Hand Shape: ”A” shape with right hand, sitting on upturned palm of left hand
Location: at chest level
Tip: left hand is helping the right hand
Action: lift hands up a little
Now a little more information about this sign, it can be a directional verb.
If you say, “Would you like mommy to HELP you?”, you would have the sign start close to your body and move it out to your child. If you want your child to help you, you would start closer to your child and move towards yourself.
You can use this in everyday conversation. If your child is putting on their shoes, you would sign HELP and say, “Do you want mommy to HELP you?” while moving the sign towards your child. HELP you, moves forward or you HELP me, moves towards your body.
Note: Using this sign without any movement by just signing HELP is the base sign.
This is one of my favorite signs to teach because this one truly brings meaning to the slogan “Sign…no whine.” A child cannot cognitively sign and whine at the same time. So when my granddaughter started whining for me to pick her up, I simply replaced it with teaching her the sign “HELP.” I think this has become her favorite sign because she uses it most often. I’ll take sign any day over a child throwing a tantrum. How about you? Start teaching your child to sign the word help today.
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