Baby Sign Language, anyone?

[the_queen]

I have been looking into signing, because I'm going to try to teach it to this new baby. I think it's a great way to get Vallerie really involved (without saying things like "a new baby is lots of work, you'll have to be a big girl and help mummy" etc etc) because she learns some basic signing at Kindy.
Anyway, I found a couple of sites where you can buy a wall chart with common signs on it BUT I have just now found a website where they give it to you free!!! I had to "sign up" to their mailing list, and then they emailed me with a link where I could download the poster. It has these signs: Dad, Drink, Eat, Mum, Milk, More.

Here's the link, if anyone's interested! http://www.australianbabyhands.com/_.php?location=home&PHPSESSID=b7962f554cfebdbb35b08ea11c9cbc7e

Also while we're on the subject, does anyone do signing with their non-hearing-impaired baby/children? Is it as effective and useful as claimed?

[H&B'sMum]

There was a thread about this a while ago in teh research section I think. I had to learn Makaton for a special needs child at work and am now using it with Harry. He knows basic signs such as eat, drink, milk, crocodile, fish, duck, snake, and elephant. We are working on some more now.
Thanks for the link will check it out.

I think it's a great way for pre talking children to communicate and whata great way to get Vally involved with the new bub as well.

[kacey]

I've heard so many great things about using sign with babies, so I'm already figuring out which words to teach to my echidna. I learnt makaton for work, and did 2 years of Auslan at uni, so I know how easy it is to learn and have the big fat dictionary. I look forward to my child understanding me, maybe from as early as 4 months, and communicating back, possibly as early as 6 months. I think it will be good when they're older too.
I don't think it is important to have "real" signs unless you hope for them to keep going after they're talking. Any gesture becomes a sign if you use it consistently when you say a certain word. If you can get other significant people to sign to the child it will make it even more cemented. Great idea to get big sister involved. How important and helpful will she feel!

[challenge]

Hi everyone

For those of you who haven't decided which one to use, I wanted to pass on some information to you as I spent a great deal of time researching them before deciding which one to use. I decided on Tinytalk because the signs have been developed so that babies can use them. The Auslan versions ever though they looked very good I found some of the signs too difficult as the signs haven't been altered so that babies can use them. I found this very important as I didn't want to wait until my daughter was a lot older before she had the fine motor skills to use these signs, I wanted to start when she was younger. My daugter was signing back at 7 months. Tinytalk also has a great website www.tinytalk.com.au containing research, footage of babies signing etc and they were very helpful when I had a question and wanted more information (the person I spoke to was a signing mother).

Anyway though it may help.:yelclap:

[reAllytee]

I also started a thread a few days ago in discipline & behaviour & many gave great links etc !

http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?t=15665

[Lunar]

www.handscantalk.com.au

This is a great site and does use auslan and makaton signs.
I have been using these signs with Em since she was 1 and have found them a GODSEND!!! She has a speach delay and uses sign as a big part of communication alot of the time although she has words as well she does use a lot of signs. If you use basic signs for 1 word for example..."do you want milk or juice?" You would sign milk and juice only. and try to get your baby to sign what she wants.... anyways those intereseted already have the idea.
I have had no problems with the signs and Emily hasn't either,... she has very smal hands and isn't very good with fine motor skills and really hasn't had a problem. She uses 100+ signs and even makes up her own!

[Baby Girl]

Yes Yes YES!!

I have used basic signs with DD1 since she was very little. Her daycare used sign language too!!

We can have a full blow out in public and people say "Oh how great your daughter can sign"!!

There are other great things too, like before she could talk she could communicate with us effectively.

I have been looking at more signs to teach her now she is getting older and also to teach DD2 as she is interested in it too - tries to point to things and watches DD1 and I when we are 'hand talking' (as DD1 calls it).

[vespertine]

I've just bought a video called 'Baby Signing' from Ebay which teaches Auslan. I haven't watched it yet but am really looking forward to trying it out with Eli. It must be a real blessing giving bub a means to communicate before he can verbally!

[shed]

I have decided to teach my baby some signs. Yesterday at a work family function I was carrying around a little 15 month old boy, he was so beautiful, but he would point at things and sort of grunt and you could see his frustration when people were trying to guess what is was that he wanted. He was a little sweetie but you could see him getting crankier by the second because he couldn't communicate effectively.

[nicoleE]

Here are some more good links that i dont think have been mentioned yet:


Good web links:
http://www.brandnewdad.com/engine/babysigning.asp

Online videos of signs
http://www.mybabycantalk.com/content/dictionary/dictionaryofsigns.aspx?letter=D

[quintets]

Wow! All these signing sites are a great idea. It's not as good as the digital readout I keep asking to get installed behind the ears. But it'll do!!!

:laughing::rolleyes:;):laughing:

Jireh