Parents urged to sign up to baby speech classes

Donna O’Donoghue said she found out about the benefits of baby signing while she was pregnant with her son, Joseph.

“I was keen to attend baby classes and came across the TinyTalk Baby Signing website a few months after Joseph was born,” she said.

“The teacher franchise package caught my eye and after finding out more about it, I decided to join the growing team of TinyTalk teachers.”

Donna said she had started to sign with Joseph when he was six months old and he did his first meaningful sign “milk” at 13 months.

“By 17 months old, Joseph had a signing vocabulary of more than 10 signs with some of his favourites being mummy, daddy, food and star,” she said.

“I really feel that signing has helped us to avoid the frustration many babies feel when they try to communicate but we adults are unable to understand them.

“Apart from being able to tell me when he was thirsty or hungry, when he wanted to listen to music or even if he wanted me to clean the table when he dropped something. Signing has also allowed me to gain an insight into what he is thinking or looking at.”

Classes consist of singing nursery rhymes and action songs with appropriate signs followed by a social time for babies and their parents.

Donna said baby signing was not only useful with pre-verbal children, but for older children as well. “At 17 months old, Joseph is already starting to make efforts in words, which, considering he was born prematurely, is fantastic,” she said. “Obviously there are words which are harder than others to pronounce and will come in time. Signing has become an integrated part of our lives and I know we will continue to have lots of fun.”

Classes will be held at Captain Barney’s play café, in Railway Street, Malton, starting on Thursday, February 26, at 10.30am.

For more information, email donnao@tinytalk.co.uk or go to Donna’s Facebook page, TinyTalk Driffield and Surrounding Areas.