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morgan24 05:59 AM 12-12-2013
I know there are a couple on here who do the baby signing and maybe you can tell me how to do it. I have a 7 month old baby who the dcm has been working on signing with her. She just told me about it today and showed me milk and eat. We got interrupted with others arriving so I never got to ask her how she does it, but what does baby do when you sign milk or eat to her?
preschoolteacher 06:06 AM 12-12-2013
Think of it as another way of talking to your baby. Your baby just looks at you and listens when you say "milk" and "eat," and she just looks at you and thinks about the sign when you sign it. Eventually it will all sink in, and then she'll try to mimic your signs. That tends to happen closer to 10 months, and then really takes off after that.
When I use signs, I just add them in to what I'm already saying. So I'll just be talking to the kids and say "Do you want milk (sign milk)." I say the word and do the sign at the exact same time. I started adding Spanish too! So now I will say... "Do you want milk (sign milk), leche?" Or "Here is some water (sign water), agua."
They are really picking it up!
When I use signs, I just add them in to what I'm already saying. So I'll just be talking to the kids and say "Do you want milk (sign milk)." I say the word and do the sign at the exact same time. I started adding Spanish too! So now I will say... "Do you want milk (sign milk), leche?" Or "Here is some water (sign water), agua."
They are really picking it up!
itlw8 06:07 AM 12-12-2013
You sign and say the word ok so you are giving the child a cup of milk
would you like some milk ( sign milk) here is your milk ( sign milk) soon they will sign when they want something but often about the same time they learn to say the word also.
Have mom show you the signs the child knows they are easy to learn and you can find them in the internet
I would learn drink, milk, shoe, ball, book, help, mommy , daddy, please and thank you then go from there. If you learn 2 a day you will catch up fast to the baby.
would you like some milk ( sign milk) here is your milk ( sign milk) soon they will sign when they want something but often about the same time they learn to say the word also.
Have mom show you the signs the child knows they are easy to learn and you can find them in the internet
I would learn drink, milk, shoe, ball, book, help, mommy , daddy, please and thank you then go from there. If you learn 2 a day you will catch up fast to the baby.
morgan24 06:23 AM 12-12-2013
Right now she only knows 3 signs but I didn't know what to look for when using them. Thanks for clearing it up for me.
Kabob 08:36 AM 12-12-2013
Basically, do what everyone mentioned above. Use the sign as you say the word and doing the action or giving them the object. Babies may not be precise in their signs at first but you'll get the general gesture, just like how they aren't precise when saying the word at first but you pick up on the way they say words quickly.
This is a good site to start with: http://www.babysignlanguage.com/
This is a good site to start with: http://www.babysignlanguage.com/
KSDC 08:42 AM 12-12-2013
I love signing with my babies. They can learn to sign much earlier than they can speak the words. When they catch on it cuts down on the frustrated screaming, because they can tell you what they want. 
I start with milk, more, and all done. You have to sign it alot before they answer back. Just like speaking. So, don't give up.
I start with milk, more, and all done. You have to sign it alot before they answer back. Just like speaking. So, don't give up.
jenboo 08:46 AM 12-12-2013
I love signing with babies! Although I no longer use "baby sign language" and use ASL with them.. My friend knows ASL and he was telling me to be careful with "baby sign language"...here is an example why: The baby sign for star is the sign for vagina in ASL! oops!
ETA: apparently this is not true. I think my friend was referring to making a "star" shape with your fingers as i did when I was little vs the actual baby sign for star.
ETA: apparently this is not true. I think my friend was referring to making a "star" shape with your fingers as i did when I was little vs the actual baby sign for star.
TwinKristi 09:05 AM 12-12-2013
I did this as well. The easiest ones for them to learn we're milk, more, all done, and cookie (which we used for cracker and similar stuff, not just cookies). Then they started talking and using signs so it was on to talking.
safechner 09:47 AM 12-12-2013
You can learn baby sign language through aslpro.com.
Here is http://www.aslpro.com/cgi-bin/aslpro/aslpro.cgi
Here is http://www.aslpro.com/cgi-bin/aslpro/aslpro.cgi
kitykids3 02:26 PM 12-12-2013
I don't 'do' it a specific way. I just use the signs at the same time I say the word. I teach them the basics like please, more, thank you, eat, drink, diaper, down, up, etc. and then that gets expanded as they get older and can learn during our group time when we learn other words too. I might repeat the sign and the word a couple times each time and eventually they will mimic. Others just seem to have no interest.
Sunshine74 09:59 PM 12-12-2013
Originally Posted by jenboo:
I love signing with babies! Although I no longer use "baby sign language" and use ASL with them.. My friend knows ASL and he was telling me to be careful with "baby sign language"...here is an example why: The baby sign for star is the sign for vagina in ASL! oops!
This is what the baby sign language is for star. It is the same as ASL. I don't know where your friend got his information.I love signing with babies! Although I no longer use "baby sign language" and use ASL with them.. My friend knows ASL and he was telling me to be careful with "baby sign language"...here is an example why: The baby sign for star is the sign for vagina in ASL! oops!
http://www.babysignlanguage.com/dictionary/s/stars/
And ASL:
http://lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/s/star.htm
Sorry, a little OT, but I want to make sure the correct information is out there. Anyway, I have learned, and in my experience, "more", "milk", and "please" are the best ones to start with. But for the OP, I would just follow the DCM's lead on which ones you start with DCG.
jenboo 07:38 AM 12-13-2013
Originally Posted by Sunshine74:
This is what the baby sign language is for star. It is the same as ASL. I don't know where your friend got his information.
http://www.babysignlanguage.com/dictionary/s/stars/
And ASL:
http://lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/s/star.htm
Sorry, a little OT, but I want to make sure the correct information is out there. Anyway, I have learned, and in my experience, "more", "milk", and "please" are the best ones to start with. But for the OP, I would just follow the DCM's lead on which ones you start with DCG.
hmm interesting. Im not sure where he got it either then. I did not actually look up the sign for star before..his sister is an interpreter and he knows quite a bit of ASL. Maybe he was thinking more of when we were little and would do hand motions for twinkle twinkle little star and would make the star shape with our fingers (obviously not baby sign language). This is what the baby sign language is for star. It is the same as ASL. I don't know where your friend got his information.
http://www.babysignlanguage.com/dictionary/s/stars/
And ASL:
http://lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/s/star.htm
Sorry, a little OT, but I want to make sure the correct information is out there. Anyway, I have learned, and in my experience, "more", "milk", and "please" are the best ones to start with. But for the OP, I would just follow the DCM's lead on which ones you start with DCG.
Thanks for clarifying!