Three Free Baby Sign Language Resources
Going to a baby sign language course is a really enjoyable activity to do with your new baby. It gets you out of the house and you meet other mums. But you don't need to go to a course to learn baby sign language.
Here are links to my three favourite free resources to get you started.
I’ve found most of the baby signing products use a cute cartoon baby to demonstrate the sign. Sure it’s cute, but the sign isn’t always clear. This app is created by the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children, obviously for deaf and blind children. It is not a baby signing product, it’s even better! You get a free dictionary of 150 words with photos and videos to demonstrate. You can purchase 500 words if you are really serious, but I've found about 80-100 words is plenty for pre-verbal babies! Search Auslan Tutor on iTunes to download the app.
These are loads of fun for long car rides when you need a game you can keep playing over and over and over again. Again they use real, easy to recognise photographs instead of abstract cartoons. My daughter loved these cards when she was just starting out. This website also offers a poster which you can stick up at day-care or the grandparents house so they can understand your baby. The only problem is the signs are American, not Australian
If you are feeling like baby sign language just isn’t going to work then jump on Youtube and search for baby sign language. If a video of a one-year-olds signing a six-word sentence “I want some milk please mummy” doesn’t motivate you nothing will!
To find out more about learning Auslan reach out to your local deaf community.