Sing and Sign baby signing classes in... New Zealand, Wellington
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About Me
BOOK CLASSES IN JOHNSONVILLE, PORIRUA, KARORI & MIRAMAR
Kia ora! I'm Cat, and I teach fun, musical baby sign courses for babies and toddlers in Johnsonville, Plimmerton, Karori and Miramar.I'm the mum of two girls, with a professional background in communications and a love of music, which is why I was drawn so strongly to Sing and Sign as a new parent. The classes were small, relaxed, sociable and so much fun. It was amazing to discover a new skill and be able to sign with my girls before they could speak!Single trial sessions are now bookable for Winter term Week 1 classes for just $15. Please contact me if you would like to book a trial.Join us for the full term and you'll have weekly in-person classes, access to our weekly online @Home course, signing dictionaries, Sign and Sign DVD videos (streamed) and more!Stage 1 - In-person courses for Babies 6-14 months-oldMonday (starting 22 July)Tuesday (starting 23 July)Wednesday (starting 24 July)Stage 2 Course - Babies/Toddlers 14-24 months-old - BOOK NOWSingle trial sessions are now bookable for Winter term Week 1 classes for just $15. Please contact me if you would like to book a trial.
Wednesday (starting 24 July)Need a more flexible option? Try @Home online, starting Monday 22 JulyOur award-winning @Home online course is a great option if you need more flexibility and the classes don't work with your schedule. @Home is pre-recorded, online-only with weekly classes designed to enjoy together, interactively, with baby. The course runs for 10 weeks and can be streamed to your TV in the living room, so the whole family can join in.Questions about @Home? Send me an inquiry -
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Booking Sing and Sign classes and other FAQs
What is baby signing?
Baby sign is a system of gestures that we can use as we talk, to support the development of our child’s speech. Unless you or your baby needs it, it's not necessary to learn a full language complete with syntax and grammar rules (though that's an awesome thing to do if you're interested in learning NZSL, and there is occasionally some crossover with baby sign too). Instead, we use a set of simple signs that are meaningful to parents, carers and babies in everyday life.
At Sing and Sign, we focus on keeping things simple and consistent. We only use one sign to emphasise the key word in any sentence, and we always say it as we sign it - otherwise known as 'keyword signing'. This helps your baby to connect the gesture with the important spoken word and grasp its meaning.
We encourage baby to say and sign the word too. As we sign, we naturally tend to slow down, make eye contact and speak more clearly. This makes it easier for our baby to follow our mouth and copy us, which encourages speech development.
If you have some experience with signing in a particular language and you're already signing for fun with your baby, keep at it! You could still gain a lot from a Sing and Sign class if you're happy to blend sign styles as many parents are. I'd encourage you to continue using the signs that are most familiar to you.
Sing and Sign is a lot of fun and easy to build your vocabulary without even realising you’re doing it. The songs are catchy and familiar, and since babies love patterns and repetition we work them into a class routine. The songs are sometimes sung to traditional tunes so they’re easy to remember and share with family members.
Learn more about the Sing and Sign programme, supported and recommended by UK experts.
Find out what parents think about Sing and Sign
Have a question about Sing and Sign? Check out our FAQs
Which Sing and Sign class should I choose?
Choose the class that most closely matches your baby's age at the course start date.
- Babes (0-6 months) - 10 weeks (talk to me if you'd prefer to join a 5 week course)
- Stage One (6-14 months) - 10 weeks
- Stage Two (14-24 months) - 10 weeks
- @HOME (Stage One or Stage Two) - 10 weeks
Watch a 5-minute video to find out more about the different Sing and Sign stages
You can work out your baby's age at the course start date on the Time and Date website.
Babes class (0-6m) - what should I expect?
Our “Babes” course is 10 weeks. Babes offers much more than a baby group - we focus on the fundamental framework for communication with our babies with themes such as eye contact, shared looking, commenting, gestures, facial expression and more.
You'll learn lots of fun songs, chants and rhymes you can do with your little one and learn the basics of baby sign.
The Babes course empowers you to feel confident you don’t need lots of toys and props - you are stimulating and enjoyable enough for your baby. You’ll also benefit from those early months with ideas for what to play at home.
Babies love being the centre of your attention and this course is a distraction-free way to nurture your bond. Of course, baby may not be in the mood to play, engage and participate at the same time each week. They can feed, cuddle, sleep, have nappies changed anytime they need during the session.
Classes include 10 parent/carer and baby pairs, so it’s a relaxed and intimate class with the chance to meet like-minded local people.
Sessions will run for around 30 minutes with some social time built in before/after. Please allow an hour from the time the class is advertised to run.
Stage 1 (6-14m) - what should I expect?
The Stage 1 course is designed for beginners and young children (from 6 months up to 14 months).
Classes are up to 10 socially-distanced parent and baby pairs. It’s an intimate class size with the chance to meet like-minded people in your neighbourhood.
The course syllabus includes:
- basic signs (milk, more, finished…)
- going out (routine, places, vehicles)
- bath time
- nappy change
- emotions
- help me
- bedtime
- feeling sick/in pain
- people
- lots of animals!
