Sign of the Week: Good Night (and Creative Book Sharing)

This week's sign from the Signing Time Blog is... GOOD NIGHT!
(from Baby Signing Time DVD Vol 3: A New Day)

For a 1 min preview of the DVD, look here on YouTube.

I also have a bunch of previous Signs of the Week in a photo album (viewable on my Little Sign of Mine Facebook page even if you don't have a Facebook account).

1) How to sign GOOD NIGHT:
GOOD: with two flat hands, touch your chin with the fingertips of your dominant hand, and bring it down to into your other flat hand (both palms up)
NIGHT: with two bent hands, cross your wrists together (bringing the dominant wrist over the other).  It's like you're showing the sun setting over the horizon.

2) Watch Rachel sign GOOD NIGHT & print the flashcard on the Signing Time Blog here.
And watch Ellie sign it here!  (2 1/2 yrs)

3) Signing Activities: 

Good Night... Wake up!
-Start this silly interaction game by signing and saying GOOD NIGHT (or NIGHT NIGHT), then closing your eyes and snoring.
-Wait a moment before you suddenly pop right up and open your eyes saying, "Wake up!"
-With babies you can do this sitting on the couch while they sit on you, facing you.
-As your little one gets older and becomes familiar with the game, they may want to be the one to prompt when it's time for you to go NIGHT NIGHT, and then reach out and touch you to wake you up. :)
-You can also lay on the ground for this game.  Don't our little ones just love climbing on us as soon as we lay on the floor?!  Ellie loved this one!  She would even pretend to be the one sleeping/snoring, and popping awake.  Once she even did this game after climbing into her old baby swing!

Good Night Moon:
-Read "Good Night Moon" by Margaret Wise Brown
-Say and Sign GOOD NIGHT to each of the items ("GOOD NIGHT, bears, GOOD NIGHT, chairs")
-For your extra little ones, I remember doing "NIGHT NIGHT, bears, etc." with Ellie.
-Practice Creative Book Sharing--example below

What is Creative Book Sharing?  It's essentially an intentional way of reading that engages your little one's imagination, draws them out from being a passive listener to becoming an active participant, makes stories fun and meaningful, and creates different encounters even while reading the same books over and over.

The following example is from the "Baby Signing Time Talk, Sign, & Read Parent Guide." (Families receive this handbook free in my class!)

Creative Book Sharing Example: Goodnight Moon
Margaret Wise Brown’s Goodnight Moon is a classic bedtime story that young children love to hear over
and over again. Check out a copy from your local library and use the Creative Book Sharing strategies
suggested below while reading this story aloud:

*Note* Remember that these are suggestions that you can pick and choose from.  They're not in any particular order.  And they're not intended to sit and read the book seven times in a row (although our little ones may coax us into doing so!) :)

first reading:
Read the story aloud so your child becomes familiar with the rhymes and patterns within the text. Stop and talk about any pictures your little one expresses an interest in.

second reading:
There’s a little white mouse that appears on every spread. Read the words aloud, but before turning the page ask your child, “There’s a little mouse on this page. Can you find it? Yes, there it is!” When you get to the end, help your child come up with a name for the mouse.

third reading:
Teach your child the signs for MOON and STARS. As you read the story, sign these words with your child as they appear in the text or illustrations.

fourth reading:
Read the story aloud, then act out the story by helping your child say goodnight to the things in her room before she goes to sleep.

fifth reading:
Let your child open the book and turn the pages. As you read, run your finger under the text.

sixth reading:
Invite your child’s favorite stuffed animals or dolls to cuddle up and listen to the story.

seventh reading:
As you read, stop just before saying the last word on the page. Encourage your child to “fill in the blank” by saying the word aloud.

4) Today's Challenge: Say and sign GOOD NIGHT before each naptime and bedtime today!
I always wave and sign ILY (I Love You) as I close Ellie's door, too. :)

Happy signing!