There's a secret to reaping the benefits from baby sign without overwhelming yourself. ONLY LEARN the useful ones! Just a few key signs go a long way in empowering your baby to communicate, mitigating frustration/ tantrums, and boosting your child's language learning. The foundation for language and communication starts in infancy and there is so much for your baby's brain to figure out before they start verbal speaking. We also know language skills feed into critical future abilities including empathy, creativity, and memory. As their favorite caregiver and teacher, YOU CAN HELP THEM ROCK THIS! 

Playtime is an optimal time for learning when your child is happy, interactive, and eager to communicate. This is the perfect opportunity to sign with baby. Note, you need to teach them the signs by signing yourself for weeks or even months before they develop the skills to sign back at you. It's best to sign to your baby starting at 5 or 6 months and if you do so consistently and often, you can expect to see them signing by 8-10 months old or sooner!

In this short video, Emily will teach you signs that come in handy at play time:

• My turn
• More
  
• Clean up
  
• Play

Remember, for this to work YOU need to use these signs REPEATEDLY, CONSISTENTLY, and OFTEN! You'll feel a little goofy but know you are doing something tremendously awesome for your child. It may be a while before they sign back at you but they will learn what those motions mean pretty quickly and around 8-10 months old, you will definitely start to see them signing which is SO exciting!

Best of luck and contact Emily if you ever have questions! emily@siagel.com 

Bedtime is an important daily activity that helps babies and children calm down, reflect, and nurture secure attachments with their caregivers. Yoga can be a great tool to get a child ready for a restful night's sleep! 

​It has been proven that learning music and rhythm early correlates with higher achievement in grade school. (i) This is nature’s way of telling us that music plays a very special role in human life.  

While posture seems like something we cannot teach, it is highly influenced by the habits we develop in early childhood.  With children (even toddlers) spending so much time hunched over hand held devices, it is only natural that their shoulders are rolling forward.  In order to sit or stand up tall, children need trunk strength which is often lacking in children who do not get enough free play time (and Tummy Time!) in their first 3 years. 

“Perfect” posture while sitting involves knees, hips, and ankles all positioned at 90 degrees… sounds like your child, right?!  Chances are, this isn’t the case but there are so many things you can do you assist your mini me with standing tall and proud as they grow into adulthood!

Here’s a few ideas to help you get started:

• In babyhood, around 4-6 months when baby is learning to sit independently, avoid containers that 'prop them up' in a seated position before their muscles are ready to support that position
• In the first 7 months, get your tummy time in to build proper back alignment and important core muscles
• In babyhood, around 5-7 months, encourage your baby to use their hands to find the floor between their legs, this is a tripod sitting - an important step in their physical development
• Model good posture.  You are your child’s best teacher!
• Encourage your child to MOVE…often!  This will help them to develop strength in their core - which will improve overall posture.
• Have your kiddo sit on a stability ball to further develop core muscles.  
• Adjust your child if you find them sitting in a "W" position (here's why)

 
Want to learn more on this topic? Visit our favorite blog- The Inspired Treehouse, to learn more from OT's on developing posture skills. 

​Using just a few common signs can make a world of a difference in enabling your child to communicate. ​Your baby's language development is happening LONG before they can talk. Communication includes non-verbal language as well as music. Baby is reading your face, following your actions, and trying to imitate you earlier then you think. (So set a good example :)) Studies have shown that babies are perceptive to rhythm, tempo, and pitch even from the time they are in the womb. This is why they respond so well to nursery rhymes, songs, and high-pitch voices. All of these things help a little brain absorb new language skills. 

Sign is useful from about 7-18 months because this age has SOO much to say but are not yet able to talk. Empowering your baby with tools for communicating before they are able to speak also can mitigate major drama during a frustrating time in their lives. Don't worry about learning a million signs, here are the ones you'll use most: 'MORE,' 'MILK,' 'EAT,' 'ALL DONE,' 'BOOK,' AND 'PLAY' you can learn these signs and more here!

I remember feeling so silly signing to my baby all the time (especially in public) but a little embarrassment was totally worth it because by 9 months old, my baby was signing and by 14 months, she was saying the words while signing. Ever since, she has blown us away with her language skills. She also always felt 'in-the-know' about what we were doing or what activity was coming up next and this gave her a sense of security and confidence from age 1-2 making her a much more enjoyable little tyke! But the key is to do it OFTEN, repetition is the only way baby will learn.