Signing with baby

Danalana wrote: Do/did any of you teach your baby (around 6-8 months) basic words in sign language? I have read that it makes it easier for baby to communicate before he/she can talk. I'm talking about words like "more", "all done", "milk", "eat", "cold", "hot", etc....there are all kinds of programs out there that teach the basics.
I am really thinking of giving it a try, but I wanted to see if any of you have had any experience with it.

PrairieMom replied: I am huge into this with both my children.

Ben had about 30 signs at his peak, and Al has way more than that. With Ben I think it delayed his speech a little, (even tho it is supposed to help them) but when he started speaking he took off like crazy with 4 or 5 new words a day.

Al started speaking early. At 17 1/2 months she is already speaking in short sentences and singing little songs that other people can understand too.

We watch signing time on PBS, its on on Tuesdays at 2, and got a book with picutres in it that would show you how to do the signs. We also took a kindermusik class that offered "sign and sing" where they teach you songs and signs. We really loved it.

i swear by this. It is such a time saver, and its super easy and fun to do. I keep the book on the counter and when I am curious about how to sign something I just look it up. Its right there handy.

MyBrownEyedBoy replied: I never did, but my sister did with Kenna. She knew milk, more, done, drink, cat and a few others I can never remember. She used them until she was 16 or 17 months and could say those words.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: Oh yeah I did this. I started earlier though, as of about 3 months I started using the signs... and by 5 months the kids had picked up milk, eat... they knew a bunch. By the way, my youngest is newly 2 years old, speaks with nearly perfect grammar.

AND, just so you know... my kids are fully bilingual french and english... so they have DOUBLE the normal vocabulary of kids their age. It didn't delay their speech one bit.

Danalana replied: Wow, that's awesome! I wonder if signing will make my baby bilingual....cause I am SOOOOO doing it if that's the case But really, I wish I knew enough spanish so that my baby could be bilingual.

Brias3 replied: I never did it because I was afraid it would impede their ability to use actual words. I know plenty of parents who have used it successfully though!

boyohboyohboy replied: jake totally refused to learn, i swear sometimes the sign he was giving me, was not one that was so nice!
but while we were all learning it, caleb did, and he was 5 at the time, so i thought it was bennificial in that way, he learned and still remembers it.
i might try with andrew he is more plyable then jake was.

Hillbilly Housewife replied: LOL Dana the signing didn't make them bilingual..the fact that I speak fluent french did... lol

you can still teach them what little spanish you do know, they'll pick it up wayyyy quicker further down if they're accustomed to learning the different inflection used in spanish.

Kaitlin'smom replied: yep, I did this with Kaitlin, it was great. I dont think it delayed her one bit. If fact I think it gave her an edge when she started preschool, they teach sign language and spanish.

I think I still have a website link that I used to refrence when teaching her, its got the basics, I will see if I can find it.

Kaitlin'smom replied: here ya go, just type in what your looking for and it will give you a list and a description of what to do then if you want to see it click on the blue word

Sign with me

Danalana replied: Thank you for the link!

Kaitlin'smom replied: welcome

A&A'smommy replied: I didn't sign with alyssa.. I wanted too but I didn't.. I probably will this time!!! i think its awesome and helps the baby out so much!!!

Danalana replied: Yay! I visited the site, and I can already say "hot", "cold", "eat", and "more". I already knew "love" (BIG vocabulary, I know!).

Boo&BugsMom replied: I did with Tanner and he liked it. Picked it up really easy. Just make sure you keep fostering that verbal language though, or else sometimes kids get too use to signing and wont talk.

holley79 replied: Annika knows, Milk, more, please thank you all done. I wasn't very serious with it though.