Singing Hands

Signing fun for little ones

Tracy shows the class the sign for 'rabbit'

Even better than anticipated! My daughter was SO interested in what was going on – we will be coming back next term. Your choice of vocabulary was excellent and covered all the things I might need – nappy time, bath time, play time, animals and so much more.

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Workshops for Professionals

Singing Hands and Twenty One & Co bring the house down on World Down's Syndrome Day!
 

The Down's Syndrome Association hosted World Down's Syndrome Day at our their national office on Wednesday 21st March 2007.  The day was attended by over 25 countries, *Singing Hands* with accompaniment of a group of children from Twenty One & Co. (a social and support group for children with Down's syndrome and their families) lifted everyone's spirits.

 

The DSA have come to rely on the talents of *Singing Hands* to bring their cheerful mix of singing and signing to their events.  Along with the children from Twenty One & Co. the whole audience participated in various songs from ''Wind the bobbin up'' to the classic ''Old MacDonald''.  The performance by Blythe (aged 7) of ''What a Wonderful World'' by Louis Armstrong brought the house down, with not a dry eye left in the house!

 

The DSA are extremely pleased to have the support of *Singing Hands*, they bring a great deal of joy with their singing and signing to some of our key events, such as our Christmas Carol Concert, Annual General Meeting and now World Down's Syndrome Day

Carol Boys and Xanthe Breen, DSA

Hi Suzanne and Tracy
Not sure i've had the chance to say "Thank you" for your excellent session at the Childminder conference. Everyone was blown away by your session. I have attached some of the comments from the feedback of the day (see below)
I know you have inspired many of us during your session so I'm sure a visit to Warwickshire will be on the cards again.

Julie Curtis, Training & Recruitment Officer, Children, Young People & Families Warwickshire CC

March 2008 - At this conference for 120 childminders from Warwickshire, we introduced the benefits of signs through songs, stories and games as a way to inspire non-signers to get started and also to encourage those with existing signing knowledge to use signs in their setting, regardless of whether they currently look after a child with SEN or not. By the end of the workshop we had all 120 childminders singing I HEAR THUNDER in the round and a group demonstrating IT’S A RAINBOW with their ribbons....! Here are the comments from the feedback forms about our session:

  • An inspirational session which has provided considerable food for thought
  • This was excellent. Everyone’s attention was held for the whole presentation
  • Brilliant - need more of this. Can you run a course with them near Southam?
  • Very, very good. I now want to learn more and will go away and find out more about this
  • Fantastic. Very enjoyable and something am looking forward to doing with the children. The two women were very enjoyable to watch
  • Absolutely brilliant - amazing women
  • Absolutely fantastic! They were inspirational and showed eloquently within the hour and a half how valuable Makaton signing is and would be within any setting, regardless of their individual needs.
  • Great fun and I will try and bring it into my house as I have a special needs child and he could find it very useful
  • Very entertaining - informative. Given me a wish to learn more signing
  • Singing Hands was a winner
  • Fantastic - would love to have a Singing Hands session in Rugby and it made me want to do more Makaton training
  • Great - had fun and will continue to use my Makaton more often. Presenters were great and enthusiastic and made it very interesting
  • Fantastic - excellent format. Hands on and a really good teaching aspect
  • Fabulous session. What wonderful people
  • Fantastic! Interactive session. Want to learn more
  • Brilliant fun and interesting. Want to find out more about Makaton
  • Absolutely lovely, very useful session
  • Fab! Fab! More please

I first heard about Singing Hands last year (2004) at the EYDCP Event Day at York House (Twickenham). Unfortunately I missed their session but lots of people were raving about it. Something about singing nursery songs and signing. I’m not too keen on babysigning – it’s too trendy for me but everybody else liked it.

In May 2005 I had the chance to attend a training session myself and it was great! Tracy and Suzanne use Makaton and sign the keywords. We all like doing actions to the songs and rhymes so we might as well use ‘real’ signs. It makes perfect sense.

To celebrate National Childminding Week, the Richmond Childminding Group asked Singing Hands to come to three of our Drop-In venues. They were a huge success with children and adults alike. We also asked them for another workshop at our AGM in October 2005.

I highly recommend Singing Hands – their programme is totally inclusive. It’s a perfect way to introduce signs to ALL children in really fun way!

Angie Powell, Chair, Richmond Childminding Group 2005

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