If you’d like to share your own baby signing story with us and with other mums and dads, we’d love to hear it. Just send us what you’d like to say (preferably less than 100 words but we won’t be strict) and we’ll put it on the site. If you want to send a picture of your little one, we’ll put that up too. And we’ll be giving away a copy of Joseph Garcia’s new book, the Joseph Garcia complete Guide to Baby Signing, to the best story each month.
“We don’t have any horror stories of pacing the floor at 3 a.m. with a red-cheeked screaming infant. From an early age, Meadow learned the signs for MEDICINE and TEETH, and soon learned that if she signed both, the teething gel was quickly applied to her gums. At the first sign of pain she would sign for her medicine. We would apply it, and then never had to contend with the screams that are usually the first indicator that a child is teething. As she learned more signs, her frustration levels dropped dramatically.”
“At the age of 13 months Isabella was using 35 signs to communicate with us. She could initiate conversations, sing whole nursery rhymes with her hands, and even crack jokes! One instance to illustrate how bright she was happened when we were out shopping one day.
We were standing at the delicatessen of a big store when Isabella started signing RABBIT while staring at the assistant behind the counter. I looked at her, confused, but she continued to sign.
RABBIT more and more vehemently. I glanced back at the assistant and noticed his mouth. Out of it protruded two of the most enormous bunny teeth you have ever seen! It was a very funny moment. I was amazed at her being able to make such an insightful comparison at such a young age.”
“After weeks of trying the more basic signs of MILK and EAT, which Flora was showing no sign of copying, she decided that her first sign would be FINISHED. I almost danced the first time I saw it. I couldn’t believe it! I sent e-mails to the entire family. Amazingly, she did the sign perfectly from the start – so my many repetitions of it, after each meal, had obviously paid off. She looked as pleased as pie when she did it. As pleased as she’d looked when she walked for the first time.
Before long she’d acquired a vocabulary of more than 50 signs.”
have to be when you start to take your baby to baby signing classes. Following my third lesson I told Emma (my teacher) that Robynn was not signing at all. As the lesson progressed I was embarrassed to witness Robynn had made 3 signs to Emma in about ten minutes! I just hadn’t noticed because they didn’t look anything like mine.”
“With the help of signing, my daughter Isabelle would let me know her needs – for instance, if she was tired and wanted to go to bed or needed help. Once when she was 13 months old, she uncharacteristically awoke me in the middle of the night, wailing. When I went into her bedroom, she signed HOT and then MEDICINE. Sure enough, her temperature was very high.After I gave her some medicine, she lay down happily and went back to sleep. How wonderful it was that she could tell me what she needed long before she could talk!
She’s now just two years old and talks all the time – much more so than her two-year-old friends.”
“I think signing’s wonderful. At 13 months Tessa was still nursing, and during one early morning feed when we were both very bleary-eyed, she looked up at me and signed MILK ALL GONE. We switched sides and were both happy – Tessa because she had more milk, and I because I was glowing with pride.”
Tessa signs areoplane.
Little Rowen’s Mum opened the freezer door to get some food out. Rowen toddled up the the freezer and then giggling, turned round and signed COLD to her Mum, Dad and grand parents who were all watching.
Everyone was amazed!
Little Rowen’s Mum opened the freezer door to get some food out. Rowen toddled up the the freezer and then giggling, turned round and signed COLD to her Mum, Dad and grand parents who were all watching.
Everyone was amazed!
Introducing Issac the winner of our Spring competition for a Plum Hamper. Mum, Lizzie told us “We were sat at the table one day & I had accidently left a knife within his reach – as he went for it I grabbed it quickly & said, No Isaac, that’s sharp – he immediately signed shark, looking round the kitchen for a rouge shark!! – They do sound similar! We did laugh!
Introducing the gorgeous Jasmine who featured in Prima Baby Magazine in April. Mum, Anna says that using baby signing has really helped to soothe Jasmine. She says “! use the “toilet” sign with Jasmine whenever I go and this stops her getting anxious and upset. In fact, when I return she simply laughs and signs “toilet” back to me – she knows exactly where I have been!”
Research has shown that babies pick up signs quicker from siblings and other children than they do from adults.
This video of Danica and her baby sister Chloe is a good example. Danica taught Chloe lots of signs and they still have conversations about me behind my back!!!
We learned baby signing when Joseph was 7 months old and now he loves to tell us what he wants!
He signs milk, mummy, food, nappy, dog and a lot more!
Thank you for the course, it has helped us all a lot and I tell all my friends about it!!!
(Mum of Joseph now aged 1 year and 1 month)
When I pick Sasha up from her childminder during the week after work, she gives me a cuddle when I arrive and then immediately starts signing ‘home’. She gets really impatient if I stop to talk to her childminder and this week even started actually saying ‘home’ when she was signing as well to hurry me along!
Gorgeous signing sisters Danica and Chloe help us get in the mood for Christmas by signing one of their favourite songs.
For all your pregnancy questions take a look at Tommy's website. Dedicated to giving every baby the best start in life Tommy's also conduct research in to premature, birth and stillbirth. Why not join in one of their nationwide fundraising events?
Find out what Babysigners love in the world of little ones. Click here.
