Sign Language Classes for Babies & Toddlers Announced in MetroWest Boston

Sept. 7, 2009 - PRLog -- (Ashland, MA) Sign, Play & Learn is pleased to announce the launch of 10-session signing play classes for infants and toddlers held this fall in Hopkinton and Holliston, Massachusetts. Using the research-proven strategies and techniques of the renowned Signing Smart program, parents open the door to early communication, facilitated speech, increased closeness, and long-term learning. ( http://www.signplayandlearn.com )

This fun and engaging play class aimed at children aged 6 to 24-months old builds an American Sign Language (ASL) vocabulary while playing, singing, and exploring carefully chosen props in a purposeful way. Large group activities as well as weekly small group activity centers offer tangible strategies to teach babies how to sign back more quickly.

Sign, Play & Learn founder and instructor, Lane Rebelo comments on the value of signing with infants and toddlers, “I personally experienced the thrill of signing with my daughter when she was an infant. Soon after we started, she was learning new signs every day and using them to let me know what she was thinking, what she remembered and what fascinated her. I was hooked! At the time, there were no infant and toddler signing programs in the area. Now, I am excited to bring Signing Smart play classes and workshops to the MetroWest Boston area. I hope you'll join me!”

Play Classes are great for families new to signing as well as for those who may have already started. Come enjoy developmentally-based activities that foster closeness and communication between you and your baby. You will learn the Signing Smart Start as well as how many and which signs to use throughout your signing journey.

In our classes, you will learn how to:

- Utilize strategies and techniques to engage your baby in signing
- Recognize your baby's earliest versions of signs
- Integrate ASL into your child's long-term cognitive learning
- Make signing simple, accessible and fun!
- Activities are structured to facilitate both linguistic and cognitive development, building up children's conceptual understanding, memory, and vocabulary. Play Classes are full of both useful signs as well as ones that are most motivating to your child.

Classes Start Sept. 21: Register Now
10-session play classes are enrolling now. Holliston classes will be held at St. Michael’s Church Parish Center on Mondays at 10:45 am, starting September 21, 2009. Hopkinton classes will be held at St. John’s Church Parish Center on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:45 am, starting September 30, 2009 and September 26, 2009 respectively.

Registration fees are $175 include ten 45-minute play classes; “Treasure Chest: Toys and Signs” DVD; “ASL Video Glossary” DVD; and “Signing Smart for Early Communication: Beginner Handbook.” To register and to learn more about Signing Smart classes offered by Sign, Play & Learn, visit http://www.signplayandlearn.com.

Free Preview Classes Coming Up
Parents are invited to try Signing Smart by attending free preview classes scheduled prior to the start of the fall sessions. The Holliston preview class will be held on Monday, Sept. 14, 2009 from 10:45 - 11:30 am. Hopkinton preview classes will be held Saturday, Sept. 19, and Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009 from 10:45 - 11:30 am. Register online at http://www.signplayandlearn.com.

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Sign, Play & Learn offers play classes and workshops in MetroWest Boston (Holliston, Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Medway, Milford, Bellingham) that teach sign language for infants and toddlers as an enrichment activity that fosters early communication. Sign, Play & Learn uses the Signing Smart program, an innovative, research-backed curriculum that offers a suite of resources that give parents the tools they needed to easily integrate signing into their hectic lives.