Teaching 2 Year Old Sign Language

Updated on July 29, 2011
M.M. asks from Keokuk, IA
10 answers

Hello All,

My daughter is 2 will be 3 in november and has had numerous ear infections. When it gets closer to winter she will get tubes put in. In the mean time we will be seeing a speech therapist to help with her speach. She drops words and letters off when she speaks, and can be hard to understand at times BUT usually you can make out what she is trying to say. Anyways It has been suggested to teach her sign language. So my question is how? I know some and when lookiing on line it is very confusing bc there are so many sites. I dont know where to begin or what is a good site to incorporate and learn myself to teach her. So thats what i am asking you all for. Do any of you have or know of a site that will be benificial. Do any of you use sign language? How did you learn? I really need advice and want to help my daughter the best i can but not sure how or where to start. TIA

I want to add that she loves animals and books loves loves loves books I read to her all the time and my son. She does watch some tv she loves diego bc she loves animals and word world. Are there any movies that implements sign language?

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N.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

I work on sign with my daycare kids and we use Signing Time. I have most of their collection of DVD's (if you buy them in the 3 sets I think they still come with a CD of all of the songs form those 3 movies....we listen all the time and when we watch a DVD and the songs come on my kids get all excited! I made copies of the songs for all of them so they listen often in their cars with their parents too).

My kids love this way to learn signs..and I am learning along with them.I have used them for so many years that I had to upgrade my set of volumes 1-3. The kids in them, Alex and Leah, are older now! (Leah was born deaf...Alex is her cousin...Leah's Mom, Rachel does the signing and fun songs and al that...narrating and instructing)

http://www.signingtime.com/

Good luck!

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B.C.

answers from Joplin on

Baby Signing times........the woman is amazing, she teaches with fun songs, she has a review section...we used these dvds when my son was going through speech therapy, helpful for Both of us ( myself and my then 2 year old)

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A.C.

answers from Columbus on

Try getting some DVDs from the library. Talk to the librarian, and they will usually be able to find you some that will be good for kids.

Blues Clues does a little sign languages as part of their episodes.

Start using the signs and saying the words for basic things that she asks for. Like, if it's time to get ready to go tell her it's time to get her shoes and make the sign for "shoes." Then take her hands and make the sign for shoes, too.

You don't need to learn everything all at once. Just start learning with a few important words. For example, if she is cranky if she can't get you to understand every time or most times when she asks for milk, show her the sign for "milk" and show her the milk. Shape her hand into the sign for milk.

I've also heard of people taping the picture of the sign to the object as part of the process.

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J.S.

answers from Austin on

We also used Baby Signing Times starting at my daughter was 6 months. It was awesome especially since her school also enforce basic sign language. She still remembers some of the signs and is now learning Spanish along with her English (she's 3 1/2). The doctor (at 1 1/2 years old checkup) was getting onto me about her making her verbalizing more words but with sign she knew more words total than what was considered "milestone" for that age. She now talks non-stop at times and again learning Spanish. They say signing helps with the learning of other languages. In fact she watches Diego in spanish =)

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T.H.

answers from Kansas City on

I'm going to have to check back to your responses b/c I was having this same thought for myself. My son will be 2 in September and I'm in the process of having him evaluated for speech therapy as well. I thought I should start teaching him sign language, but I felt overwhelmed, so I hear you! Sorry that I don't have advice, but I do know how daunting it can feel!

1 mom found this helpful
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N.J.

answers from Los Angeles on

So I haven't checked myself, but kidsteals.com had the Signing Time videos at a discount if you are interested. You'd have to look in the archives--otherwise you can periodically see them come up on their daily steals on kidsteals or babysteals.com. Both my boys loved the Baby Signing time and when my first hit the 2.5 yr almost 3 he would watch the Signing Time videos. In my opinion they teach more words in the Signing time but the baby signing time is more 'entertaining'. I still believe this was the best investment I made for my kiddos. They still love watching and using signs at 22 mths and 3.5 yrs! Good Luck!

PS here's the link for the later volumes of ST--maybe the first 1/2 will be up soon too, you just have to sign up for the emails....
http://kidsteals.stealnetwork.com/archive_products.php?id...

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E.J.

answers from Lincoln on

Baby Einstein has some videos that are like my first signs and stuff like that. You can get them at Wal Mart, Target, Toys/Babies R Us. Marlee Matlin is in them and they are fun and simple. I enjoyed them. I used them with my son and I also had a book. He did not speak until he was 3 and I SO appreciated bridging the non verbal gap with signs. Good luck.. I would teach signs to another child if I had one even if there was no speech delay. :-)

1 mom found this helpful

B.F.

answers from Toledo on

http://www.signingsavvy.com/sign/goodbye

try this site..my sitter was teaching my youngest and it was great! you type in a word and it shows you hwo to do the motion.

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S.H.

answers from Huntsville on

Another vote for Signing Time! and Baby Signing Time! :)

They also have Signing Time Academy where you might be able to sign up for a class near you if you'd like. https://www.signingtimeacademy.com/

My daughter is 5, but has watched Signing Time! since she was about 9 months old. She doesn't use it as much anymore, but she soaked that stuff up fast! She loves it! Those DVDs are the greatest thing ever. It's really easy to learn from.

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C.S.

answers from Kansas City on

We use signing with our toddlers to help them communicate easier.
Try Youtube and/or Signing Time. com .
I suggest watching real adults do it versus cartoons or books just so you know the right way to sign it. Small children sometimes have their own way of repeating a sign, but that's fine. The idea is just for her to use (some semblance of) the sign to help communicate. Best wishes!

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