Monday, December 21, 2009

Teaching Baby Sign Language With Music

By Ana Dupas

Even if you take time to sign during your regular interactions with your baby, there is more to teaching them sign language than just talking with them. That's necessary, of course, and you need to be consistent in using signs for objects and ideas, so the baby will learn them. But you expect the baby to learn everything else by several different means, and it's the same with this type of learning as well. There are baby sign instructional materials like books and flash cards, and you may even buy toys that can help, but music and songs provide a very important supplement.

A lot of the organization of the programs that demonstrate sign language for babies is based on the social and medical appreciation of early childhood development. So it's understandable that the makers of these programs have incorporated music, because it has such a big part in baby learning generally.

Even the Baby Einstein regimen, which started out attempting to increase babies' cerebral aptitude with classical music and poetry, has become involved in the baby sign language realm. It provides a video known as "My First Signs - See & Sign With Baby," which teaches easy signs along with speech and, not surprisingly, classical music.

Baby Signs, Inc. is more heavily and directly involved in baby sign work, and this company's products include music, as well as books, toys and instructional videos. They have several different music bundles, including a Music CD called "If You're Happy and You Know it." Meanwhile, at the www.signbabies.com website you also find that in their "Signing Time" instructional packages, not only are there DVDs that teach the signs themselves, but each one has an accompanying music CD. You can also sometimes find local play groups that use music to teach signs as the children interact with each other.

Between signing videos, books, toys and CDs, you will have no lack of baby sign resources for teaching your child this new method of communication. Music has always been one of the primary learning tools for infants, and can provide yet another avenue for your own baby. It will also add an element of fun and relaxation to the learning process. Keep music in mind as one of your teaching tools as you begin to introduce sign language to your baby.

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