Mama Gone Green is a blog dedicated to raising happy children and reducing our impact on the Earth. My name is Taryn and I am the mother of 2 young kids and an environmental studies instructor at a community college in Portland, Oregon. Please join me as I journey through life as a mama, teacher, knitter, photographer, gardener, and environmentalist!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Springtime Baby Sign


Ever thought about teaching your infant/toddler how to use sign language to communicate? We have been using sign language with our son since he was about 6 months old, and now, at 17 months, he is signing up a storm. The benefits are many, but for our family, being able to understand what is making him excited, upset, or otherwise emotional has simply been a lifesaver. If you want more information on the benefits of baby sign, a quick google search will bring up a whole host of pages for your browsing pleasure.
One of the best aspects of teaching my guy to sign has been his excitement signing in nature. Teaching him some basic outside signs, such as bird, tree and flower has made him squeal with joy when he sees these things on our walks. He gets so excited for our walks each day and I can already see him bonding with the natural world. I believe that young children that love spending time in nature will develop into older children and adults that respect the Earth they live upon.
If you and you babe want to start signing, you don't even need a book- there are plenty of websites where you can watch videos to learn signs all for free! One of my favorite sites is: http://www.handspeak.com/tour/index.php but there are plenty more.
So, teach your infant or toddler a few signs, get outside and start exploring! Happy Spring! Pin It Now!

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