Those who do / did baby signing...

[AngelDog]

...what age did you start and at what age was your LO able to ask for things using signs (rather than just copying you when you make the signs)?

DS is 5 months and I'm starting to sign 'milk' to him (as a way of getting myself in the habit of doing it, since I've read that it's only from around 6 months that babies start understanding that things have names). I'm hoping that eventually he'll be able to ask for a feed, since his hunger cues are very difficult to read at the moment - but I'm assuming that it will probably be a few months down the line before he is able to ask for food with signs.

I took my DD to sing and sign classes for two terms from when she was six months old,and we also watched the DVDs at home together.

It was only two months after we finished classes that she actually began to use the signs herself, so about 15 months.

TBH I wasn't as hot at using the signs as I probably should have been, but once it kicked in it was fantastic, with her being able to ask for the basics like milk and food, as well as 'where's the bird' in the garden when she could hear it but not see it.

I also have to say that now at 2.8yrs her speech is now fantastic, and I wouldn't be surprised if signing has something to do with it.

I'm doing signing with my dd who is now 15 months, we started at 7 months. She was signing a few by 9 months (bird, milk, more) and now signs loads. However, she has also been saying words since ten months too- so not sure how useful the signing actually is!

DS didn't talk (as in not a single recognisable word) until 20 months, and we didn't do signing. Not sure whether the talking/signing are linked though, or this is just a coincidence with my two dcs.

I signed a bit (MILK, HOME, couple others) from birth, and a lot of signs from around 6 months, classes from 15 months.

From 1 year he would grab me and point me onto the landing, down the stairs, through the dining room, into the kitchen, point at the fridge, and huff, when he wanted milk. Would he ask for it in any more convenient way? No.
Didn't say anything except Daddy until 18 months. Then started saying and signing bird, milk, and a few others, using both sign and word for emphasis. Now at 20 months he says quite a lot of words, often with the sign at the same time to help me understand.

Nursery say he understands a lot for his age - he certainly understands a lot more than he says. Hard to say the benefit but I'm sure learning that concepts/things can be represented by sounds or signs or pictures will help reading and stuff later.

In the meantime it certainly helps deaf mummy understand toddler speech!

I started doing it at about 6 months, he only really picked up the signs at about 12 months but once he picked them up, he was using them. At about 15-16 months he suddenly wanted to know the signs for everything.

Agree it helps you to understand their speech! I never would have worked out that "buchum-buchum-bay" meant helicopter, or "baps" meant elephant! And the signs they do are so cute - DS does the elephant sign and then wiggles his head around like he's swaying an imaginary trunk

Thanks, chaps. Good point about understanding toddler speech. Sounds like DS might stands some chance of learning the sign for (bf) 'milk' in time for me to stop breastfeeding him, then.

at notcitrus's DS.

We started signing a few things (milk, dog, bird, sleep, more) at 4 months.

DS signed 'milk' for the first time at 7 months, and now does this when he wants a feed.
He signed 'more' yesterday (he's now 8 1/2 months). His DT signs 'dog' and 'bird'. He also says "dod" for dog.

I did it with both of mine from about 6 months and both of them started properly using the signs at about 1 year - neither of them have had any problems with their speech since and seemed to enjoy the signing.

I can't remember exactly how old DD was when we started - but it was when she started being able to clap.

Bosoms, you clearly have very advanced babies!

Thanks, everyone.

Afternoon all, could I hijack this thread for a sec to ask which classes you did? There are some free Surestart ones in our area but I'd be happy to pay out for other classes if they come recommended. (Tinytalk for example...)
Thanks! x