Baby Signing Time - Review

By Tina Lalonde

I put this video on our TV. while my 4 year old was playing quietly in the family room with some toys. I was curious what her reaction to the Baby Signing Time - Let’s Be Friends video might be and did not want to influence her in any way so I said nothing to her before I put it on. As soon as she saw the little babies and young children in the video, she dropped what she was doing and stood in front of the TV! She began trying to sing along and mimic their actions. She was mesmerized!

I really liked how well this video was made.  The incorporation of songs and upbeat music to continually show each sign being made by children helped to keep her interest.  The rapid screen change from child to child, who each performed the target sign, kept my daughter engaged and allowed her plenty of opportunity to practice positioning her fingers until she could be successful.  This video claims to be geared toward children 3 months to 3 years.  My 4 year old loves anything to do with real babies so this video spoke straight to her.  What I found even more amazing than my younger daughters total participation and interest in the video was the interest my 10 year old daughter showed!  She had been playing on the computer but decided to join us by the TV when she saw us having fun.  She enjoyed encouraging her little sister and poking fun at the songs.  Even though she thought she was acting appropriately “cool” she was sitting there, watching the 45 min. video and taking in all the signs.      

The narrator, “Rachel,” came across as animated, enthusiastic and warm.  We all had to laugh out loud when the food section of the video began and Rachel was wearing a big white bib! 

Overall, I found this video to be two thumbs up!! The pace of the signs being presented was good.  There were multiple opportunities to practice each sign along with other children demonstrating them and the vocabulary choices blended well together.  It was a fun way to spend some time together with two of my daughters in the afternoon and a chance to see what we could remember in the evening over dinner.  It was time well spent.