So what’s it all about? Baby Sign Language or (Baby Sign) is the method of using sign language to communicate with babies before they can talk. It is 

Steadily gaining in popularity worldwide and has many benefits to both the parent and the child.

Many people worry about sign language delaying speech but in fact the opposite has been proven to be true. Baby Signing help develop IQ and language skills and many signing babies actually speak earlier and have a wider vocabulary than non signing babies.

So how do you sign with your baby?

Baby Sign Language is based on the adult form of sign language usually with a bit more flexibility, so signs can be altered to make it easier for little hands to copy. I am writing this article based on British Sign Language.

First off there is some extra information that will be useful to you before you begin.

*You can start signing with your baby at any age but you will get the best results from about 7 months old, this is because your baby’s memory will be developed enough to store and use the signs effectively.

*On average it takes 4-6 weeks for the baby to start to copy the signs back to you so you will need to be patient.

*You must be consistent is using the same sign all the time and repetition really is the key to success. You should get other family members and nursery staff to use the same signs too. The more baby sees the sign the quicker he will respond.

*Learn the signs yourself in advance so that you will be prepared for when your baby points at something and looks as you with a questioning face, you will be able to show the sign right away.

*Say the word while you make the sign, make sure the baby knows what you are talking about – point to the object or person or animal, make sure your baby is looking at the same thing.

*Be receptive to your baby’s development, when she is taking an interest in communication and is babbling to you then she will be most open to learning signs.

*Make it fun! Use signs in nursery rhymes and action songs, use signs when reading books, make animal noises along with the signs, anything to engage your baby.

Ok so on to the signing. It is best to start with signs that are part of your baby’s everyday life, the first three signs that get the best results are;

(You can see the video clips for these signs on http://uk.youtube.com/babysignonline)

Milk, Eat, More

So we will start with those

Milk

To make the sign for Milk:

Make fists with both hands and extend your thumbs and little fingers, hold your hands vertically so that your little fingers point downwards and your thumbs point upwards. Hold your hands in front of your body and move them alternatively up and down as if milking a cow.

Top Tip: Show your baby her bottle and ask her ‘Do you want your milk’ then do the sign. Say the word ‘Milk’ whilst making the sign a few times before and after giving the bottle. If you are breast feeding make the sign before your baby latches on, and if possible while she is feeding.

Eat

To make the sign for Eat:

Take one hand and bunch your fingers towards your thumb and bring your hand up to your mouth and touch your lips with the tips of your fingers and thumb.

Top Tip: This sign is for when your baby starts solids. You can ask you baby if he is ready for his dinner and make the sign for eat, take him to his highchair and make the sign again as you feed him.

More

To make the sign for More:

Tap the back of one hand with the other hand.

Top Tip: This is a sign that gets really good responses as it is so easy to do and baby will quickly realise that she can ask for ‘more food’, ‘more game’, ‘more book’, ‘more tickle’. Try it when you are feeding your baby, pause in between spoonfuls and wait for baby to look at you, then ask ‘Do you want more?’ and make the sign.

Obviously it is easier to learn the signs when you can look at a picture or even better still a video dictionary! A lot of Baby Sign companies offer local classes which are a great way to meet other parents and join a group, but if you are too busy or there is no local class near you, you might find learning online is a good option for you.

Hopefully this article has stirred some interest in you and you will go on to discover the joys of signing with your baby!

With Thanksgiving coming up in just a few weeks, I thought it would be great to share a great Thanksgiving song that you can sing and sign with your child or pre-school classroom.

For this particular song, you will need to know the following signs: Thanks– Bring your hand from your chin and direct it towards the person you are thanking. Thankful– This will be the same as “thanks,” but use both hands Sun– Make a circle in the air above you and then open your fingers to point down on you like the sun’s rays Moon- Make a crescent shape with your pointer finger and thumb next to your eye and extend it out toward the sky Friends– Link your pointer fingers together and again the other way Family– Sign the letter F with both hands by making a circle with your pointer finger and thumb. Then, form a circle in front of you with your hands See– Bring your pointer and middle finger out from near your eye

This song is sung to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star:” “Let’s Be Thankful” Thank you for the sun so bright Thank you for the moon at night Thanks for friends that play with me Thank you for my family Thanks for all that I can see I am thankful yes indeed

This is a fun song to sing during the Thanksgiving holiday season. Children will have fun singing the song and they will be learning more signs as well.

Remember that I have a free video where I reveal my #1 secret on how you can drastically reduce your baby’s crying and temper tantrums which you find at www.babysignlanguageonline.com. Happy Thanksgiving!

Educational Trainer, Author – Benefits of using sign language with hearing students and young childrenArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/baby-sign-language-thanksgiving-song-to-sign-1563079.html

Once you have decided that you would like to use American Sign Language with your child or students, many questions come to mind about how you should begin in order to be successful. One of the most common questions asked is, “Which hand should I sign with?”

The answer will be one that you like as it is simply a matter of preference. If you are right handed, sign with your right hand and if you are left handed, sign with your left hand. Since you will probably be most comfortable signing with your dominant hand, anyway, this works out for the best. The only time this would not apply, is if there is a two-handed sign that is being performed, then of course you will use both hands to make the sign.

