Baby Sign Language - My Baby Can Talk Review

I was always one of those parents who scoffed when I heard of other parents who were teaching their babies to sign. Then my second child was born with Down Syndrome, and our pediatrician suggested that we teach him how to sign before his first birthday since children with Down Syndrome are usually speech delayed. He told me that learning sign language could cut down on many of the tantrums that children throw simply because they are not able to communicate what they want or need. I spent the first few weeks after his birth researching different baby signing programs to try out on my 19-month-old. The one I went with was the My Baby Can Talk series. I must say that it is some of the best money that I have ever spent on a children's DVD.

My oldest usually ignores the TV when it is on. I've tried everything from Sesame Street to Veggie Tales. As soon as I put on our new My Baby Can Talk DVD he was hooked. Both DVDs use live pictures and toys to show the sign being taught. The sign is demonstrated first by an adult, so the parents can learn it, and then by a child so that the parents can see how their child might do the sign. There is lively classical music in the background and the DVD progresses at a good pace for a toddler. All signs taught are the American Sign Language signs, so, if they continue to use them after spoken language is acquired, they will be able to communicate a little bit with the hearing impaired.

The first DVD in the series is the My Baby Can Talk - First Signs DVD. It is for ages 10 months to 36 months, and it will teach your baby such signs as milk, drink, go, cow, more, shoes, etc... There are 20 signs that are learned on the First Signs DVD. It also comes with a Signing Reference card and a parent tutorial that will help the parent teach their child how to sign.

The second DVD is called My Baby Can Talk - Sharing Signs. This DVD teaches 28 signs including diaper, daddy, mommy, help, share, please, and thank you. It also comes with the handy Signing Reference card and parent tutorial.