Reading stories to young children is already a great way to engage them while they are learning. If you incorporate sign language when reading stories, children will learn words more quickly and understand them more easily.
A great book I suggest reading to your child or students is Hello, Sun by Dayle Ann Dodds. This particular book is a great way to help teach children learn about different types of clothing and the weather.
A few of the signs I suggest using while reading this story are: Sun- Make a circle with your pointer finger in the air above your head and then open your fingers to form rays shining down. Clouds- Circle your hands over one another which palms facing each other Wind – Sways your hands back and forth. A lot of pieces of clothing and weather are mentioned throughout this book.
When the story begins, a girl dresses herself for a warm, sunny day. Each page the weather changes and she has to change her clothing to be better dressed for the weather. Some of the weather descriptions that are discussed throughout the book include clouds, wind, and snow. C
hildren will be able to learn about the different types of weather and how they should dress for each type. The repetition and rhythm in the book will keep children engaged in addition to seeing the different signs. For example, during each change of the weather, the child in the story says “uh-oh” because she needs to change her clothing. Babies love saying this, and many times it is one of their first words when they begin to speak. Therefore, in addition to signing throughout the story, your child will also love repeating this on each page.
Remember, you can find out more information about signing with your baby on my website, where I have a free video which reveals my #1 secret on how you can drastically reduce your baby’s crying and temper tantrums at www.babysignlanguageonline.com.