Water Travel Signs
Even if your baby’s only water time is in the bathtub, he will still have ample opportunity to use the signs in this section. After all, toy boats are a bath-time staple, and nearly all young children like to “swim” in the tub. If your baby does get the opportunity to visit bodies of water such as pools, lakes, or even the ocean, he will have even more opportunity to use these signs.
BOATThe sign for BOAT, as shown in Figure 16–4, is simple to form.
FIGURE 16–4
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1. Cup your hands in the shape of a boat.
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2. Bob your “boat” up and down slightly as if it were on the water.
E-FACT
There are different signs for different types of boats. Sailboats have one sign, while cruise ships have another and canoes another still. Your baby will be unlikely to differentiate between water craft, so using a single sign for every boat is sufficient until your child is older and better able to notice a difference.
A great time to demonstrate this sign is while your child is taking a bath. Give him a toy boat to play with, and then form the sign for BOAT with your hands. Then put your hands into the water and have them “float” next to the boat to help your child connect the sign with the object it represents.
SWIMSWIM (
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1. Hold both hands in front of your body.
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2. Push your hands, palms outward, to the side, as if swimming.
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3. Repeat the motion to complete the sign.
Unless your child takes swimming lessons or spends a lot of time at the pool, he may not have too many opportunities to use this sign. If he doesn’t need it, there is no sense in introducing him to signs that he will not be able to use.
