof", clearly trying to decide what kind of animals were on screen. She then proceeded to sign throughout the whole movie! Since she's 16 months, she's also an emerging talker and used a lot of verbal words to describe what she was seeing. The most wonderful point of the whole movie came about a third of the way through... Violet started fidgeting and I figured that we had reached the end of her attention span and would have to leave. Then she turned around, looked me in the eye, and signed "milk". That was all she wanted, and she didn't have to cry to get it. It was wonderful for me because it showed me that she understands how to "use her words" and ask for what she wants. She is really understanding communication. I wonder if we would have had a positive experience if Violet was not a baby signer?

New Class!

Join me for an all-new Beginning Signs Workshop on Monday, October 19th, at 2pm on the lawn at beautiful Westwood Park.

This 60-minute workshop will include EVERYTHING you need to know to start signing with your baby right away! You'll learn popular signs for meal time, animals, health and safety, and play time. You'll also leave with reference sheets that have pictures of every sign we learn, as well as songs and games you can use to practice with your baby!

The cost for the class will be $15 per parent/child pair. Please email me at littlehandsbabysigns@gmail.com to reserve your spot!

Starter Signs

For those of you who are anxious to get started before the October 19th class, here are a few starter signs you can work on in the interim!

More:

Tap fingertips together repeatedly


Eat/Hungry:

Bring fingertips to mouth


Drink/Thirsty:

Bring thumb to corner of mouth


Birdie:

Open and close thumb and forefinger (like a beak!)


Kitty:

Trace whiskers on your cheek using thumb and forefinger


Hat:

Pat head (and get ready for your baby to notice hats EVERYWHERE!)

Remember these tips when you're teaching your baby to sign:
1. Be Consistent: For example, sign "more" at every meal, and ask every adult (or older sibling) in your baby's life to do the same.
2. Timing is everything: Practice when baby is well rested!
3. Be Patient: It's ok if it takes a while! Like every other milestone, each baby follows his or her own timeline when it comes to signing.
4. Have Fun!: Babies thrive on your praise and will be anxious to make you smile :)

Happy signing and I'll see you in October!

Benefits of Signs, L.A. Times Article

Whilst perusing periodicals for some Baby Sign Language trivia, I found an L.A. Times Health article from 2006. As I was reading, most of the information fell soundly into the "Very interesting, but I've seen it before!" category. But I persisted! And I'm so glad I did. On the subject of the benefits of sign language for babies, Linda Acredolo, coauthor of _Baby Signs_ (a book which I personally use and love), gave voice to my precise feelings. In the article, she is quoted as saying, "The most important benefits are the emotional ones... It allows families a richer connection because they're better able to communicate. It also allows babies to share their world with their parents."

Incredible! Isn't that what we, as the nurturers of our precious little babies, want? To share our babies' worlds? Imagine the security and satisfaction that your baby feels when he knows that you understand him. He knows that you are his ally, that he can turn to you to explain your complex world and that in turn, you will understand his. *sniffle* Now I have to go check on my peaceful little babe as she sleeps... knowing that in the morning, when I go in to get her, she will be beaming and signing, "milk".

To read the full article, click here!

Caught!

If you have a baby, then you know how difficult it can be to get the perfect picture. If you have a signing baby, then you know that it can be almost impossible to get a good picture of your baby in the act! If you have a picture of your baby signing, email it to me (littlehandsbabysigns@gmail.com) so I can brag for you on this blog!

Here is my latest baby signing picture victory:

While washing her hands, Violet noticed that there is a picture of a kitty on her hand soap, and made the sign for "cat": tracing whiskers on her cheek. I loved knowing that she was most interested in the kitty, rather than the dog or bunny! It started a whole conversation about the pictures on her soap bottle.

Why sign with my baby?

It's a good question!

