It's possible to “Look Who's Talking” and know what they're saying.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
“Sign, Say and Play” teacher Karin Moskov crawls under the parachute with 11-month-old Sydney Hesse.
“Sign, Say and Play” teacher Karin Moskov crawls under the parachute with 11-month-old Sydney Hesse.
Branches, the former Family Wellness Institute, offers new parents a pathway to communicating with their babies before they can speak. The class, “Sign, Say and Play,” teaches parents and their children a core set of gestural signs based on American Sign Language.
“Babies have the mental capacity to communicate way before they can say words,” said Karin Moskov, executive director of Branches. “But they don't yet have the oral motor skills to say verbally what they want.”
The six-week class teaches parents and babies about five signs a week, with each week covering a specific theme. For instance, “Meal time” week includes signs indicating that the baby wants milk or cereal.
“It decreases the frustration level when the verbal skills aren't there,” Moskov said. “Sometimes you see tantrums because it's hard to understand what the baby wants.”
The class uses song, dance and other activities to introduce the signs to the parents and babies. Holly Davia, who attended the first session of the class with her son, Cayden, found the aids helpful for both her and her son in learning the signs.
“The class made it so much easier and fun using the books and especially the music for the kids,” Davia said. “The kids would sit right down and watch.”
Parents are encouraged to continue the lessons learned in the class by using the signs at home to strengthen the association between them and the concepts they communicate in the babies' minds. To help parents carry out the lessons at home, Branches provides them with CDs, DVDs and books about baby sign language.
Moskov points out that taking the class by no means prolongs the beginning of verbal communication from the baby.
“It's exposure, they're paying more attention to the visual cues that encourage them to sign,” she said.
Parents who bring their babies to the “Sign, Say and Play” class will benefit from not only better communication with their children, but also a decrease in frustration that results from miscommunication.
“It helps the children feel understood and share what's on their minds,” Moskov said. “It builds self-confidence and enriches that parent/infant bond.”
Prior to the class, Branches offers a workshop outlining the benefits of baby sign language for interested parents.
“Hopefully it piques their interest and they recognize the magnitude of difference it makes in communicating with their baby,” Moskov said.
There is no definite age requirement for babies to begin the class, but Moskov believes their age will affect how much they can absorb. A 2-year-old will learn signs much quicker than a 1-year-old, but even babies as young as 7 months old have been able to approximate the signs they've been taught.
Since offering “Sign, Say, Play,” Moskov has learned not to be surprised by the signs of intelligence shown by children at such a young age.
“Kids are so smart and they take in so much,” she said. “When young children say something profound everyone tends to think it's funny or precocious, but when they're able to communicate, their intelligence is seen for what it is instead of being blanketed by an inability to communicate.”
Moskov emphasizes the benefit of baby sign language to the child's intelligence. She cites a recent study by the National Institutes of Health finding that babies who take such classes with their parents later demonstrate a higher IQ than their peers. Davia sees that benefit firsthand.
“It helped him a lot,” Holly said. “He's talking already, but for things he can't say he uses signs.”
With tremendous help from family and friends, Moskov worked to incorporate Branches in August of 2006. The nonprofit organization has since sought to offer early childhood wellness and arts classes. It also offers family and children's yoga, an international music program called Kindermusik, and Kid Fiesta, a Spanish immersion program for children. They are working with the Merry Go Round Playhouse on a theater program for young children.
These programs complement “Sign, Say, Play” by enhancing the development of the young minds in each class.
“We emphasize the importance of arts and wellness at birth,” Moskov said. “It enhances cognitive growth, so we know this is important.”
Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
“Babies have the mental capacity to communicate way before they can say words,” said Karin Moskov, executive director of Branches. “But they don't yet have the oral motor skills to say verbally what they want.”
The six-week class teaches parents and babies about five signs a week, with each week covering a specific theme. For instance, “Meal time” week includes signs indicating that the baby wants milk or cereal.
“It decreases the frustration level when the verbal skills aren't there,” Moskov said. “Sometimes you see tantrums because it's hard to understand what the baby wants.”
The class uses song, dance and other activities to introduce the signs to the parents and babies. Holly Davia, who attended the first session of the class with her son, Cayden, found the aids helpful for both her and her son in learning the signs.
“The class made it so much easier and fun using the books and especially the music for the kids,” Davia said. “The kids would sit right down and watch.”
Parents are encouraged to continue the lessons learned in the class by using the signs at home to strengthen the association between them and the concepts they communicate in the babies' minds. To help parents carry out the lessons at home, Branches provides them with CDs, DVDs and books about baby sign language.
Moskov points out that taking the class by no means prolongs the beginning of verbal communication from the baby.
“It's exposure, they're paying more attention to the visual cues that encourage them to sign,” she said.
Parents who bring their babies to the “Sign, Say and Play” class will benefit from not only better communication with their children, but also a decrease in frustration that results from miscommunication.
“It helps the children feel understood and share what's on their minds,” Moskov said. “It builds self-confidence and enriches that parent/infant bond.”
Prior to the class, Branches offers a workshop outlining the benefits of baby sign language for interested parents.
“Hopefully it piques their interest and they recognize the magnitude of difference it makes in communicating with their baby,” Moskov said.
There is no definite age requirement for babies to begin the class, but Moskov believes their age will affect how much they can absorb. A 2-year-old will learn signs much quicker than a 1-year-old, but even babies as young as 7 months old have been able to approximate the signs they've been taught.
Since offering “Sign, Say, Play,” Moskov has learned not to be surprised by the signs of intelligence shown by children at such a young age.
“Kids are so smart and they take in so much,” she said. “When young children say something profound everyone tends to think it's funny or precocious, but when they're able to communicate, their intelligence is seen for what it is instead of being blanketed by an inability to communicate.”
Moskov emphasizes the benefit of baby sign language to the child's intelligence. She cites a recent study by the National Institutes of Health finding that babies who take such classes with their parents later demonstrate a higher IQ than their peers. Davia sees that benefit firsthand.
“It helped him a lot,” Holly said. “He's talking already, but for things he can't say he uses signs.”
With tremendous help from family and friends, Moskov worked to incorporate Branches in August of 2006. The nonprofit organization has since sought to offer early childhood wellness and arts classes. It also offers family and children's yoga, an international music program called Kindermusik, and Kid Fiesta, a Spanish immersion program for children. They are working with the Merry Go Round Playhouse on a theater program for young children.
These programs complement “Sign, Say, Play” by enhancing the development of the young minds in each class.
“We emphasize the importance of arts and wellness at birth,” Moskov said. “It enhances cognitive growth, so we know this is important.”
Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
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