Learn Baby Sign Language

Baby T signing "more"

Kacy Jones of My Smart Hands is teaching a baby sign language class on Saturday, October 15, at 2 PM. It's free for drop off and delivery customers of Green Baby Diaper Service. Please email kacy@mysmarthands.com with any questions or to register for the class.

Why would you want to teach your baby sign language? Babies can actually begin to communicate nonverbally before they use speech. This means that if they want something, instead of hanging on your pant leg and screaming for it, they can ask for it--with their hands. Instead of guessing what your baby needs, you can read your baby's signs to find out.

Just like babies begin to point to communicate what interests them around 9-12 months of age, they can use American Sign Language to communicate their needs.

I'm intrigued. I did some sign language with my first son. I did the sign for "milk" every time I nursed him since the day he was born. I also did the sign for "more" when I was giving him more food at the table. By the time he was 12 months old, he was talking. A lot. He had maybe 50 words. At least. But he wasn't signing.

One day, I sat down to nurse him and I showed him the sign for milk. He got all excited and did his whole panting/sticking the tongue out thing. So he knew what it meant. But he never did it back to me. So I said, "Show me milk, Baby T." The little guy stuck his hand out and opened and closed his fist. He knew how to do it; he just didn't realize I wanted him to sign to me.

I use the same signs with Little M, and when I sign "more" when I'm feeding him, I speak Spanish and say "mas." He hasn't responded with the sign yet, but he says "mama" when I do that.

Maybe my kids are backwards.

I would be curious to learn how to go about using signs with your children so that they come naturally and your babies naturally respond.

Intrigued? Go to Kacy's class on Saturday to learn more. Saturday's class will be the first in an 8-week series. But you don't have to sign up for the entire series. Go to the first class and see what it's all about, then decide if you want to learn more. In this 45-minute class, you'll learn the benefits of using ASL and how to get started signing. You and your kids will also learn the ASL alphabet, 8 everyday signs and learn the hello and good bye songs.

Here's a video of Baby T signing "more" when he was somewhere between 12 and 15 months old.