Interested in understanding your baby?

British Sign Language (BSL) is simple to learn and will enable you tocommunicate effectively with your baby long before they can talk. It’s easy to learn a few signs to start with and then build up your vocabulary as your baby progresses.

This six-week course teaches parents a basic vocabulary in sign language, enabling them to communicate early with babies and toddlers.

Why sign with your baby?

Studies have found that babies who sign learn to talk earlier than non-signing babies,possibly because the baby has already grasped the concept of communication. And when they do talk, they develop larger vocabularies and are more self-confident. This headstart in life doesn’t stop there, either - babies that used sign language had significantly higher IQs in follow-up research at the age of eight. Researchers revisited the families from the original study when the children were seven and eight years old. The children who signed as babies had a mean IQ of 114 compared to the non-signing control group’s mean of 102. (Acredolo, Linda and Goodwyn, Susan, Baby Signs (Vermillion, London, 2000))

What is baby sign?

Baby sign is for babies who are capable of understanding and communicating, but their ability to speak doesn’t develop< until they’re about 12 to 18 months old. That’s where the signs come in.

Babies gesture and are able to control their limbs from as early as 6 months old, so it is possible for them to associate different hand shapes or gestures to relate to specific meanings: milk, bed, bath, biscuit, more, etc. And so they can make signs to let you know what they’re thinking. The earlier you start, the earlier you can ‘talk’ to your baby.

You can begin by appreciating the ‘signs’ you are already using. Most parents use Baby Signs without even knowing it. For example, you may already have taught your baby to wave ‘bye bye’ or nod his head up and down for ‘yes’, and side to side for ‘no’. Babies pick up these gestures too. Some parents also say “shhh” and put their finger across their lips to tell their baby that someone is sleeping. Many babies do the same when they want to comment that someone is sleeping, whether it is another baby, daddy or a cat.

The classes

The classes are one-hour long (including a tea, coffee or juice break) and are suitable for 0 to 3-year-olds. Even newborns are welcome! There will be a charge of £4 per class per parent/carer, but there will be no charge for babies or twins (maximum of 2 children per adult; subsequent children will be charged £2 per child).

If you are interested in joining, please get in touch to find out where and when the courses are running.

For more information and to book a place, please contacts us at enquiries@lymebaybsl.com