Welcome to the Signing with Friends sign language program for babies and toddler.! We are Tulsa's premiere location for baby sign language classes, products and support and have been providing services for over 4 years and over 100 families. Signing with Friends is a division of Natural Lullabies and adheres to the same great standard for classes, products and fine services. Previously called "Signing Tots", Signing with Friends is a program developed to provide quality education, support and fun when it comes to Baby Sign Language. Our unique classes provide a play environment where tots can explore, laugh, sing and of course learn to use their little hands to communicate.

Enjoy our class and make the most of those precious moments. Through interactive play and a relaxed atmosphere, parents and caregivers are able to relax and enjoy learning the important tips on communicating with young children.

ABOUT OUR CLASSES

We have a workshop "Intro to Baby Sign Language" where families can learn about the benefits, ways to incoporate sign language into your family, basic signs to start with, and how to have fun with it!

We are excited to now be offering an overview of the basics of baby sign language in our new 90 minute workshop.  This new class will show parents how to incorporate baby sign language into their family.  We will cover approx. 15-20 signs, discuss the benefits of using sign language with babies and toddlers and talk about how children learn signs. We recommend purchasing a pack of 25 Baby Signs Flashcards along with this class as a way to insure remembering the signs better. These are available in our boutique.

2008 Workshop Dates: October 11th
Times: 10:00 am - 11:30 am
WORKSHOP RATES: Each workshop is $40.00 per couple (additional person is $20) - Babies are FREE!

ABOUT BABY SIGN LANGUAGE
Baby Sign Language is a growing trend among parents, caregivers, day cares and other health care providers. Communicating with your child is so important as a parent and we have found through studies, research and our own experience that children can begin using their hands to communicate months before their voices. There have been several books published and studies completed on the use of sign language in hearing infants.

Some of the benefits of baby sign language include:

• Signing reduces frustration of the child (and subsequently the parent).
• Baby Sign Language makes verbal communication easier for the child.
• Using sign language stimualtes the child's mental development.
• Signing increases the bond between parent and child.
• Signs can be easier to learn over words becasue they represent the activity
• It's fun!

WHY SIGN WITH YOUR BABY?
You might be wondering, can babies communicate with sign language?  Absolutely!  Babies develop the basic understanding of two-way communication by 6-10 months old.  What they lack is the motor skills; they do not have the fine motor skills necessary to manipulate their mouth and tongue to form words.  However, babies can purposefully manipulate their hands and arms, which is perfect for sign language! 

BABY SIGNS RESEARCH

• Can Baby Sign Language delay Speech? (MSN 6/6/05)
• Impact of Symbolic Gesturing on Early Language Development (2000) - PDF
• Baby Sign Language, A Growing Movement (4/25/06)

OUR INSTRUCTORS

Alicia Stephens, B.G.S., M.H.R
Alicia began learning sign language as a young child from her mother. Her interest in signing grew as she got older and took more classes. She studied sign language at the University of Kansas , where she earned a bachelors degree in Human Development and Family Life, specializing in Child Care and Development. She assisted in research looking at sign language in hearing infants; the journal article. She then earned a Masters in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma . Alicia has one daughter, Taylor, that she signs with on a regular basis and is expecting her second in the Fall 2008.

Emily Fritts
Emily graduated from the University of Washington in 2004 with a degree in Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, hoping one day to become a teacher when her children start school. She and her husband moved to Tulsa in 2004 and started their family.  They have two boys, Ethan who is 3, and Owen who is 1. Emily has been interested in the deaf culture since high school where she worked with deaf children on a regular basis.  Every since then she decided that she would somehow make a difference in the deaf community.  Emily took sign language courses in college and is now teaching the language at her son’s preschool and to families here at Natural Lullabies.