Baby sign language may becoming a modern day practice, but really the concept of communication with babies trough hand gestures is a very old, if not ancient practice. Living in the very fast paced world we are currently in however, more and more parents are giving Baby Sign Language a go, with the hopes of making life a little simpler. 

Babies and toddlers cry and resort to tantrums for many reasons, but one such reason is their frustration in mot being able to communicate their needs, wants and emotions accurately. This is where the signals and gestures used in baby sign language play a role in making the communication process smoother, from and early age, lessening the stress experienced by the young ones ans well as their parents, teachers and caregivers.

The concept is quite simple really, you learn the hand signals, usually for the things you use/do most often and then each time you use an object or perform an action, you express them to your child. Babies from as young as 6 months are little sponges and they love to mimic the actions of their loved ones, so while the concept might seem impossible, it really isn't and you will be quite surprised at how quickly they catch on and respond using the same signals. 

Here is a poster you could stick on your fridge or in your class room, why not give it a go!

My interest in baby sign language was first sparked while volunteering at a Baby Home here in South Africa, where they used the means of communication to care for the multitude of children under their care. Some of the babies caught on quickly, while others showed no interest in learning (this doesn't mean the child has a learning disability). It is however worth a try, and it's fun too!

My sister is a business owner and educator at Baby College SA. She put together this little videos for me which parents, teachers and caregivers can use to teach and practice a few signing words to the little ones, or it can even be used to simply used to learn a new song! It's called

My Grandma's Cat (original video)

Much Love - @sweetpea

(bringing you original content)

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