#childrenslighthouse

Benefits to Early Sign Language

Imagine living your life without being able to verbalize your desires. That is your child's reality in the very beginning stages of life before they develop language. Without a way to communicate needs and wants, children resort to crying and physical outbursts.  Young children can process more than they can express, so it's easy to get frustrated when they aren't understood. A great solution to this problem is teaching simple sign language from a very early age. Join Children's Lighthouse in our efforts to teach baby sign language to your infants and toddlers.

Teaching preverbal children key words in sign language can benefit a range of aspects in a child's life. It can create a greater sense of independence, facilitate development mentally and physically, decrease frustration in children, and increase communication between you and your child. Here are some key signs to teach, how to teach them, and some direct benefits from implementing them.

Young children identify most with needs such as hunger and thirst. Words such as "eat," "more," "please," "drink" and "all done" are great starter words and phrases to learn.  To teach children, simply do the sign in front of them while saying the word out loud multiple times. After they have clearly seen you, do the action such as giving them food or a bottle. Start with a few signs and once they get the hang of those, move on to more. Many children pick these signs up quickly when the adults in their lives are consistently using them.

Learning Through Play

   A child's natural inclination is to play. It's a creative avenue where they are free to experiment and explore the world around them. If parents, teachers and caregivers provide productive play opportunities for children, real benefits can grow.

Studies have shown that learning through creative, hands-on activities jumpstarts a child's development in a variety of ways. It has been proven that constructive play from an early age strengthens a child's brain and improves their potential to learn. Play is an organic way of stretching children physically and cognitively while developing social-emotional skills.

        Providing outlets for constructive play in children's lives is a fun and productive way for them to take an active role in their own learning. When a child is playing, their entire brain is operating and focused on what they're doing. This makes them more receptive to learning something new. Getting children engaged can be a battle, but play is the best way to achieve this goal.

Playing is also a great way to physically grow and develop. Puzzles, blocks, balls and practically any other form of play involve utilizing fine and gross motor skills. Whether it's throwing a ball or stacking connecting blocks, practicing these skills has enormous benefits to physical development. Energetic games that get children moving help their little bodies grow and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Play also has substantial social benefits. Interaction with other children is a great way to practice cooperation, negotiation and communication. Engaging with their peers promotes social skills and language. It's a low-pressure way for children to cultivate relationships and expand their communication.

The Children’s Lighthouse Learning Centers franchise model has many benefits, including grand opening and ongoing public relations support as well as marketing guidance. With trained media professionals helping bring the focus to your new educational child care franchise, each franchisee has the opportunity to spread brand awareness with placements in relevant newspapers, magazines, TV shows and websites.

Children’s Lighthouse Learning Centers was recently profiled in the Chicago Tribune, the most influential media sources in the region, as an expert on how technology is shaping the future of education. The brand opened a Chicago-area location this year in the Irving Park neighborhood to the excitement of the burgeoning young parent population.

“The fastest growing trend that I see right now, both at school and in the home, is the move toward more portable, multiuse digital devices,” said Dr. Sharman Johnston, director of curriculum and instruction for Texas-based Children’s Lighthouse Learning Centers, in the article. “Teachers from pre-K through high school name laptops, iPads and electronic readers as the portable technologies with the greatest educational potential. Preschool teachers also favor digital cameras, calling them the ‘most valuable instructional technology tool.’”

Children’s Lighthouse Learning Centers across the nation are equipped with top-of-the-line in-classroom technology including iPads, Smartboards and even secure video feeds so that parents can watch their kids learning online during the day.

Because of the viral nature of the news, the Tribune article was picked up by the Utah Daily Herald and several parenting bloggers in the area who shared the story with their audiences. This is just one example of the influence that Children’s Lighthouse franchise owners can have on the educational landscape of their communities.