Baby Signing

[peacemakeruk]

Hi,
Was wondering if anyone is doing this with their baby? Is it all pro's or are there any cons to doing it?

Thanks
Sue

I attend baby signing with dd who is now 8 months every wed. New classed started 3 weeks ago & will last until end of march(i think).
Its my understanding also that baby signing doesn't stop a childs speach developement.
The classes for me are fun & great for socialising for the two of us
We use some of the signs at home(when we remember) & we go through the news signs with dh each week.
I thinks its a personal choice, to me overall is all about spending time with my dd. Amongst babies of similar age, getting to know others mums. We don't take it to seriously, its all about fun.

agree with all the others - it def helps their speech, i think because you understand them and keep talking in context so it increases their vocabulary.
i didn't do classes but had these books which were great fun.
here

All pros in my book. Signed with DD from about 7mths (now nearly 4) and got our first sign back at about 10mths. As others have said they tend to drop signs as they learn the words but a few stuck for a while (signing 'toilet' across a crowded room is still used!) She spoke early and had about 300 words by 2 (we counted!!!)
Started signing with DS a bit earlier I think and he signed back at 9mths!! Is now 15mths and not speaking that much, a few babbles that 'might' be words, but has a signing vocab of over 50 words already He is obviously a later talker than DD but can really get across what he wants - came up to me an hour ago signing 'milk' 'sleep' so sleeping like a baby ATM!

Thanks for that website Mamama, running out of signs that I know/can make up!
Anyone know a sign for 'dinosaur'?

Not sure about cons apart from a few people thinking you're weird but that might not be the signing

Just tried to do that for you Aitch and can find nothing!
But the salts told me in the therapy sessions.
I wish I could remeber things like this, I'm sure they said it was something to do with where it originated from but can't remeber exactly, sozza mate.

Signing is fantastic when they're older too. We've kept up signing (they're 5 and 3) and it is very useful to be able to discretely prompt them by signing "please" or "thank you" or "sorry".

feetheart:

dinosaur sign we used was:

a sideways clap like a crocodile snapping with the heel of your palms hingeing together but making your hands into a claw shape and opening and closing like a dinosaur's jaws

I love it when Lottie makes her baby sister sign sorry if she's had her hair pulled by her.

And I love it when Lottie says and signs thankyou to waiters!

Makaton isn't from the town the word comes from the names of the people who devised it . Margaret(Ma)Katharyn (ka)and Tony(Ton)
It has been around about 30 years and was originally devised for adults in long term care but it was soon seen to have benefits for lots of different chidren and adults. Makaton is devised from BSL but it is not localised like BSL can be. The website is makaton
I am a Makaton local tutor and with a baby on the way will be looking into their baby signing with a view to do some courses and then offering them in my area. My elder brother who has SEN has used Makaton for at least 25 years. I will not hesitate to sign with the baby.
For those who have asked, the makaton sign for Lion is wave hands round head as if drawing a mane and then growl with clawed hands
Dinosaur is also clawed hands but pointing down and moving them forward one at a time as if moving along like stepping. HTH

Ha haaaaaaaaaaa, thank you. Knew it ws something to do with the originaters. I can sleep tonight now, it was irritating me. I've googled it like mad as well, so thank you for that

Thanks for 'dinosaur' signs

For those concerned about how it affects speech, see here