Sing and Sign Southwark

Top Tip Tuesday… 😊 Songs are at the heart of Sing and Sign and we pride ourselves on the fact that ours are fun, useful, and perfectly suited to your baby’s everyday routines. 😁

Whether you’re changing a nappy, washing hands, getting dressed, brushing teeth or getting ready for bed - we’ve got a song for it! And remember, you can always ad lib the lyrics yourself to fit whatever you’re doing… we don’t mind! 😁

Music is a fantastic way of calming, distracting, and easing little ones through tricky moments. Before they know it, the job is done and the stress levels are lower for everyone. Why not give one of our songs a go today when you’re trying to get something done? You may be amazed at how it helps! 🎶😊

Love from, Sing and Sign xx

❤️Happy Valentines Day!❤️
What better day to learn the sign for "Love"?

🫶Did you know we have an online video Sign Dictionary with 250 signs? And there's even a print at home option - choose your favourite signs to print and share with family or childcare! 🥰

😻Our online membership is called The Jessie Cat Club. If you're not a member yet, speak to your teacher today to find out more about all of our online resources.

Top Tip Tuesday 😊… Trust the process!

It takes time for a baby to recognise and understand gestures and signs - just as it does with spoken language. Consistency is key! Make signing a part of your daily routine so it becomes a habit and a natural part of your communication together.

Think about waving. 🤗 It’s one of the very first gestures babies learn and that’s no accident. They see it often, it’s motivating, and it always gets a lovely response. 🥰

The same science applies to other meaningful gestures and signs. Choose the ones that matter to your baby - milk, more, finished, bath, music - and use them regularly, in the same context, with the same warm tone. Over time, your baby’s understanding grows, and those magical first signs begin to appear.

Trust the process. Keep showing, keep modelling, keep enjoying it together. 🥰

Love from Sing and Sign x

Mother’s singing has profound effects on a baby’s brain, acting almost like a natural medicine. Studies show that hearing her voice can calm a baby’s heart rate and regulate their nervous system in mere seconds, even if she thinks she cannot sing.

The soothing qualities of a mother’s voice provide safety and predictability. Babies are highly attuned to vocal tone, rhythm, and melody, which help them feel secure and supported. This effect strengthens emotional regulation and attachment.

Singing during daily routines feeding, changing, or bedtime offers consistent opportunities to promote calm and connection. The brain registers these moments as positive, helping infants manage stress and develop resilience.

Even imperfect singing works. Babies respond to the emotional intent and presence behind the voice, not technical skill. The act of singing itself fosters neural development, reinforcing pathways related to language, attention, and social bonding.

Parents can use singing as a simple, accessible tool to soothe, engage, and support their baby’s nervous system. Incorporating short songs or lullabies throughout the day enhances both emotional and cognitive development while strengthening the parent-child bond.

Babies process foreign languages they heard in utero much like their mother tongue, researchers find

A recent study suggests that babies start processing language before they are born. A research team in Montreal has found that newborns who had heard short stories in foreign languages while in the womb process those languages similarly to their native tongue.

Previous research had shown that fetuses and newborns can recognize familiar voices and rhythms and even that they prefer their native language soon after birth. But these findings come mostly from behavioral cues—sucking patterns, head turns or heart rate changes—rather than direct evidence from the brain. This is the first study to use brain imaging to show what neuroscientists and psychologists had long suspected.

Link to the article in the comments ⬇️

Research shows that music has a powerful impact on developing brains. Unlike extra homework, which mainly targets memorization or repetition, music engages multiple areas at once, including memory, attention, language, and emotional regulation. Children who are regularly exposed to music develop stronger neural connections and enhanced cognitive abilities.

Playing an instrument, singing, or even listening to music daily helps children practice pattern recognition, timing, and coordination. These skills translate into improved problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and language comprehension. Music also encourages creativity and emotional expression, giving children tools to understand and manage their feelings.

The benefits extend beyond academics. Musical engagement strengthens social skills when children play or sing together. It enhances focus and patience, as learning rhythms and melodies requires consistent practice. Studies show that early exposure to music can even influence IQ, attention span, and long-term brain development more effectively than extra worksheets or drills.

Parents can integrate music naturally into daily life by singing during routines, playing instruments, or listening to a variety of songs together. The key is consistency and enjoyment. By prioritizing music, families give children a rich environment that nurtures brain growth, creativity, and emotional intelligence simultaneously.