I am a first time mom and would like to teach my baby sign language. I was wondering if anyone out there has done the same and could recommend the best book to buy. Thank you so much for your help!
I just wanted to thank all the moms that answered my question, it was beyond helpful. I really don't know what I would do without this website. I have already started signing simple signs with my son using the websites suggested. I really can't thank everyone enough for taking the time to help us, it is greatly appreciated. Happy Holidays everyone!
My twin toddlers LOVE Baby Signing Time videos - we have all 4. They are always signing to me to put the videos on.
aslpro.com was suggested to me for picking up new signs. It has video of each sign.
Totally do it. I taught my both my toddlers to sign when they were a little over a year old. Basics first: again, milk, water, sleep, book, etc. You can always find illustrations of these online. I didn't buy the books. Once they learned the basics my kids were less frustated and seemed happier that I understood what they wanted.
I just bought a book that had clear signs on each page so that I could clearly mimic them. My son was a late talker and used the sign language very well. My daughter is also a late talker (she is almost 2 and finally started talking a couple of weeks ago). Ironically, I used sign language with her and she NEVER used it - except when she started talking two weeks ago, she started making the sign AND the word. Crazy.
But, with both of my kids, once they started talking, I quit signing. I wasn't trying to teach them sign language for life - just for that early communication.
Good luck!
L.
I had the book Baby Signs, it was very helpful with clear pictures of how to sign the word. My son picked up a few, it would have probably been more had I actually been more involved with it! I did like the concept though, go for it!
Hi M M,
My friend teaches sign language classes to moms and babies. She is the only instructor in the Dallas area. If you would like her number, please let me know.
L.
I strongly recommend signing with your baby! We used the Signing Time Videos. My daughter loved watching them and still will occasionally choose to watch one now at age 5. We started watching one every day or so around 10 months. I definetely believe it helped in her language development and we still get comments on how articulate she is. With us, (and other moms I know that have used signing successfully), the key was signing along with your child throughout the day to reinforce signs and words. The result was amazing! Instead of pointing, etc., she would sign and let us know exactly what she wanted (drink, eat, ball, sleepy, thank you, etc.) Good luck!
I found a few books at Half Price Books - you can also check your library to see what works for you. It was quite helpful and fun - my little guy was very verbal very early, but he still used several signs like "all done", "more", etc. and I think it helps them feel less frustrated when they can communicate. Have fun!
We love watching our baby signing time dvds together!
http://www.babysigningtime.com/
Check out http://www.babysigns.com. We used this program with both of our daughters, and it was absolutely amazing what they could communicate at such a young age!
go to www.mybabycantalk.com both of mine learned sign language. the key is just using the sign language during your normal routines and not formal instruction. when it is time to eat - say the word and the sign. both of mine started using b/w 16-18 months. our words we used were - more, eat, all done, M., dada, ball, baby, banana, hurt, etc they started with more, eat and all done. those were the most used! my first caught on faster than my second. it really minimized tantrums and helped them to communicate their needs. good luck.
We bought Baby Signs. Once child it worked great with, he was a late talker, almost 2 years old when he said his first word. The other child we started teaching signs to at about 7 or 8 months of age and she didn't want anything to do with that because it didn't fully convey her message so she just started talking and never stopped.
I would say that videos are the best idea. With books it's often hard to tell where the sign begins and ends and how for form you hand. Don't worry if your baby signs things a little different than the correct sign. It's like any other language they do "baby signs" first and then develop to the actual sign.
Also if your little one doesn't sign as early as others don't get frustrated. I'm a professional sign language interpreter and my almost 9 month old has just started trying to sign to me. She has always loved to watch me sign she just hasn't wanted to try it yet.
I do have the Baby Einstein and like it and I hear Signing Time is great!
If you have other questions about sign language in general you are welcome to contact me.
S.
I taught my DD baby sign language, and it was the best thing I could have done. All I did was search online for baby sign language, and I found TONS of websites that have all the info right there. I started with just one sign (more) and repeated it over and over, sometimes just doing it with my hands, other times with her hands, but always giving her more of whatever I had (food, etc) after doing the sign. She picked up on it very quickly!! She only knows a handful of signs, but they are plenty for us to communicate. There are still more signs online that I haven't taught her. Long story short... I didn't use a book, so I don't have one to suggest, but I don't think a book is needed. Worst case, you could always print some of the signs off the Internet and make your own book. Good luck!!! I hope you are very successful!! It's wonderful once they know a couple of signs!!!
We took a class with local instructor Misty Felner. http://www.signforbaby.com/dnn/
It was wonderful! We learned close to 500 signs and could communicate with our daughter; more than just eat, please, more, etc.
Signing is great - my son only knew the basics like eat, more, drink, please, thank you and bath and it was wonderful to know what he wanted before he was able to speak to us. Go on-line and see if you can find the signs for just a few basics (for free) then you can decide if you want to spend money on learning more words. Good luck!!
We watch Baby Einsteins baby can sign and the kids love it. They have learned alot of the signs from it.
I didn't even read the other 14 responses but I'm sure others would recommend this as well.....we have watched Signing Time (with Alex, Leah and Rachel) since the boys were about 6-9mo. They are 27mo now and they know a TON of signs----we credit ST with the boys' being able to speak so quickly.
I second BAby Einstein sign video. There are also refrigerator cards available from "Baby Signs", we refer to them.
I started signing with my boys at about 4 months and by 6 to 8 months they could sign back...I tried lots of things that were recommend and your best and cheapest way would be to go to the library and check out some books...see which ones you like and then buy. My favorite was called Baby Sign.
I was signing so much that I had to quite bc it was slowing their speech development, they signed everything to me! Make sure you say the word with the sign and continue to after they learn the sign so they can learn the word!
