TinyTalk Mansfield, Ollerton and Southwell

signed up and at 4 months old we attended our first TinyTalk baby signing class and loved it! By 8 months Ewan received the certificate for his first sign and by the time he graduated from the TinyTalk Toddler Talking classes he had in excess of 100 signs and 150 words.

Signing really helped to quell Ewan’s frustrations while his speech was still developing. By using signs to support his speech he could tell us when he was tired, ask for a drink/snack and he could communicate his feelings and emotions to us which helped by taking out some (but not all) of the guesswork.

I was so passionate about baby signing and the advantages of it that I decided to become a TinyTalk teacher when the opportunity arose and here I am today!

Babies – 0-24m
You can start signing with your baby from birth! The signs help baby communicate their needs, primarily before they can speak and will then help to support their developing speech and language. This in turn helps with those frustrations and builds bonds between baby and their parents/carers.
Each week we follow a theme in which we focus on 5/6 core signs. We teach these signs by singing lots of nursery rhymes and bring them to life with props, puppets and flashcards. We also include a sensory activity, designed to help support different aspects of baby’s early years development and you’ll notice how your baby will respond to each of them in different ways as they get older.
Although our classes are there to engage with and entertain your baby, they’re also aimed at you as the parent/carer – after all, you’ll be the one continuing to teach those signs outside of the class so don’t worry if your baby is having a nap during the session or particularly distracted!

Toddlers – 18m-Preschool
TinyTalk is for toddlers too! Our Toddler classes continue to develop your child’s communication skills whilst you're having a brilliant time together. It’s the TinyTalk you love, but more physical and interactive to suit developing bodies and minds. Toddlers are not meant to sit still!

We learn a wider range of BSL signs, play fun games and prepare them for their next steps by encouraging social concepts such as turn taking and sharing.

Our classes are 1 hour long. The first half focuses on learning our signs whilst the second half is our dedicated and all important social time. A chance for the babies to play with a selection of age appropriate toys whilst the adults catch up with a chat over a cuppa and chocolate biscuits. A lovely way to make new friends and build support networks!