Across a noisy playground or headed off to school your little one will sign, "I Love You!"
Frequently Asked Questions
Does signing hinder verbal language development?
Some parents are concerned that teaching their baby sign language will delay their baby's speech acquisition. More than thirty years of evidence research shows that the opposite is actually true. Studies show that babies who sign develop verbal language skills earlier than their peers, and have a comparatively larger verbal vocabulary.
When can I start signing with my baby?
Start now! You’ll hear six to eight months old is an optimal time to start signing with your baby. After babies are six months old, they are starting to associate words with the world around them. That's language whether spoken or gestured. Their long-term memory is developmentally ready to retain the signs they see. At six months of age babies’ motor skills and hand-eye coordination are at a stage to be able to make more precise gestures. Having said this, it’s perfectly fine to start earlier than six months old. That way you will be ready with a solid signing vocabulary when your baby is six months old! Start building your baby sign language skills today.
Having said this, there is no harm in starting to sign as early as you like. Here are two big reasons why we suggest parents start early on:
1. We’ve found the younger the baby is the easier it is for parents to pay attention in class.
2. Many parents are very interested in joining our program. However, many of those parents forget that they are planning on returning to work when their baby is four to six months old at which point they don’t have the time to attend the classes. So don't miss out. Join now and practice with your partner during the early months.
It’s worthwhile to note that many Deaf parents sign with their babies from birth. Their babies generally sign back significantly earlier than babies in hearing families do. The only caveat is that when you start signing with a very young baby and you don't see any results, don't give up. Be patient and remember that receptive language comes before expressive language whether it's signed or verbal.
When will my baby start signing?
It varies like every other developmental milestones. Once babies reach six months of age memory retention increases rapidly. When you start signing to them when they're between six to seven months of age, for example, you can reasonably expect them to sign back when they’re between eight and ten months old.
Do I need to bring my baby to the Baby Sign Language classes?
Babies are welcome in class, or parents may come on their own, since babies will do the bulk of their learning through being exposed to signs by their caregivers in their daily routines rather than in a class once a week, just like with spoken language. We sometimes call the series classes "playgroups" because it's the grown-ups who are playing, having fun growing their vocabulary and confidence, and using the signs with interactive games and songs. Many of the younger babies sleep through class or are nursing. So for the baby sign language classes, the babies are just along for the ride. When your little one is older and an active walker, that's when you'll want to get them into our Toddler/Preschooler Story Time Series to reap the benefits of signing with older children.
What's the Maximum Age?
Older babies and toddlers will generally catch on much more quickly because they’re reaching the stage developmentally where they begin to imitate, and when they attempt to use gestures to communicate. They may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to sign back. We recommend the Baby Series (Red, Yellow, and Blue) for parents that have older toddlers 12 - 24 months old if you've never taken a full baby sign language course. You'll be learning with your little one how to sign. Parents with older children who are active walkers all the way up to five years old will enjoy our Seven-Day Toddler/Preschooler Series (Orange, Green, and Purple) where we are actively engaging the children much more than the parents. Read about the benefits of signing with older children.
May I skip the Introductory Workshop and just jump into a Six-Day Series?
The best way to become confident and achieve mastery of the American Sign Language vocabulary that we teach we recommend completion of the Introductory Workshop prior to enrolling in a Six-Day Series. That said, completion of the Introductory Workshop isn't required to matriculate into one of the Six-Day Series. You may want to skip the Introductory Workshop if you have had experience signing with babies and feel confident using sign language or have already taken an American Sign Language (ASL) course in school.
Which series comes first?
There is no special order. Take whichever one fits your schedule. Take a look at the overview links below and you'll see how we divide the vocabulary in each series. Each series includes the essential basic 7 signs: MILK, MORE, ALL DONE, WATER, MOTHER, FATHER. We address parent signs for LGBTQ families as well. Both our Baby Sign Language Program and our Toddler/Preschooler Sign Language Program offer three distinct series.
Baby Sign Language - Named after the primary colors :-)
RED SERIES YELLOW SERIES BLUE SERIES
Birth to 18 month olds. Expectant parents are welcome too!
Baby Sign Series - overview link
Toddler and Preschooler Sign Language - Named after the secondary colors :-)
ORANGE SERIES GREEN SERIES PURPLE SERIES
Active walkers to five years old.
Toddler/Preschooler Series - overview link
Read about the benefits of signing with older children
Do I need to take all three series?
After you finish your first series and your baby is starting to sign you can greatly improve your sign language skills by enrolling in another series. You'll definitely grow your child's vocabulary and most importantly increase your own level of confidence. Plus, it's just plain fun meeting other like minded parents and signing together when you are in the live sessions!
May I enroll the grandparents, aunts and uncles who live out-of-state in the live sessions?
Yes! They'll have fun seeing you each week and learning how to sign with your little one. There's a discount price for other family members and caregivers logging in from a separate location.
What if I can't make it to every session?
