Teach Your Baby to Sign “Thank You”

How to sign “thank you”

Hand Shape: flat hand shape with right hand, palm toward you
Location: starts with fingertips at mouth
Tip: hand is moving toward person you are thanking
Action: move hand away from the mouth

Video transcript: Hi, and welcome to Sign Baby Sign. This week’s word is thank you, t-h-a-n-k y-o-u, thank you. This is signed with your closed hand (at your mouth), then bring it out. It’s a directional sign. If you were saying thank you to your baby, you would say, (showing the sign) “Thank you.” If your child brought you something or if your infant did something special for you, say (all signed) “Thank you. Mommy thanks you. You’re doing a wonderful job. Thank you.” So here’s the sign again, “thank you”.

10 creative ways to teach your children to say “Thank you”

1. Set a chime on the hour to find something to say thank you for.
2. Write a thank you note on their mirror.
3. Call someone together to thank him or her for something.
4. Take turns at dinner giving thanks. See how long you can keep it going.
5. Put a jar on the table for everyone to write one word of thanks.
6. Pick a day to read the notes in the jar.
7. Have a queen or king of the day pay special attention to giving thanks to.
8. Make a dish/dessert together to thank your neighbor for being so great.
9. Have a “pay it forward” day.
10. Draw pictures and deliver to nursing home residence thanking them for being so special.

This sign can be taught at a very early age. After your baby is signing basic signs to meet his or her needs (eat, milk, etc.), then you can begin teaching “thank you”. This sign is very easy for children to do as early as 6 months. Imagine how proud you will be just knowing your baby has manners at such an early age.

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