Baby Sign Language: A Fun and Simple Guide to Early Communication

Description

Parents that have tried signing with their babies agree: it leads to less frustration, early language development, and parent-child bonding. At Sign 'n Grow, sign language instructor Mary Smith has found an eager audience looking for more than just signs . Parents need strategies and tips for teaching (and learning to recognize!) signs. They have questions that go far beyond how to say a certain word. And they want fun ways to integrate signs into their lives. In this book, Mary shares all the techniques she teaches through small-group Sign 'n Grow workshops now in print. At the core of the book are 100+ photographed, easy-to-understand signs. But what sets this book apart is Mary's experience both teaching how to use the signs properly and working as a family to get babies and parents comfortable using signs. With multiple ways to model signs, games and songs to help make learning fun, and so much info on what to watch for when babies are starting to sign, this is the ultimate guide for new parents.

Mary Smith is the founder and instructor of Sign 'n Grow Baby Sign Language. She graduated with a degree in Deaf Studies with a concentration in Deaf Education in 2010 and completed an Interpreter Training Program in 2011. She has been an American Sign Language interpreter for over 10 years, and is a Licensed Educational Interpreter with the State of Colorado. Mary launched Sign 'n Grow in June of 2020, after using baby sign language with her own daughter to great success. In just 9 months, she has gained a following of over 40,000 on Instagram, amassed an email list of 4,300, and educated over 1,500 families through live online classes and a recorded online course . Testimonials from families who have learned from her say that she is "a gifted teacher," is "knowledgeable and engaging," and "teaches in a way that is clear and fun." Families who work with Mary say that they feel more confident and encouraged to communicate with their babies, and that their babies are less frustrated because they are able to tell their parents what they want and need. Mary's passion is to bring parents and their babies closer together through the power of early communication. To see more, please visit Mary's Instagram page @signngrow or visit her Google page to see reviews of her teaching methods and curriculum.

"As a child psychologist and mother to three, I have tried to find a book that can help parents, caregivers, and teachers to teach sign language to young children and in the past was unable to find such a book. I was so excited to finally find a book that teaches these important skills. I know from both my reading of the research and my clinical experience that sign language can help to increase infants' and toddlers' communicative options and thus reduce frustration and build the parent-child bond. This book does an incredible job of breaking down each sign into easy-to-learn steps, explaining variations in the signs that you might see your child produce, and providing other tips to help parents and caregivers in this process. I will definitely be recommending this book to the families that I work with."--Dr. Cara Goodwin, PhD, Founder of Parenting Translator "Baby Sign Language by Mary Smith is a wonderful resource for parents. As a psychologist, I know for many parents, it can be so challenging when they are unsure of what their child is needing or wanting. By incorporating some sign language into their communication strategies, it can help decrease the frustration, anxiety, and uncertainty by improving ways to communicate in early development. This easy-to-follow book provides practical strategies for parents to learn ASL and new communication tools with their littles. I look forward to teaching and learning with my own daughter." --Chelsea Bodie, Psychologist and Parenting & Postpartum Expert, Founder & Owner of Mama Psychologists "As speech pathologists, we teach parents how important it is to help their child communicate their wants and needs. Baby sign language is one of the most effective ways to get a baby or toddler communicating early on. This book teaches parents and caregivers everything you need to know to get your child started on their communication journey. The information within this book is a must for all families!"--Brooke and Bridget, Speech and Language Pathologists, Founders & Owners of Speech Sisters "Finally the perfect book to learn everything you need to know about baby sign language! The visuals and descriptions are absolutely incredible. Expert Mary Smith somehow predicts what questions you would ask and answers them all. Trust me, this resource will make parenthood so much easier!"--Allison Jandu, Founder & Owner of Potty Training Consultant