Children are often referred to as being ‘sponges’ and this is an accurate description when it comes to language development. Extensive research shows that the more mental stimulation a child receives between the age of two and four, the more developed the parts of their brains dedicated to language and cognition will be in the years ahead.
Learning a language is hugely beneficial in early years with key benefits including:
Our teams really make the most of communicating with the little ones in our care. We have joined the Nursery Affiliation Programme with Sing and Sign, which trains staff within our nurseries. The programme teaches staff a selection of signs to use throughout the day with the babies and specific song and sign sessions to support them in communicating before speech. Babies will recognise important words sooner and can use the signs to ‘talk’ before speech is developed.
Sing and Sign combines the benefits of music and baby signing. Every sign used in the song relates to the important first words of a baby’s world, such as nappies, bath time, and bedtime.
Your child will have access to a range of high-quality and engaging texts and children’s stories from Polylino that can be read aloud and shared in their home language or a variety of different languages that they are learning.
You will see these books around the nursery which we use as part of our day-to-day learning. We are also pleased to offer you an electronic version of the Polylino books to continue the story and experience at home.
Kidslingo classes introduce little ones to the sounds and intonations of the Spanish language via a weekly 30 minute class with songs, stories, rhymes, repetition of key words and multi-sensory play. Scarves, parachute, flashcards and bubbles are used to create visual engagement and stimulation.
We are in our third year at the nursery and we are very happy here. Considering that this is the only nursery in Faringdon for younger children, we are very lucky with how good the nursery is. The staff seem to genuinely care about doing a good job, and my son considers the staff to be his friends. The children have lots of different activities, have French lessons and yoga lessons, and even occasionally go out on little outings. The nursery celebrates lots of seasonal and cultural events, as well as life events at the nursery, for example when a member of staff gets married or gets a dog, it's made into a fun learning experience for the children. This nursery is in a different league to the one I went to as a child!
All the staff are very welcoming and friendly which creates a lovely atmosphere for the children to be in. Every day there seems to be different fun, creative and educational activities - French, yoga, cooking, forest school. She comes back every day excited to tell me what they have been up to. It is easy to get daily feedback on how she is doing or if anything needs to be flagged up. Although she has a key carer, because it is a small setting, all the staff are approachable and helpful. I am watching my daughter grow more confident, learning new skills, making friends and enjoying herself and it is a joy! Thank you Filkins!
My daughter has been going to HDC Newton Abbot for eight months now and has become part of the family. Every day she and her classmates enjoy a range of indoor and outdoor activities and are always jolly and having fun. Her learning, language and social skills have blossomed. There are lots of lovely resources, sensory toys and imaginative play kits to interact with. The staff are all kind, friendly and professional. They work so hard but are always smiling. My little girl adores her key worker.
Learn how our language enhancement programs, including baby signing, support your child’s ability to communicate and express themselves from an early age. Our FAQ section provides detailed answers to common questions about the benefits of baby signing, how it’s taught, and how it aids in early language development. Discover how we create an engaging, supportive environment that encourages your child to develop strong communication skills and express their needs and emotions with confidence.
Babies use all kinds of signs and gestures as a natural part of learning to talk. Encouraging babies with extra signs such as milk, more, change nappy or tired will help them to communicate. Babies will recognise important words sooner and can use the signs to ‘talk’ before speech is developed.
Sing and Sign combines the benefits of both music and baby signing. Every sign used in song relates to those important first words of a baby’s world, such as nappies, bath time, bedtime. There are not too many signs within the songs, just enough to highlight the key words and many of the tunes are traditional, familiar melodies.
There are a range of products to complement the Sing and Sign programme to make learning at home fun for all the family, including Sing and Sign books, toys, CDs and DVDs.