Keeping up with baby signs

[denaverbena]

What's your favorite way to teach yourself new baby signs? My toddler already knows all the signs I know and I'd really like to keep the signing going. What I'd really love to do is take a class myself and continue to teach her signs as a second language. I don't think I'll be able to do a class for a while so I guess I'm looking for a detailed book or other idea. I do use the computer to look up signs sometimes, but I often just say I'll look it up later and forget. So how do you keep yourself motivated and excited to learn new signs? Thanks!

[ellemenope]

I know how you feel. DD and I learned the 50 or so signs they put in the baby books and wanted more. I looked some up on the internet, and then realized why those were'nt included in the book. Some are just too hard for a baby to do.

So, what we did was just make up signs for things we felt DD wanted to communicate. Of course, we weren't teaching her ASL as a second language, though. But, it was amazing how much it helped when she started to talk. It was fun.

[physmom]

DD got to about 200+ signs and then she started speaking a lot more and we quit. I really wanted to continue but I just couldn't keep up with her. I was going to the internet all the time to sign new things and it was just never enough. Plus, had gotten to the point where I really needed to learn how to sign things grammatically correct and with a Ph.D to finish and a very high energy toddler there was just no way. I have thought about taking a class in signing in case we have other kids. I'm sure DD could probably pick it up again quickly (if I ever show her new signs as long as she has the fine motor skills to do them, she'll do the sign immediately). She still watches signing time videos etc. I think if I had friends who actually knew ASL locally I could've kept up. There was a toddler signing meet-up but people just didn't seem to go and besides one lady who was there once, I was always the one who knew the most signs so it wasn't very helpful to me.

Sorry to sound like a downer, but I guess, check into local meet-ups and maybe try to befriend someone who speaks ASL? I've heard there are online classes but I just didn't have time for them.

[alegna]

I learned as much from Signing Time videos as my kids did- I think they're fabulous.

-Angela

[vettegirlhw]

I second Signing Times - there are so many videos and lots of different topics. They also have other resources on their website, too. I love supporting the company b/c it is a Mom who has a child who is deaf and a second child with CP who created it and is the 'actor' etc, so it really comes from a family focused place as they started the project to help her other family members communicate with her DD, very cool how it all began. My DD who was an early talker continued signing and at 3 1/2 still signs a bit, not quite as much as she did, but still knows 100's of signs when I prompt her to show me. It is great b/c my second child (16 months) gets the reinforcement from her signing in addition to those that DH and I use as he isn't quite as willing to sit and watch Signing Times.