With vacations, work schedules, and unexpected illnesses it's quite common for a parent to miss a class. Contact Teacher Bill if you miss the Introductory Workshop so he can help schedule a make-up class. When you are enrolled in a series we spend a good portion of each session reviewing the vocabulary we learned the previous week. When you enroll in the series you'll also have access to on-demand recordings of each session. So even though Happy Baby Signs does not offer make up classes rest assured that you will be able to catch up during the class that follows. We also reserve time in the sixth session to review much of the vocabulary from the entire six-day baby sign language series. We encourage you to let your instructor know if you feel like you need any help on anything that was covered in the series.
Once I finish all three series may I retake them?
Yes, a lot of people do. This program is very much like a dance or yoga class. ...or like any foreign language class. When you commit to practicing an hour a week with your personal trainer in the gym or yoga studio, the better and more confident you become. The same is true with a language program. Plus, your baby will follow lockstep with your improvement. Email Bill for a substantial price discount if you would like to repeat any classes.
Financial Aid
Please don’t be shy in letting me know if you’d like to join the program but could use a little financial help. I offer discounts. I'd hate to have money stand in the way of you becoming a baby sign language master! Contact Teacher Bill
Regarding live online class screen-time with babies
We all know by now that "screen time" is not the best thing for babies and toddlers. However, research shows that virtually socializing with friends and family on apps like Zoom, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, or Skype with your little one is not harmful because they are interacting with real people in real time. In our live online classes we'll be laughing and chatting, as we sign and sing songs together. Older siblings are welcome to join the fun and ask questions. Babies are welcome but not required to attend the baby sessions. Many babies sleep through class. ...don't poke the sleeping bear :o)
Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Cognitive Disabilities, Neurodiversities
This program is appropriate for parents of children that are hearing or with hearing differences, cognitive disabilities such as autism, apraxia, Down Syndrome or other neurodiversities. This program uses signs based on American Sign Language (ASL). It is not an ASL course. Technically it’s MCE (Manually Coded English) where we use ASL signs formatted grammatically with English. ASL is a rich and beautifully distinct language that has a different sentence structure and morphology than English. We encourage parents with children diagnosed as deaf to seek Deaf outreach early and to contact their local community college or state school for the Deaf or a Deaf advocacy center to learn ASL and become familiar with the unique culture of the Deaf community. Watch this video to learn more. We are in support of parents of Deaf children (PODC) who realize the importance of integrating sign language into their everyday lives as soon as possible. Learn more about the recent research regarding early language deprivation in the Deaf community in this interview with Wyatte C. Hall. Ph.D. We also recommend consulting with your pediatrician and speech therapist about any concerns you may have regarding possible speech delay or other medical issues.
Host your own classes for your friends, family, or organization. Click here for details
Some parents are concerned that teaching their baby sign language will delay their baby's speech acquisition. More than thirty years of evidence research shows that the opposite is actually true. Studies show that babies who sign develop verbal language skills earlier than their peers, and have a comparatively larger verbal vocabulary.
When can I start signing with my baby?
Start now! You’ll hear six to eight months old is an optimal time to start signing with your baby. After babies are six months old, they are starting to associate words with the world around them. That's language whether spoken or gestured. Their long-term memory is developmentally ready to retain the signs they see. At six months of age babies’ motor skills and hand-eye coordination are at a stage to be able to make more precise gestures. Having said this, it’s perfectly fine to start earlier than six months old. That way you will be ready with a solid signing vocabulary when your baby is six months old! Start building your baby sign language skills today.
Having said this, there is no harm in starting to sign as early as you like. Here are two big reasons why we suggest parents start early on:
1. We’ve found the younger the baby is the easier it is for parents to pay attention in class.
2. Many parents are very interested in joining our program. However, many of those parents forget that they are planning on returning to work when their baby is four to six months old at which point they don’t have the time to attend the classes. So don't miss out. Join now and practice with your partner during the early months.
It’s worthwhile to note that many Deaf parents sign with their babies from birth. Their babies generally sign back significantly earlier than babies in hearing families do. The only caveat is that when you start signing with a very young baby and you don't see any results, don't give up. Be patient and remember that receptive language comes before expressive language whether it's signed or verbal.
When will my baby start signing?
It varies like every other developmental milestones. Once babies reach six months of age memory retention increases rapidly. When you start signing to them when they're between six to seven months of age, for example, you can reasonably expect them to sign back when they’re between eight and ten months old.
Do I need to bring my baby to the Baby Sign Language classes?
Babies are welcome in class, or parents may come on their own, since babies will do the bulk of their learning through being exposed to signs by their caregivers in their daily routines rather than in a class once a week, just like with spoken language. We sometimes call the series classes "playgroups" because it's the grown-ups who are playing, having fun growing their vocabulary and confidence, and using the signs with interactive games and songs. Many of the younger babies sleep through class or are nursing. So for the baby sign language classes, the babies are just along for the ride. When your little one is older and an active walker, that's when you'll want to get them into our Toddler/Preschooler Story Time Series to reap the benefits of signing with older children.
What's the Maximum Age?