This is the stage where signing may take off, with most children signing back from around 9 months old (although of course, all children are different and there’s no hurry and never any pressure).
Classes will run for around 45 minutes with some social time built in before/after. Please allow an hour from the time the class is advertised to run.
Check availability and book a Stage One class in Paraparaumu.
Stage 2 (Toddlers 14-24m)
If your baby is a little older, you may feel ready for a course with a little more action and activity!
Our Stage 2 classes are great for toddlers up to around 2 1/2 years old to explore and have fun. You don’t need to have done baby sign or Sing and Sign before, and your little one may or may not have already started talking.
In our Stage 2 class we still include the basic signs with lovely songs to enjoy. We also tackle concepts such as the weather, colours, being helpful, simple counting, opposites, and even begin simple phonics - all using music and song.
Kids this age tend to get up and walk around the room, dance and get involved - and that is all OK. Classes are up to 10 socially-distanced parent and toddler pairs. It’s an intimate class size with the chance to meet like-minded people in your neighbourhood.
Classes will run for around 45 minutes with some social time built in before/after. Please allow an hour from the time the class is advertised to run.
Online only @Home course - is this right for me?The Sing and Sign @Home programme is perfect if you need more flexibility or perhaps can't fit a group class into your schedule. Instead, you can enjoy one of our award-winning courses on-demand in your own living room!
If you've never done Sign and Sign before, it's best to start with Stage One regardless of baby's age - that way you'll learn all the basics at an easy pace. Then you'll be perfectly prepared to move on to Stage Two next term!
Sign up for @Home and you’ll receive:
- a new themed, pre-recorded class each week
- each class is available for a whole week, 24/7
- 10 weeks of 30-minute sessions
- supporting lesson tips and clips
- access to our 250+ signing dictionary, Jessie Cat interactive games and award-winning DVD titles (streamed) for the duration of the course
You’ll feel empowered to:
- help your little one use words before they can talk
- encourage speech development and support their understanding of language
- learn songs, rhymes, and music
- practise lots of basic signs you'll use every day at your own pace
- support your learning when it suits you, with 24/7 access to online resources
- enjoy new ways to play and bond with baby without too many distracting props
Check availability and book an @HOME class
Watch a video taster of our award-winning @Home online classes (9 mins)
What if my baby is out of the age range you are offering?We offer different "stages" of Sing and Sign which have been developed specifically for your baby's developmental stages.
Sing and Sign Babes classes are for roughly 2 to 5-month-olds (we do accept younger and slightly older babies!)Sing and Sign Stage 1 is ideal for babies from 6 months old up to around 14 months old and their parent/carer. There can be some flexibility in this, particularly at the older end of the range - please reach out if you'd like to chat about it.
It's quite a big step from Stage 1 to Stage 2, so many people come to Stage 1 for two terms before attending Stage 2. However, it all depends on your baby's age - I'd be happy to chat with you about this
Stage 2 is more active and interactive, which is great when your little one is 14+ months and likely to be moving about and probably starting to talk (every baby is different, so there's no hard and fast rule!). It is tons of fun and covers topics from types of food, colours, weather, a gentle introduction to the potty, and phonics. You don't need to have done Sing and Sign before to join a Stage 2 class.The @Home course may suit you best if you feel your baby isn't quite ready for a group session or you can't fit a class into your schedule - let's chat about your needs!
I have multiple babies - how many places do I pay for?
Twins/triplets are welcome and only pay for one place if there is only one adult attending. If you're bringing another adult helper each week, you may need to book 2 places - please contact me about it.
I have an older child - can they come too?
It would be preferable for classes to be just for the babies/toddlers and, if you have got older children, it's a great (and rare!) opportunity to focus solely on your youngest. If you need to bring your older child, they may be able to come with you to class but please contact me before you book your place.
How much does it cost?
- Babes is $160 per 10-week course.
- Stage One & Stage Two (10-week courses) - Fantastic value at $175 for a 10-week term. You'll also have access to Sing and Sign's amazing Jessie Cat Club (detailed below) and your current term’s @Home course (worth $99).
- @Home (10-week course) is $99, including access to Jessie Cat Club for the course duration.
What is Jessie Cat Club Membership?
- 200+ signs to view in video clips
- two 15-minute films directly supporting our Stage One curriculum, one covering songs and signs from weeks 1-4 and one covering weeks 5-10
- a print-out facility for you baby’s favourite signs to share with family/nursery
- our classic ‘Sing and Sign - Baby Signing the Fun Way’ (DVD streamed)
- 2 interactive "Where is Jessie?" games
How can I book a class?
Check availability and book a class in Paraparaumu or Porirua, on our international, UK based website.
Don't worry, there's no additional cost for booking on this site - payments are in New Zealand dollars and made direct to the teacher via Stripe or Bank Transfer.
If you have any questions about booking procedures or terms, please don't hesitate to get in touch - please email singandsignwellington@gmail.com or find me on Facebook at Sing and Sign Wellington or give me a call/text on 020 474 9474.
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