You’re standing in the kitchen. Your two-year-old is screaming because they want... something. Is it juice? A cracker? The existential dread of being small? You don't know. Then you remember Rachel Coleman. You pop on the "My Favorite Season" episode of Signing Time! and suddenly, the room gets quiet.
Signing is magic. Honestly, it's the closest thing to a superpower for parents. Signing Time My Favorite Season isn't just another DVD or streaming file in the massive Series Two collection; it’s a specific developmental tool that tackles one of the hardest concepts for kids to grasp: the passage of time.
Kids live in a perpetual "now." To a three-year-old, "next week" is basically "never." By linking the abstract concept of seasons to physical movements—the shivering for winter, the blooming of a flower for spring—Rachel Coleman and the team at Two Little Hands Productions created a bridge. They didn't just teach signs; they taught a way to categorize the world.
The Visual Language of the Four Seasons
Most kids’ shows treat seasons like a backdrop. Signing Time treats them like characters. In this episode, the signs for Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter aren't just vocabulary words. They are anchors.
Take the sign for Winter. You’re basically mimicking shivering. It’s visceral. When a child learns that sign, they aren't just labeling the weather; they are expressing a physical sensation. This is why Signing Time My Favorite Season sticks. It connects the brain, the hands, and the environment.
Then there’s the Spring sign. It’s a favorite in my house. Your hand "grows" up through your other hand like a budding plant. It’s beautiful. You’ll see kids doing it in the grocery store when they see a bouquet of flowers. That’s the "Aha!" moment parents live for. It shows that the child isn't just mimicking a screen—they are generalizing a concept to the real world.
Why "My Favorite Season" Hits Different Than Other Episodes
Series Two of Signing Time was a massive jump in production quality and educational depth compared to the original volumes. While the early stuff was great for basic needs (milk, more, diaper), the later episodes like this one dive into more complex adjectives and verbs.
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You get signs for:
- Weather (Rain, Snow, Sun, Wind)
- Nature (Leaf, Grass, Flower)
- Activities (Hiking, Swimming, Picnic)
It's a lot. But the pacing is what saves it. Rachel Coleman has this specific energy—it's high, but not "caffeinated squirrel" high. It’s intentional. She looks at the camera, and you feel like she’s actually waiting for your kid to sign back. Most AI-generated junk or low-effort YouTube "sensory videos" lack this human eye contact. It’s the secret sauce of the whole franchise.
The Science of "Signing and Saying"
There’s a common myth that teaching signs delays speech. It’s wrong. Totally wrong. Research, including landmark studies by Dr. Linda Acredolo and Dr. Susan Goodwyn, shows that signing actually accelerates verbal language.
Why? Because it reduces frustration.
When a child can sign "Fall" because they see the leaves changing, they are practicing the intent to communicate. The verbal word follows because the mental pathway is already carved out. In Signing Time My Favorite Season, Rachel always says the word clearly while signing it. This multi-sensory approach—seeing the sign, hearing the word, seeing the printed word on screen—is basically a full-court press on the toddler's developing brain.
Deep Dive into the Signs: Beyond the Basics
Let's get into the weeds on a few specific signs from this episode that people often mess up.
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Fall/Autumn: In the episode, you’ll see the sign that looks like a leaf falling off a tree (your hand brushing down your arm). It’s rhythmic. Kids love it because it’s a large motor movement. If they’re just brushing their elbow, they’ve got it. Don't correct them too hard. Approximation is part of the learning process.
Summer: This one is often confused with "Black" or "Dry." You’re drawing your index finger across your forehead like you’re wiping away sweat. It’s a localized sign. If your kid is rubbing their whole face, they’re probably just hot—or they’re trying to tell you it’s Summer.
The Sun: This is a classic. You make a circle in the air and then "shine" the light down. It’s one of those signs that toddlers pick up instantly because it’s so literal.
The Music Factor: Why the Songs Won't Leave Your Head
I'm sorry, but you will be humming the "My Favorite Season" theme song in the shower. You will be humming it at work. You might even find yourself humming it during a root canal.
The music in Signing Time is written by Rachel’s sister, Emilie de Azevedo Brown. These aren't your typical, grating "nursery rhyme" tracks. They have a folk-pop sensibility that makes them bearable for adults but catchy enough for kids. The lyrics are strategically repetitive. Each song reinforces the signs taught in the previous segment. It’s a circular learning loop.
Addressing the "Screen Time" Guilt
Parents are terrified of screens. We’ve been told that any blue light will turn our children’s brains into mush.
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But there’s a massive difference between "passive" and "active" screen time. Passive is plopping a kid in front of a 10-hour loop of unboxing videos. Active is Signing Time My Favorite Season. When you watch this, you’re supposed to do it with them. You sign. They sign. You pause the video and point to the window.
"Look! It's raining! Can you sign rain?"
That’s interaction. That’s a tool, not a babysitter.
Real World Application: Using the Signs Today
Don't just watch the video and put it away. The whole point of Signing Time My Favorite Season is to use it outside.
Next time you’re at the park, look for the signs of the current season. If it’s October, find a crunchy leaf. Show them the sign for Leaf. If it’s July and you’re at the pool, use the sign for Swim.
The "My Favorite Season" episode is particularly good for preparing kids for transitions. If winter is coming and your child hates wearing a coat, use the Cold and Winter signs to explain why the coat is coming out. It gives them a heads-up. It gives them a vocabulary for their discomfort.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forcing the hands: Never grab your child’s hands to force them into a sign shape. It creates a negative association. Just keep signing yourself. They’ll mimic you when they’re ready.
- Worrying about "Perfect" ASL: Signing Time uses American Sign Language (ASL), but toddlers have "accents." Their fingers might not be perfectly straight. Their "Winter" might look like a weird hug. That’s fine. If you know what they mean, the communication is successful.
- Skipping the songs: The songs are where the "muscle memory" happens. Don't skip them to get to the "teaching" parts. The songs are the teaching.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Signing Journey
Consistency is the only thing that matters. If you watch the episode once and never sign again, nothing will happen. But if you pick three signs—maybe Sun, Rain, and Snow—and use them every single day, your child will start using them back within weeks.
Signing Time My Favorite Season works because it taps into the natural curiosity kids have about the world changing around them. It gives them names for the wind and the flowers. It makes the world a little less scary because it’s a little more labeled.
Actionable Next Steps
- Identify the Current Season: Start with the signs for the season you are in right now. Don't try to teach "Winter" in the middle of a heatwave. It won't click.
- Narrate the Weather: Every morning when you open the curtains, sign the weather. "Good morning! Look, Sun! It's a Sunny day."
- Use the "Favorite" Concept: Ask your child what their "favorite" thing is. The sign for Favorite (middle finger tapping the chin) is a great way for them to express preference, which is a huge milestone for autonomy.
- Find the Songs on Spotify: If you can't be in front of a screen, play the soundtrack in the car. You can still sign while stopped at red lights (safely!).
- Expand to the Environment: Once they know "Leaf," teach them colors. "A Green Leaf." The Signing Time universe is interconnected, so look for other episodes that build on the season's themes.