Older babies and toddlers will generally catch on much more quickly because they’re reaching the stage developmentally where they begin to imitate, and when they attempt to use gestures to communicate. They may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to sign back. We recommend the Baby Series (Red, Yellow, and Blue) for parents that have older toddlers 12 - 24 months old if you've never taken a full baby sign language course. You'll be learning with your little one how to sign. Parents with older children who are active walkers all the way up to five years old will enjoy our Seven-Day Toddler/Preschooler Series (Orange, Green, and Purple) where we are actively engaging the children much more than the parents. Read about the benefits of signing with older children.
May I skip the Introductory Workshop and just jump into a Six-Day Series?
The best way to become confident and achieve mastery of the American Sign Language vocabulary that we teach we recommend completion of the Introductory Workshop prior to enrolling in a Six-Day Series. That said, completion of the Introductory Workshop isn't required to matriculate into one of the Six-Day Series. You may want to skip the Introductory Workshop if you have had experience signing with babies and feel confident using sign language or have already taken an American Sign Language (ASL) course in school.
Which series comes first?
There is no special order. Take whichever one fits your schedule. Take a look at the overview links below and you'll see how we divide the vocabulary in each series. Each series includes the essential basic 7 signs: MILK, MORE, ALL DONE, WATER, MOTHER, FATHER. We address parent signs for LGBTQ families as well. Both our Baby Sign Language Program and our Toddler/Preschooler Sign Language Program offer three distinct series.
Baby Sign Language - Named after the primary colors :-)
RED SERIES YELLOW SERIES BLUE SERIES
Birth to 18 month olds. Expectant parents are welcome too!
Baby Sign Series - overview link
Toddler and Preschooler Sign Language - Named after the secondary colors :-)
ORANGE SERIES GREEN SERIES PURPLE SERIES
Active walkers to five years old.
Toddler/Preschooler Series - overview link
Read about the benefits of signing with older children
Do I need to take all three series?
After you finish your first series and your baby is starting to sign you can greatly improve your sign language skills by enrolling in another series. You'll definitely grow your child's vocabulary and most importantly increase your own level of confidence. Plus, it's just plain fun meeting other like minded parents and signing together when you are in the live sessions!
May I enroll the grandparents, aunts and uncles who live out-of-state in the live sessions?
Yes! They'll have fun seeing you each week and learning how to sign with your little one. There's a discount price for other family members and caregivers logging in from a separate location.
What if I can't make it to every session?
With vacations, work schedules, and unexpected illnesses it's quite common for a parent to miss a class. Contact Teacher Bill if you miss the Introductory Workshop so he can help schedule a make-up class. When you are enrolled in a series we spend a good portion of each session reviewing the vocabulary we learned the previous week. When you enroll in the series you'll also have access to on-demand recordings of each session. So even though Happy Baby Signs does not offer make up classes rest assured that you will be able to catch up during the class that follows. We also reserve time in the sixth session to review much of the vocabulary from the entire six-day baby sign language series. We encourage you to let your instructor know if you feel like you need any help on anything that was covered in the series.
Once I finish all three series may I retake them?
Yes, a lot of people do. This program is very much like a dance or yoga class. ...or like any foreign language class. When you commit to practicing an hour a week with your personal trainer in the gym or yoga studio, the better and more confident you become. The same is true with a language program. Plus, your baby will follow lockstep with your improvement. Email Bill for a substantial price discount if you would like to repeat any classes.
Financial Aid
Please don’t be shy in letting me know if you’d like to join the program but could use a little financial help. I offer discounts. I'd hate to have money stand in the way of you becoming a baby sign language master! Contact Teacher Bill
Regarding live online class screen-time with babies
We all know by now that "screen time" is not the best thing for babies and toddlers. However, research shows that virtually socializing with friends and family on apps like Zoom, FaceTime, Google Hangouts, or Skype with your little one is not harmful because they are interacting with real people in real time. In our live online classes we'll be laughing and chatting, as we sign and sing songs together. Older siblings are welcome to join the fun and ask questions. Babies are welcome but not required to attend the baby sessions. Many babies sleep through class. ...don't poke the sleeping bear :o)
Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Cognitive Disabilities, Neurodiversities
This program is appropriate for parents of children that are hearing or with hearing differences, cognitive disabilities such as autism, apraxia, Down Syndrome or other neurodiversities. This program uses signs based on American Sign Language (ASL). It is not an ASL course. Technically it’s MCE (Manually Coded English) where we use ASL signs formatted grammatically with English. ASL is a rich and beautifully distinct language that has a different sentence structure and morphology than English. We encourage parents with children diagnosed as deaf to seek Deaf outreach early and to contact their local community college or state school for the Deaf or a Deaf advocacy center to learn ASL and become familiar with the unique culture of the Deaf community. Watch this video to learn more. We are in support of parents of Deaf children (PODC) who realize the importance of integrating sign language into their everyday lives as soon as possible. Learn more about the recent research regarding early language deprivation in the Deaf community in this interview with Wyatte C. Hall. Ph.D. We also recommend consulting with your pediatrician and speech therapist about any concerns you may have regarding possible speech delay or other medical issues.
Host your own classes for your friends, family, or organization. Click here for details