The sign for BED is definitely a sign that you can use with babies and toddlers for quite some time and helps you to start building signing routines with your little one.
How to do this Sign: Head tilts onto flat hands, held together at one side of your face.
The sign for BED does vary and how you do it may also depend on how many hands you have free at the time.
BED is one of the signs that we highly recommend that you concentrate on with your baby as its been suggested that 90% of toddler tantrums can be ascribed to just four issues; the need to Eat, the need to Drink, the need for Comfort and the need for Sleep. We have covered the other signs earlier in this series and you can find them here: EAT / DRINK and CUDDLE.
Small children tend to sleep several times during the day as well as during the night, so the sign for BED is a great sign for repetition throughout the day and hopefully one that you will come to remember and use consistenly.
If you watch your baby carefully, they are already is able to communicate that they are tired to you by yawning or by rubbing their eyes. This is a great cue for you to sign with your baby or toddler and say “Are you tired? Lets go to BED” (always remembering to say the word as you sign it!).
If you wish to mimic the use of your baby’s natural gesture then you can rub your eyes too whilst saying Sleepy or Tired.
Little Signers Club 