There’s an interesting article in the BBC today about how “Toddlers who use gestures more often have better vocabularies on reaching school age.”
That’s good to hear! I’ve always used gestures in the GE songs from a Multiple Intelligences point of view, that some people simply remember things better if they have a gesture associated with them. This article seems to show gestures are useful in other ways for younger kids, which is great! Over Christmas we had a one year old staying at my Mum’s house who was dancing all the time to CD3!
Interesting article, pity there was no source given. I wonder how the number of children in a family effects these results. Whether No. 1 child has a greater advantage as they only have adult company for example, whereas younger siblings have one another or whether No. 1 child uses their gestures to equally to teach siblings, so that they benefit doubly. Hmm.
Very interesting article. I think it is very natural to make actions when your children are young. I remember doing shapes of butterflies, birds, drink and many other.
Rosebud thats a very interesting point too.
I met a 14 month old relation over christmas when back in the UK. My own daughter (12) started to mime things like I’m happy and I’m sad and she started to copy her!