Sing & Sign

SoLongAsItsHealthy · 2010-06-20T21:21:36+00:00

Sorry, not sure exactly where to post this - but have any of you done Sign & Sign with your babies? And was it any good? I'm thinking about doing stage 1 with DS who will be 7 months when the course starts. I have no particular desire for him to sign but there happens to be one starting up near me and I thought it might be a fun thing to do...

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cakeywakey · 20/06/2010 22:23

I took my DD from nine months and we loved it. We did two terms and watched the DVDs at home. It was great to get out of the house and meet other parents, and DD really loved it. She only started to sign months after we finished going regularly, but it was very handy when she did. I would recommend it to anyone

PigeonPie · 20/06/2010 22:24

I did S&S with both my DSs. DS1 did rather more of it than DS2 just because of fitting it round DS1's activities, but I think that they both benefitted from it and in fact at almost 2 and a half, DS2 is still using some of the signs, or making up his own when we don't understand what he's saying.

It definitely helped with communication in the early days when they can't talk much but they want to get their point / opinion across!

Well worth it as far as I'm concerned.

MavisEnderby · 20/06/2010 22:25

I did with LD dd as she signs as she cannot talk.I can't reccomend it enough brilliant for babies and non verbal childrenn alike

llareggub · 20/06/2010 22:27

I did it with my PFB and it really was deathly dull. The songs aren't particularly enjoyable so as a singing class it isn't much fun. That said, the class I went to did very good biscuits after it so at least there was a chance for a chat afterwards.

I never bothered with the signs outside class so DS never picked any up. There are better classes around if you want to sing a few songs and meet other mothers.

MavisEnderby · 20/06/2010 22:30

ps even though you have "no real desire" it really is worth it,it will augment your childs communication and also if you yourself ever come across any deaf or learning disabled children or your dc does it will open up a new way of communicating with them too,and as the mum of a disabled child if people try to communicate through signing it is always appreciated and adds to dds life..marvellous!Would also recommend cbeebies something special for signing for small children

MavisEnderby · 20/06/2010 22:32

ah well,differing views.For me it was useful

PigeonPie · 20/06/2010 22:37

ME, I agree too. Although I have probably forgotten quite a few of the signs, I have found it helpful when encountering children with special needs and I hope that it will help in the future. I think it is really good to be able to communicate with those children, both for their sake and the parents.

Ixia · 20/06/2010 23:56

I did with DD, also bought some BSL flashcards. I admit I did it because it was the thing to do amongst people I knew. But as it happened, DD turned out to have verbal dyspraxia, talked late and struggled to make herself understood. The sighing was a lifeline for her and saved us a lot of frustration.

I do remember reading an article from a deaf charity, they commented on the fashion for baby signing and implored people to make sure the signing was BSL compatible.

JollyBear · 21/06/2010 12:14

I take DD to tiny talk and it has been fantastic. She picked up her first sign at about 11 months, duck - and can now tell me all sorts, milk, hungry, tired, more, all gone, cow, crocodile, cat, dog etc. Some signs are more useful than others of course! I can't recommend it enough .

Reallytired · 21/06/2010 21:17

I think its more fun for the mother to go to an adult BSL level 1 class.

BSL and makaton have similarities and I imagine for babies it really doesn't matter that much. The main difference between BSL and makaton is that BSL is a proper language with its own grammar and uses the face as well as the hands. I expect that makaton is easier to teach babies.

roastedfox · 21/06/2010 21:29

i found these classes fab!
took both ds's from around 4-5 months and they were signing byy 6-7 months.
this is how ds1 learnt to tell me he needed his nappy changing at a young age.
it really is fab.
am selling the dvd if you do take it up and are intrested [email protected]

SoTiredOfTheWheelsOnTheBus · 23/06/2010 12:38

I took ds for a term when he was 9 months old, but had to stop when I went back to work when he was a year. He didn't learn that many signs, but to be honest, I enjoyed the classes, as they taught me lots more songs and nursery rhymes that I hadn't heard before. I did try to use the basic signs at home, but don't think ds ever copied them. I don't know if it's linked at all, but ds has really good language skills (he's now 3) - how much of that is him being a natural chatterbox/me talking to him a lot and how much is due to the sing and sign helping communication I don't know.

Bess12 · 26/07/2010 21:15

This really is a fab class to go to. I recommend it to everyone!! I've been to lots of classes with my little ones but this was the best by far.

I love the fact that you get all the music and signing you get with other classes but with the added benefit that you learn so much.

The Signs are really easy to learn through the songs but you do have to be consistent at home. I don't think anyone could expect a baby to learn loads of signs through a 1 hr session once a week. Saying that my little ones did pick up lots of the animal signs from just being at the class and they were thoroughly entertained with all the props, puppets etc. The idea is that you as parents learn the signs and then use them with your babies at home.

My daughter has fantastic speech now at 2 1/2 and signing gave her so much confidence. Not only did we know what she was thinking about from when she was tiny but as she started to speak we knew what she was trying to say straight away.

Fab! Give it a go I say!

Bess12 · 26/07/2010 21:16

This really is a fab class to go to. I recommend it to everyone!! I've been to lots of classes with my little ones but this was the best by far.

I love the fact that you get all the music and signing you get with other classes but with the added benefit that you learn so much.

The Signs are really easy to learn through the songs but you do have to be consistent at home. I don't think anyone could expect a baby to learn loads of signs through a 1 hr session once a week. Saying that my little ones did pick up lots of the animal signs from just being at the class and they were thoroughly entertained with all the props, puppets etc. The idea is that you as parents learn the signs and then use them with your babies at home.

My daughter has fantastic speech now at 2 1/2 and signing gave her so much confidence. Not only did we know what she was thinking about from when she was tiny but as she started to speak we knew what she was trying to say straight away.

Fab! Give it a go I say!

Bess12 · 26/07/2010 21:26

This really is a fab class to go to. I recommend it to everyone!! I've been to lots of classes with my little ones but this was the best by far.

I love the fact that you get all the music and signing you get with other classes but with the added benefit that you learn so much.

The Signs are really easy to learn through the songs but you do have to be consistent at home. I don't think anyone could expect a baby to learn loads of signs through a 1 hr session once a week. Saying that my little ones did pick up lots of the animal signs from just being at the class and they were thoroughly entertained with all the props, puppets etc. The idea is that you as parents learn the signs and then use them with your babies at home.

My daughter has fantastic speech now at 2 1/2 and signing gave her so much confidence. Not only did we know what she was thinking about from when she was tiny but as she started to speak we knew what she was trying to say straight away.

Fab! Give it a go I say!

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