Baby Signs: How to Talk with Your Baby Before Your Baby Can Talk, New Edition

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Summary: I didn't even try very hard and it worked!
Review: I'd heard about the book and bought it to try to teach some signs to our 13-month-old daughter. I tried some of the signs (including "more") for about a week, but she really didn't seem interested. A month passed, and out of the blue, she started signing for "more" after I stopped singing a lullaby to her! We couldn't believe it. Just that one sign made the book all worthwhile.

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Summary: Good idea but isn't it something we do already?
Review: This book is a nice idea, and I guess it's a good thing to buy if you really can't figure out a way to communicate with your child otherwise. However, I find that babies just naturally make signs and often accompanying sounds, if we only just take the time to observe them--even babies under a year of age. They are bursting with new information and most of them can make sounds, and even if the sound doesn't come out like the object's actual name, they are still saying a specific word that means a very specific thing to them. Eg, "ah" and pointing to something can mean "I want that thing". Or, a big smile and "ee" when the cat walks by probably means "cat". It doesn't mean you have to call your cat "ee", but that's a good time to say "cat" and still understand and acknowledge your child's ability to communicate. Overall, this book is more of an "extra", not something that you really need in order to talk with your baby.

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Summary: Forego the frustration
Review: "Baby Signs" is a wonderful book! It thouroughly explains the signing concept, and gives a great "dictionary" of signs to get you started. My daughter began doing the signs at 8 months and by 13 months knew about 40! We did not have the frustration in communicating the way our friends seemed to. I had so much fun with my daughter that I also used it for my son with great success! As vocabulary increases, use of the signs gradually diminishes. A really fun resource!

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Summary: A must-read for every parent who cares!
Review: This book clearly explains the concept of talking with your infant before your infant can verbally communicate. We have used this book on both of our sons. Our oldest (now 3) has a vocabulary more than most 5 year olds. When he started speaking, he was able to put words together into sentences very quickly. Even our pediatrician commented on his vocabulary skills (use of adjectives, etc.). But all of this is secondary to just being able to meet the needs of our kids. We know if they are hungry, tired, thirsty, or need a diaper change. It cuts down on the stress of trying to figure out why they are crying, etc. While it would be nice to have more "example" signs, both of our sons have adapted the signs to their abilities. Book, drink and food are all different the second time around, but we still understand what they want--thank goodness!!

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Summary: It really works!
Review: A co-worker introduced me to this book and convinced me that we should "teach" this concept to other parents. (We both are Early Childhood/Parent Educators.) At the time my daughter was 14 months old. Within one week she learned five signs. Within two months she knew over 30 signs and was using them to express emotions (i.e., scared). She is now 17 months and knows over 50 signs. Her spoken vocabulary has exploded over the last month and she now says 10-15 words. I truly believe that using sign has definately increased her verbal skills as well. My other two children were both exposed to American Sign Language at around the same age and they never got passed about 5 or 6 "formal" signs and spoke much less than my daughter does at that age. It is amazing to realize how much young children really are aware of when we just learn to "listen". This simple concept has opened a whole new dimention to parenting as well as childcare itself. Congrats to the authors of this book! It's been fun...our whole family has become more connected.

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Summary: EXCELLENT !!
Review: No, this book doesn't teach "real" sign language, but the baby signs were EXTREMELY useful for our youngest son. I wish I'd thought to do this with our oldest son!

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Summary: great stuff
Review: this is a book about COMMUNICATION. if you want to learn "correct" American Sign Language (like the previous reviewer), get yourself one of the myriads of sign books. this book shows modified signs so YOU CAN SPEAK WITH YOUR CHILD and vice versa! the pictures are so inspiring of these kids and you can see their glee at being able to tell their parents "i see a PIG!" by using the sign (or at least their version of the sign) for "pig." i wish i would have had this before my son was one year old; i didn't begin any of the signing until 18 months. a very interesting and insightful book.

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Summary: Can't wait to find out what's going on in my baby's mind!
Review: This book provides an excellent starting point for teaching early communication skills to your baby. What I particularily liked was the reference to the signs that a baby learns in any case (eg. wave bye-bye). From this example that everyone is familiar with, the authors help the reader to see how straightforward it can be to expand on the baby's natural desire, and ability, to communicate. In addition to the theory, though, the book also includes songs, examples and some sample signs - to help the reader get started. Our baby, at 8 months, immediately noticed my use of the signs -- I saw her eyes flick from watching my face, down to my hands and back to my face again when I made the sign for, and said the words, "all gone" or "where did it go?". The only question that remains for me is, what happens when using baby signs with a baby in a multi-lingual household like ours (German, English)?

Rating:
Summary: It was not what I expected.
Review: The book shows photos of various "signs" invented by toddlers and parents. It is not a book that shows the "correct" signs that would be used by the hearing impaired. I was expecting to learn some proper signs, whereas the book focuses more on the signs that evolve from parents observing their own babies.

Rating:
Summary: An easy read, easy to put into practice
Review: I read this book, thought the concept was good, and tried it. 10 months later and I'm still amazed at the vocabulary my daughter is expressing. Not only have we dramatically reduced our frustration level, we enjoy choosing signs for new words and concepts she wants to convey.