Reviewed by Marian Whitehead, language and early years consultant
This is a colourful and bouncy collection of familiar, or slightly adapted, rhymes and songs. It features some nice mums, some enchanting babies and toddlers, pleasant parks and streets, a traditional small farm, and an enthusiastic sing-and-sign tutor.
The video is certainly worth having at home and in early years settings, although the relentless jolly, affluent and mainstream culture it reflects may need balancing with other images and music.
The theory behind the approach assumes that pre-verbal babies from around six to eight months of age, who can hear, will benefit from seeing some signs (based on British Sign Language) accompanying language as they play and interact with their carers. The benefits include more interactive communication, emotional satisfaction, and important linguistic and cognitive factors like attention and memory. Music has long been known to be beneficial for very young children for these reasons, and 'Sing and Sign' is certainly musical and unpressured.
The babies on the video enjoy all the rhythmic bouncing, although the signing adults seem to baffle them at times, but their own personal signing is simple and effective and triggers warm responses from their special carers. Adults can learn from this video to use a few signs to improve the quality and effectiveness of their interactions with babies and toddlers.
But please read the booklet that goes with the video, especially the final 'Guidelines', or see them at the end of the video. Have fun!
