In the past few days I have been asked many times at what age a child is too old to learn baby sign language. I realize that this maybe a reflection on how I have been promoting My Smart Hands Saskatoon. I am now taking steps to redefine the goal of my business. From here on My Smart Hands will be teaching sign language for pre-verbal babies and hearing toddlers!  How exciting!! Some of you may be sitting there thinking… well toddlers can speak. The truth of the matter is even at 1 years of age a child only has a small vocabulary. They do not know enough words to express their need and feelings. Baby and Toddler sign language is the key in this gap! Toddlers can successfully learn to sign as well as increase their vocabulary! Infact, those children who are signed to actually (when comparied to children who are not exposed to ASL!):

-have a larger vocabulary

-able to express their needs, feelings and wants

-speak sooner

-are better able to articulate words

Here are a few links from My Smart Hands exploring the wonderful concept of toddler signing!

Here is a few links on toddler sign language!

Frieese, Laura Berg’s daughter, is 17 months old in this video and she is attempting to sign and sing the alphabet!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCUdDmb1Ttw

Frieese at 2.5 years of age and she is spelling words!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2taSJ08Ho8w

Here is a link for more information on toddler sign language. At his age we would work on baby sign- signing to words before spelling and reading!
http://www.babies-and-sign-language.com/toddler-sign-language.html

Happy Signing

My Smart Hands Saskatoon