The best reason to sign with your baby is communication. Because with babies as with all people, being able to communicate effectively reduces frustration and validates needs, feelings, and desires. And signing with your baby is fun! Your baby will get a kick out of learning new signs with you, and you'll love having more insight into what your baby enjoys. Some research also suggests that babies who sign have larger vocabularies at age two, and may have higher IQs when they're older. See Baby Center for my source and more expert opinion.

How does sign language help a hearing child communicate earlier than waiting for speech? Think about this:

• At 3 months old, your baby starts batting at toys and attempting to grab them
• By 4 months old, your baby can grab a large object
• At 8 months old, your baby is raking smaller objects towards himself, and has perfected getting things from his hands to his mouth
• Before a year (as early as 7 months!), your baby has mastered pincer grasp, meaning that she can hold small objects between her thumb and forefinger
• BUT most babies don't start saying words until they are a year or more, and probably won't start using two-word "sentences" until they are 18 months or older.

Babies develop manual dexterity faster than language, and their cognitive ability greatly outweighs their ablilty to vocalize what they're thinking. Think of all the words your baby knows... does she get excited when you start talking about milk? When you say "sippy cup" does he automatically start looking around for it? Does your baby love to look at animals? Your baby knows these things in her mind, but she can't vocalize them yet. Baby sign language gives your baby simple hand gestures to name what's most important to him.

Wondering if the time is right? If your baby is waving "bye-bye" or blowing kisses, she's already shown you that she can learn baby sign language! But remember, in order for you baby to learn signs, YOU have to learn the signs! Get a head start so you'll be ready when your little love-bug wants to sign!

Birdies and Stars

Violet and I met up with a girlfriend of mine and her 12-month-old daughter today at a petting zoo, then we went to Marie Callender's for lunch (you know, because kids eat free on Tuesdays!). At the petting zoo I actually got a picture of Violet signing "bird"! It's her favorite sign, but I've never really been able to get a good picture... here it is:

Then, while we were sitting on the patio at Marie Callender's, Violet started excitedly signing "stars"- sure enough, she was pointing to the Macy's sign, which had two big stars on it! It was fun to know that she was thinking about those stars, instead of wondering what was making her so excited. This happens to be MY favorite sign, because it's so cute to watch her do her little "star boogie". Unfortunately, my camera battery had already died- next time!

First Class: Success!

Thank you to all of the mommies who came out to my first baby sign language class! We had a great time, and all of the babies interacted really well. I'm excited to start the full five-week series in two weeks. I hope to see you there!

Free Class!

Join me for a FREE baby signs class as I test my curriculum! This class will mix and match signs from the five-week series. Please email littlehandsbabysigns@gmail.com to make a reservation.

2:00 PM, Monday, August 31st
at the
Westwood Recreation Center

We'll be on the lawn; look for a big pink sign and a lot of happy babies!

About Me

Hi Parents and Care-Givers!

I am a former English teacher with a Master’s Degree in Education. Although I loved my job, I quit over a year ago to stay home with my now-toddler, Violet Jean. Since leaving work, I have been thrilled with my new job teaching Violet! We have had such success with baby signs and so many “I would have missed that!” moments that I really want to share the experience with more parents.

Smiles, Sarah Lima

Welcome to Little Hands!

Baby sign language is a fun and exciting way to communicate with your baby before your baby can talk. So often, our babies cry because they are frustrated, and have no other way to communicate their needs. With baby sign language your baby will be able to communicate his or her needs to you! You’ll have “early access” to your baby’s thoughts, and may be surprised to discover how much your pre-verbal child understands.


I’m starting a series of five classes this fall (2009) at the Westwood Recreation Center in Los Angeles. There will be a Sunday afternoon series, and a Monday morning series. The classes are ideal for all pre-verbal babies, but keep in mind that babies 6-8 months and older are likely to start signing sooner than younger babies. For more information about classes, click here.


So come learn more about baby sign language, and how to start teaching your baby now! You’ll leave with informative reference sheets, and some great ways to easily integrate baby signs into your every day routines with your child.