Baby Signs: A Baby-Sized Introduction to Speaking with Sign Language

I bought this book for my new grandson. His parents are really into early education, so at the ripe age of 8 months, they are teaching him sign language as well as a few other languages, to broaden his future.

Our daughter is only 9 months old right now, a bit too young for signing yet, but recently several parents we know shared their positive experiences with using baby sign language that I figured we should get an early start with introducing both her and us to it. Last week I just came across this book in a store, and it looked like a good first book for children to begin looking at. It's a sturdy board book that includes 13 useful words that your baby will want to use -- milk, water, more, all done, diaper, sleepy, it hurts, help me, mom, dad, cat, dog, and book. As a parent, there are a few other words I'd also like to know getting started (such as, there is the sign for "more" but what about first communicating that they are "hungry" in the first place?) -- but for a child's board book, it still seems to be a good one.

Reviewed by Cayden (age 3-1/2), Max (age 18 months) Aures and Mom for Reader Views (2/08) "Baby Signs" is a sturdy board book that provides 13 signs that are helpful for a baby to learn so that he is able to communicate before he can speak. Among some of the signs taught in the book are milk, more, diaper, book and sleepy. Cayden: Points to the cover and says, "He's a baby, like you are a baby Max!" Max: "Baby" Cayden: "He threw it! There was milk in there!" (referring to the baby throwing his bowl when he was done eating) Mom: "Who does that?" Cayden: "Babies like Max!" Mom: "Maybe we should teach him the sign for `all done'" Cayden: Pointing to the illustration of how to sign diaper: "What are you supposed to do here?" Max: Pointing to the diaper that the baby put on his head "Hat, Hat!" Mom: "What was your favorite sign to learn?" Cayden: "I like this one! The dog one!" Then they both stick out their tongues and pant (which is the sign for dog). Parent's comments: Cayden and Max had already known a couple of signs that were in "Baby Signs" and recognized them right away when we got to that page. The book definitely held their interest and the illustrations as to how to do the signs along with the written directions were very helpful. I think that there is just the right number of signs so as not to be too overwhelming for a young child.