I love Signing Time videos. Even if you choose not to have your kids watch the videos/clips, they can be a great way to teach yourself the signs. Then, you can bring the signs and songs into your lesson plans.

I use ASL whenever possible in the classroom. I am not fluent in the least, but I do have a pretty nice ASL vocabulary. Once, I was even able to teach a group of toddlers (19 months to 2 years) without speaking for an entire day because I used enough ASL in the classroom previously. When I signed "Eat Crackers" they sat down at the table. When I signed "Outside" they sat down along the wall by the door. When I signed "Train" they stood up and got in line (we practiced walking down the halls like 'Choo Choo Trains').

I think the best way is real life applications. Do you have a "Days of the Week" song that you sing during Circle Time? Why not learn the signs for the days of the week and add them in as Hand Motions during the song? Or try singing the days in Spanish instead. Learn a few signs for colors and animals and sign the words when reading "Brown Bear, Brown Bear."

Within a month or two, my kids knew the signs for:

Train
"A"
Orange
Apple
Cracker
Eat
All Done
More
Potty
Diaper
Outside
Sit
Clean up
Shoes
Please
Sorry
Stop
Go
Turtle
Bubble
Cheese

Keep in mind that many of these kids were under 2. Some of them were not speaking yet, and even the one(s) who could recognize the sign for "orange" were still learning their colors. These were signs I could use during everyday activities. If a child stood up during snacktime, I would say and sign "Sit".

I also played and sang songs where I could use ASL vocabulary. One of the favorites was "The Silly Pizza Song" from Signing Time. Most of the time, I'd sing it using the kids' names. "I like Willow on my pizza. I like Willow pizza please. Put the Willow on my pizza. Don't forget the extra CHEESE." Eventually, I would pause for "Cheese" and the kids would say and sign the word.

I am using "Pete the Cat I Love my White Shoes" during working interviews. There, we focus on the sign for "shoe," but I also sign "Red, Brown, Blue, and Wet". Afterwards, we do a little activity involving matching colored shoes, and I will sign the color of the shoes.

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