Latest News – March 2025 – Sunshine Sign and Sing

Key Word Sign Communication Boards at 10 local parks

Exciting news! Our symbol and Key Word Sign communication boards are now installed in 10 local Sunshine Coast parks, making outdoor spaces more inclusive and accessible for everyone. These boards support communication for all children, including those who use alternative ways to express themselves, and encourage meaningful interactions during play. Whether you’re visiting the beachside parks of Alexandra Headland, the scenic spaces in Mapleton and Glass House Mountains, or the vibrant community parks in Brightwater, Buddina, and beyond, you’ll now find communication boards ready to support connection and understanding.

A huge thank you to Sunshine Coast Council and Sunshine Coast Libraries for making this possible! Their commitment to accessibility ensures that every child, regardless of their communication style, can feel included, understood, and supported. Next time you’re out exploring, look for the boards at your local park and see how they bring everyone together through the power of communication.

New Learning Resources

We’ve just added a brand-new free resource to our shop—a digital download featuring common handshapes used in Key Word Sign and Auslan.

Handshapes are one of the five key elements of signing, alongside Orientation, Location, Movement, and Expression(HOLME). Understanding handshapes is a great first step in developing signing skills, and this resource is perfect for Early Learning Services looking to explore them in a fun and engaging way.

Why not introduce a few handshapes during group time to get little fingers moving? It’s a fantastic way to build awareness before practising the signs of the week. You could also challenge children to think of signs they already know that use each handshape—helping them make connections and strengthen their learning.

Visit our shop to download your free copy today, and explore more about HOLME and signing in early childhood!

Research into Children’s Key Word Sign and Positional Language

We’re thrilled to be connecting with the University of South Australia on an exciting research project exploring the use of Key Word Sign to introduce positional language in early maths learning. This study will investigate whether using Key Word Sign supports children in understanding and retaining new maths-related positional concepts.

As part of the project, we’ll be providing training to early learning centres (ELCs) on key signs related to positional language, along with practical ideas for incorporating them into everyday activities. By equipping educators with simple yet effective strategies, we hope to explore how Key Word Sign can enhance children’s grasp of spatial concepts while also supporting their overall communication development.

We’re so excited to get started—stay tuned for updates as the project progresses!

Expanding Our Training Horizons

We’re excited to share some big developments! While in-person training for Early Learning Centres remains a core focus, we’re expanding our reach by developing online, self-paced courses. These courses are designed for new educators, as well as those with an individual interest in Key Word Sign, providing flexible, accessible learning opportunities. In the future, we hope to extend these resources to school teachers and allied health professionals—so watch this space!

In even more exciting news, we’re getting close to completing our very own Key Word Sign dictionary! This free resource will feature video tutorials for each sign, making it easier than ever for educators, families, and professionals to access high-quality Key Word Sign support. We’re also exploring the possibility of adding new resources alongside the dictionary—stay tuned for updates!