Sarah wo is running the classes has founded Little Leaps Sensory & Sign back in 2022 and she wanted to bring a fun baby sign language class to the South Coast, which incorporates learning British Sign Language and having unique and memorable sensory experiences.
There are many benefits to learning baby sign language for both parent/carer and child. Not only is it a great bonding experience, but it also allows your baby to communicate with you before they can talk. This will reduce frustrations for your baby and for you.
Research has also shown that learning baby sign language improves speech and language development. Babies can start signing back anywhere from 8 months onwards, but it is great to expose them at a younger age as they will start to understand the meanings of signs even earlier.
At Little Leaps Sensory & Sign Sarah believes that learning baby sign language should be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for all. Each session is based on a new theme, making each week new and exciting and each course is 5-7 weeks long, depending on the term.
I arrived at a packed class with lots of exciting babies ranging from 3 months up to 1 year and their mums. This weeks theme was Under the Sea and Dinosaur Sounds and Sarah started off the class with a welcome song before doing a recap of signs they learned last week. Then she showed us all the new sounds which ranged from Sea, Jellyfish, Dinosaur all the way to Mud. She followed it up with some great sensory bits like a silver foil blanket, dinosaurs hatching from the egg, there was even some tuff trays full of a mix of oats, food coloured rice and shredded crackers with bowls and spoons for the babies to explore they all really enjoyed every single activity. Alongside the sensory times there was also a little story about a dinosaur once again treating the new sings. It all had a really nice flow between the activities and there was even a song so the children know it was time to finish the latest activity of course the highlight for all the babies was when Sarah brought out her bubble machine which made even the parents eyes glow! There is nothing better then watching your baby enjoy bubbles!
I have been coming to the Little Leaps class for 2 terms now and we love learning the signs my little one is 6 months and we have lots of fun and I am looking forward to the class all week!
My 8 months old girl really started to engage with the nursery rhymes and we have started to introduce the “Tiny Turtle Song” at bath time so she knows that it is coming to an end.
My 8 months baby absolutely loves the classes and is it by far our favourite class of all the ones we are attending.
This is our 4th term at Little Leaps and my nearly 1 year old boy who is very active can communicate with me, signing for food and milk and we have a lovely bedtime routine going when he is on Daddy’s arm I sign I love you to him and he always waves back to me.
I think it is a fantastic group to take your little one to from an early age onwards they will get an understanding for sign language and will be able to communicate with you which might save you as parent a tantrum or 2.
Alongside the Friday Class at Tesco Tower Park Sarah also runs a group for older babies in Southbourne which currently still has spaces left and they also accept Pay as you go now!
Here are the details & locations for Little Leaps current sessions:
Fridays – Tesco Tower Park’s Community Room BH12 4NY
9.45am – Pre-crawling/Crawling babies
11am – Crawling/Walking babies/toddlers
Mondays – The Malthouse (Brewhouse & Kitchen Function Room Southbourne) BH5 2BW
11am – ‘Pre-crawling/Crawling’ babies
⭐️ PAYG option now available ⭐️
You can find out more info about Little Leaps Sensory & Sign on their website littleleapssensoryandsign.com or follow them on Instagram and Facebook for their latest news.
Disclaimer: BCP Mumbler was invited to attend a Little leaps Sensory & Sign Class in exchange for a review, but all thoughts and opinions are our own.