I have only seen one instance where using your left hand may interfere with the understanding of a sign. This would be when signing the letters of the alphabet. Since many letters do take the form of their written counter-part, children will absorb this information as they see it signed. For example, the letter C is performed by curving your fingers into a half circle. When you perform this with your right hand, your child will see the letter as it is written correctly. However, when this letter is signed with your left hand, your child or students will see the letter as if it were backwards. Therefore, it is your choice whether or not this would be a significant problem that you should sign with your right hand. The letter “L” also falls into this category.

If you haven’t begun signing because you are feeling unsure about which hand to sign with, you now know that you can use your most comfortable hand – which is your dominant hand. Go ahead and begin signing with whichever hand you feel comfortable with and just go ahead and get started. Good Luck!

For more ideas on signing with your baby, visit http://www.babysignlanguageonline.com/blog

Educational Trainer, Author – Benefits of using sign language with hearing students and young childrenArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/baby-sign-language-which-hand-1565741.html

As a parent, you know that it is never too early to start teaching manners. We are constantly teaching and reminding our children good manners, and trying to get them to implement those manners. American Sign Language has proven to be a great means of communication between a parent and their baby before they are able to speak verbally.

Using signs with your baby can also be a great way to begin implementing good manners with your children at a young age. If they are exposed to good manners when they are young, they will learn to apply them as they get older as well (at least that is our expectation). Two great signs to teach your children so they can learn good manners are please and thank you. These are two very basic statements to begin with. These can obviously be used quite frequently and will be a great starting point for you and your child. To sign please – rub your hand, flat, in circles on your chest.

To sign thank you, bring one hand to your chin and then bring it forward, in the direction of the person you are thanking. Thank you is a directional sign and therefore, the hand should be directed toward the person it is meant for. (Don’t make the mistake of bringing your hand from chin down to your belly.)

Please and thank you are typically among the first 10 signs that are taught to babies. This way, they will learn their manners and will know to use them at an early age. If you are currently signing with your baby or want to get started, think about teaching them these two signs. You will see them sign please when they want or need something and thank you after they get it. You will not longer have to remind them to be polite or have good manners as it will come more easily to them. For more ideas on signing with your baby, visit http://www.babysignlanguageonline.com/blog

Educational Trainer, Author – Benefits of using sign language with hearing students and young childrenArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/baby-sign-language-for-please-and-thank-you-1544087.html

No parent wants to see their child hurt, and if your child is hurt, you want to be able to help them. Unfortunately, babies can not always communicate if they are hurt or where they are hurt. Because of this, babies and toddlers will cry when something is wrong. Unfortunately, it is difficult to determine the reason they are crying and parents play the guessing game to figure out what is wrong. American Sign Language can help in this situation.

Before babies can verbally tell you if they are hurt, they can communicate this by signing. To sign hurt, touch your two pointer fingers together. If you can teach this sign to your child, they will be able to sign if they are hurt or not. Even more importantly, they will be able to tell you where they are hurt. For example, if they sign “hurt” near their ear, it may mean they have an ear infection.

To make it easier for your baby to learn this sign, you can practice on stuffed animals or toys. For example, you can make believe a teddy bear bumped his head and then explain that he hurt his head, while signing the word as well. Your child will begin to understand, and they will use the sign when they are hurt themselves. Continue to use the sign whenever you refer to someone or something that is hurt, whether it is something on a television show, in a book, etc. Soon, you will see how quickly your child learns the sign, and how much easier it will be to help them when they are hurt.

For more information/tips/ideas on signing with your baby, visit http://www.babysignlanguageonline.com/blog

Educational Trainer, Author – Benefits of using sign language with hearing students and young childrenArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/baby-sign-language-sign-for-hurt-1546585.html

It can be frustrating for both parents and their child when they lack communication with each other before their baby can speak. American Sign Language can be a great way to communicate with your baby before they can speak verbally with you. As a parent, it will help you to understand your child’s needs and wants more easily.  Because of this, your child will be less frustrated and happier, and so will you.

If you have decided that you would like to use American Sign Language with your baby, but don’t know where to start, do not be discouraged. It is simple! There are four signs that would be a great starting point to learn and teach to your baby. Milk, eat, more, finished. This signs will help you to begin communicating with your baby about their most basic needs.

To sign milk, open and close your hand, similar to the movement when you milk a cow. For eat, touch your hand to mouth as if you are holding a piece of food. This is also the sign used for food. To sign more, bring both of your hands together and touch your fingertips. This is a very popular sign and is usually a baby’s first sign. To perform finished/all done, hold both hands above your shoulders and flip them at the same time so palms end facing outward. When you first begin signing with your baby, keep in mind that they may not perform the signs exactly correct, and that is okay. For example, when some babies sign more, they sometimes clap their hands. You will simply need to learn your child’s way of performing each sign, but make sure that you continue to sign it the correct way,  eventually they will sign it the correct way.

Now that you have learned some signs to get you started, go ahead and start signing with your baby. It is never too soon or too late to start communicating with your child. You will learn that it can be easy and fun for both you and your baby. For more ideas on signing with your baby, visit http://www.babysignlanguageonline.com/blog

Educational Trainer, Author – Benefits of using sign language with hearing students and young childrenArticle Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/babies-articles/baby-sign-language-first-signs-1547005.html