A Wee Bit about WeeHands
Interested in baby sign language? WeeHands is North American’s leading baby sign language and language development program. Founded by Sara Bingham, author of The Baby Signing Book, WeeHands has qualified instructors teaching families across North America.
Sign for Milk, Leche and Lait!
This is the ASL sign for “milk”; if you are Spanish the sign for “leche”; or if you are French the sign for “lait”. You make the sign by squeezing your hand open and closed, imitating the movement of milking a cow. The sign can be used with both hands doing the movement or one.
This is a great sign to start showing your baby as soon as she is born or as soon as you are ready. Use the sign for MILK, paired with the spoken word you use, before you bring your baby to the breast or before giving her a bottle. As you hold her during this time, show her the sign and let her hear the word “milk” (or “leche” or “lait”!). After the milk is all gone, show her the sign for MILK again while saying “Milks all gone” or “The milk is finished”.
When you show your baby any sign before, during and after the activity that represents that sign, you are providing her with a high number of times to see and hear the word in a very natural and motivating context.
Here’s a photo of our friend, Richard, signing MILK!
Here’s a video of another friend, Wyatt, signing MILK at 6 months!
Please share any photos and videos of your wee one signing MILK by emailing info@weehands.com and we can share them here!
New Baby Brunch!
If you are in the areas Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto in Ontario or Concord, Massachusetts this week or next come say hello to your local WeeHands Instructors. I’ll be at the K-W Baby & Kids show this weekend with Tracy Lanzon-Holman and at the Green Mom Market in Toronto on Saturday, May 31st.
WeeHands Instructor Courtney Koumjian will be at the Concord Family Network’s New Baby Brunch also on Saturday, May 31st. A baby brunch – what a great idea!
Show off your WeeHands!
My daughter and I have been having some fun with iron-on transfers. She now has a choice between Dora, Kai-Lan and WeeHands t-shirts!
Click here to create your own WeeHands t-shirt have a look at this page to download a WeeHands iron-on transfer!
Send me a photo of your creation and we’ll show it off!
Baby Sign Language Choices!
There’s a healthy discussion right now going on in the media and in the blogging world about all this stuff that parents may seem pressured to buy for their babies.
For me, all this parenting “stuff” is about choice. As parents we have a lot more choices than our parents did in the ’60s and ’70s (they didn’t even have car seats then!). You can choose between a $120 stroller, an $800 one or even a $2000 one…or you can borrow one or spend $40 on a used one.
It’s the same regarding baby sign language. You can choose to teach your baby sign language or not. You can choose a free resource that you can get from your library or from the internet. You can buy a book, flashcards or a DVD. You can attend a baby sign language class. You can also do all of these.
If you choose to teach your baby sign language which of the above you choose depends on what kind of learner you are. Maybe you are a book learner and can get it all from a book. Maybe you are a visual learner and want to see an instructor make the signs. Everyone’s different.
The great thing about taking classes (which may be free classes at your library or paid classes at another community site) is that you can get feedback immediately about how you are signing. Your instructor, if he or she has a background in sign language, can give you immediate feedback and corrections regarding your signs.
As well, I’ve had parents in my classes who just love the social aspect of getting out with other adults who have babies the same age. There have even been instances in classes that I recognized that a baby is signing their first sign and I help a parent see that as well!
Using baby sign language with babies and toddlers is a good thing and it should be a choice that is given to parents. Using baby sign language is a parenting tool and it’s a great option for those who choose it.
Counting using Sign Language with your Baby
Here’s a video showing American Sign Language numbers from 1-20. If it’s too fast, pause as you needed and replay it as much as you want to learn how to count in ASL.
There is no difference between the sign for the number 9 and the sign for the letter F. Context will clarify which one you are using, .e.g., I want 9 chocolates vs I want F chocolates or My name is Frank vs My name is 9rank! Click here to read a great discussion regarding American Sign Language numbers.
When I count with my fingers I use ASL and use one hand. It’s helpful – I remember one time I was counting (I was driving though) and I had to think about something and count (can’t remember what I was counting!) but it was incredibly helpful that I could count on one hand and use the other for driving! (maybe I shouldn’t do that too often though!)
As well, when you use ASL number signs you can get higher than ten without having to use your toes!
Song to Sign and Sing
Ten Little Kisses
(numbers & words in capitals are signed)
1 little, 2 little, 3 little KISSES
4 little, 5 little, 6 little KISSES
7 little, 8 little, 9 little KISSES
10 KISSES on your nose
(give your little one 10 kisses on his nose!)
Repeat until all your baby’s body parts are kissed!
This also creates great opportunities to ask & sign: MORE? and WHERE?
Happy April!
April is going to be a busy month for everyone at WeeHands! We’ll be at the following baby shows, please drop by our booth if you get the chance: BabyTime show (Toronto), Durham Parent Show (Pickering), Mamas and Chicks Spring Show (Oshawa) and the Kingston Baby and Kids Show (Kingston)>
I’ll sign your copy of The Baby Signing Book if you like! I love these shows because we get to tell new and expecting families the benefits of using baby sign language and we get to chat with families from our classes and hear their signing stories!
WeeHands Fan page on Facebook
We’ve done some playing and created a WeeHands Fan page on Facebook. Click here to have a look – we’ll be adding more to the page over the next few days and weeks!
Head & Shoulders
Sing and sign this song to the tune of “London Bridge”. Another essential building block to learning language is vocabulary development. This song will help your baby learn the words for many of his body parts. As well, it creates the opportunity to use signs for BABY in the song and MORE (with a questioning look) after the song is complete.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes,
knees and toes, knees and toes.
Head and shoulders, knees and toes – my sweet BABY!
Eyes and ear and mouth and nose,
mouth and nose, mouth and nose.
Eyes and ears and mouth and nose, my sweet BABY!
Gently touch your baby on the body parts named, as you sing and sign the song.
Please share your signing games and stories with our WeeHands group! Visit www.weehands.com for more signing fun!
Peek a Boo!
Play interactive baby sign language games like “peek a boo” and “pat-a-cake” with your baby. These are great turn-taking games and the ability to take turns during a conversation is an essential building block to learning language.
Play face-to-face with your baby and when you’ve played or sung “peek a boo” and “pat-a-cake” game once, stop and wait to see what she does. Sign and say, “You want MORE” (sign at least what is capitalized). You can also substitute your child’s proper or nickname instead of the word “you”.
Play the game, pause and wait to see what she does. If she doesn’t sign back, sign and say “MORE” again and play the game again. Repetition is the key to learning so as long as you are both having fun, continue play this little signing game!
Please share your signing games and stories with our WeeHands group! Visit www.weehands.com for more signing fun!
