One of the most humbling things about working with all our fans and friends in the journey of baby sign language is the opportunity to witness how babies develop communication skills.

We believe little ones should be exposed to a variety of intellectually and emotionally estimating environments that foster a better understanding of the world that surrounds them. Last week we shared with you a sweet and wonderful adventure at the Perot Museum of Science. It was lovely to see Max navigate in a new environment and use his signs to communicate needs and learn new signs.

This week we are sharing with you A Day at the Zoo. I had the opportunity to join Max and his family for this little field trip and was super impressed at his comfort with the world that surrounds him and his ability to reach out in a social context. Max frequently reached out to other babies and attempted to communicate using both words and signs

The best stories are those that inspire us. This baby sign language story does just that. Max has been progressing quickly and is starting to become a highly verbal child. He is a joy to be around and baby sign language truly reduces stress when it comes to his ability to express his needs and wants.

Spending the day with Max and his mom Danielle is magical and a testimony on how a working mother can have such a great influence in the educational development of a baby. Danielle has done a great job. Every single day Max shows a new skill, signs a new word and demonstrates a better understanding of his surroundings.

Max knows many signs for vegetables and fruits and he is really good about signing to communicate basic needs such as thirst, sleep or more.

As you watch this video where Danielle and Max visit the Perot Science museum I want you to notice that Max is able to identify the fossil model of a Mastodon as an “elephant”, He also makes the connection between a wolf and a dog.

A few awesome facts about Max:

• Max is attending a bilingual daycare. sign language serves as a transitional tool between English & Spanish.
• Max is highly advanced verbally and emotionally for his age. It is a delight to see him try to engage little ones and adults at every single outing.
• Max is not prone to meltdowns at all. He is a super happy baby and always ready to convey his needs. Mom is awesome too and quite receptive to his creativity. Max has invented his own signs as he learns to navigate the world.
• Max loves fruits and vegetables.
• Max also learns baby sign language at church. His newest sign is Jesus.
• Max receives lots of encouragement and baby sign language instruction from his older sister Olivia.

We hope you enjoyed this video. If you have ideas and suggestions of museums and parks in your own town that other parents might enjoy as a setting to expose babies to new things feel free to leave a comment.

Traveling with a baby presents a variety of challenges for the parents, the baby and those sharing the plane with you. Because everyone must eventually face their first time of traveling with baby we wanted to give you some quick tips to make it work.

The first step toward making traveling with baby comfortable and peaceful is to put yourself on your baby’s shoes and try to anticipate the needs, stressors and challenges they are likely to face pre-flight during the flight and upon arrival.

Pick Travel-Friendly Clothes

Dress yourself and baby with practical and comfortable clothes that allow ease of movement. Consider layering. Before the trip work on teaching baby the signs for hot and cold. Knowing how to convey discomfort as far as temperature is concerned will help a whole lot when it comes to keeping a calm and happy baby during the plane ride.

Bring Quiet Interactive Toys

Airplanes are not the best place to bring toys with lights or sounds. Unless your toddler is headset-ready bring smaller, quiet interactive toys such as signing books, or books with a variety of tactile input via texture. Also consider a small teddy with heartbeat or womb sounds.

Sucking Motion to Manage Ear Pressure

During take-off and landing consider giving baby a pacifier or allowing him to latch and nurse to reduce the discomfort caused by atmospheric pressure.

Pack Smart Snacks

Keep snacks handy for baby and teach him to sign their favorites such as cereal or bread. Stay away from messy snacks that might result in awkward moments with your row neighbors.

Be the Buffer

If you are in a three seat row and you have reserved a seat for your baby or toddler position yourself as a human buffer by taking the center seat.

Play with Flashcards

If your toddler has a rich signing vocabulary consider bringing flashcards with you or printing a mini set. Show your toddler a card and ask them to sign for you. This will keep their hands and their minds busy.

Burn Some Energy Before Boarding

Consider taking your toddler for a walk before boarding the plane or plan the flight schedule around their nap time Teach baby the sign for sleep so that he can convey his need for rest.

Be a Good Neighbor

Earplugs cost pennies. Bring several pairs and have them handy as a peace offering for your fellow travelers. It is a small gesture that can go a long way

Mama Sets the Tone

Babies can sense stress. Be a calm and peaceful traveler and handle situations as they come. Babies read emotions and quickly adopt the same attitude you are portraying.

Happy Travels!

In an effort to give our little ones the best of the best sometimes we take ourselves a bit too seriously. Because learning should be both engaging & fun we wanted to share with you four practical ideas to add a little extra to your learning process. By adding a little fun we hope you will remember your baby sign language journey fondly and you will enthusiastically share it with others. Incorporate this tips to our daily learning routine and see magic happen.

Signs & Songs

Make Baby Signing Time part of your visual and musical repertoire. Music accelerates learning and makes for happy babies. Another option is to incorporate signs to your favorite baby songs and customize the whole experience for your little one.

Celebrate Achievement

Make it a point to celebrate and respond each time your little one shows learning progress. Encourage them with sweet words and  an extra dose of affection. Invent a happy dance to mark achievements.

Take a Little Topical Field Trip

Head to the store and visit the produce section. Use the produce to introduce baby to the way each vegetable looks prior to cutting or preparation. Take a few precut snacks to reward baby and create an additional layer of association between the word, the prepared fruit or veggie and raw produce.

Make Your Toddler a Star

Introduce your little one to the magic of videos. Record them while they are showing you their best baby sign and then invite them to watch the video with you. Ask about the baby in the video to further their self awareness.