If all newborns could come with an instruction book, this would be it.

That’s what Kenneth Kosik of the Neuroscience Research Institute had to say about the book Bright From The Start: The Simple, Science-Backed Way to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind from Birth to Age 3 by Dr. Jill Stamm.

Dr. Harvey Karp (Happiest Baby on the Block) calls this book “a gem” and David Perlmutter, M.D. (Raise a Smarter Child by Kindergarten) says it gives parents “the most leading-edge approach to maximizing your children’s intellectual potential.” We really like this book , too! That’s why, for a limited time only, we are including this important book in our Baby Sign Language Start Kit.

This book is a natural fit with Baby Signing Time. Dr. Stamm explains why:

The evidence is overwhelming that early communication plays a critical role in future academic success and in healthy social-emotional development. There is little doubt that sign language can play a significant role in facilitating the parent-child bond, which is the cornerstone of healthy brain development.

About Bright From the Start
Should I really read to my baby? Is all TV bad, or only some TV? What kind of toys do babies need? Can teaching a baby sign language really boost IQ? Should I pipe classical music into the nursery? Dr. Jill Stamm translates the latest neuroscience findings into clear explanations and practical suggestions, demonstrating the importance of the simple ways you interact with your child every day. Stamm shows parents how to nurture their infant’s brain through ABCs: Attention, Bonding, and Communication. Practical games and tips for each developmental age group will show you not only what the latest findings are. but more importantly, tell you what to do with them.

About the Baby Sign Language Starter Kit
Your little one has a lot to say and with sign language you don’t have to wait for her first word to know what’s on her mind. The Baby Sign Language Starter Kit makes it fun and easy for you and your baby to learn simple signs you can use to communicate before she learns to talk. This family-friendly Baby Sign Language Starter Kit will teach you 24 of the most useful signs that correlate to baby’s “first words.” Original music, darling animation, and Emmy-nominated host Rachel Coleman make this kit a must-have for any family. Baby Sign Language Starter Kit contains:

• Baby Signing Time Volume 1 DVD – approx. 30 minutes long
• Baby Signing Time Volume 1 CD – with eight original songs
• Baby Signing Time Volume 1 Flash Card Set – contains 24 cards with D-ring
• Bright From The Start by Dr. Jill Stamm

View the Baby Sign Language Starter Kit

Earlier this month, we announced a Facebook Giveaway contest for a FREE  Flash Cards Set 4-6.

Almost 100 of you entered the contest by “Liking” this new product. The stories and comments that you added to our blog were incredibly fun to read and downright inspirational, too!

And our lucky winner is…

Bari Hyatton
06 Jan 2011 We have been signing with our 17 month old deaf daughter since birth and have relied on the Signing Time videos and products to help teach her sign language. She has close to a 100 word vocabulary now and communicates much more than her hearing peers do!

Congratulations, Bari! To claim your prize, please email your name, mailing address and phone number to leeann@signingtime.com.

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Didn’t win? No worries! You can still save 15% with promo code flash15
Promo code expires January 31st

Congratulations to our 12 Days of Signing Time Holiday Giveaway winners*:

Will your name be next? Make it happen by entering today:

1. Become a fan of Signing Time on Facebook at any time during the contest.
2. Go to Signingtime.com and click on the page for a product you like, but don’t have yet.
3. Copy the URL (web address) of the page.
4. Paste the URL in to your Facebook profile STATUS followed by “This Signing Time product is on my holiday wish list.” Then tag “Signing Time” so your entry gets recorded. (How do I ‘tag’ in my status?) Note: If your post doesn’t show up on the Signing Time Facebook page due to your privacy settings, you can copy and paste your entry into an email and send it to facebook@signingtime.com.
5. Get a second entry by telling your friends about the giveaway (see below).
6. Check  the Signing Time Facebook page daily to see if you’ve won!
7. Daily winners will need to email facebook@signingtime.com with the following to claim their prize: Name, Address and phone number.

Good luck!

The Signing Time Customer Care Team

1. Go to your Facebook profile page and click on the “Notes” tab. (If you don’t have a Notes Tab, click on the plus sign and add it.)
2. Create a note with the subject line: “Enter the 12 Days of Signing Time Giveaway Contest”
3. Put this text in the body of the note:
   12 Days of Signing Time Holiday Giveaway, December 1-12th. Winners announced daily! http://www.signingtime.com/blog/2010/12/giveaway/
4. Tag “Signing Time” in the note. Look the Signing Time profile photo of Rachel, Alex and Leah. (How do I ‘tag’ in my note?)
5. Tag your Facebook friends, too!
6. Publish your note.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT – November 18, 2010 – When the concept of using sign language with hearing babies was first introduced to the American public, critics dismissed it as a “parlor trick.” Since that time, infant signing has become an accepted parenting practice and has been integrated into early childhood education programs. In the recently-released second edition of “Heading Home with your Newborn: From Birth to Reality,” published by the American Academy of Pediatrics*, authors Laura Jana, MD, FAAP and Jennifer Shu, MD, FAAP comment on this phenomenon:

“Infant sign language really does deliver on its promise of improved communication…It’s easy to see why so many parents swear by it, and why childcare centers include it in their infant and toddler classrooms, and why it has become so commonplace as an activity of daily learning.” pp. 173-174

The popularity of baby sign language is no surprise. Parents who sign with their babies before they learn to talk see the immediate benefit: reduced frustration. Signing helps them know what their babies want, allowing them to respond to their needs quickly. It cuts down on the guesswork that is common to parenting a preverbal infant.

“Their hands give them a clear and powerful ‘voice’ – quite a contrast to the whining and pointing traditionally associated with toddlerhood,” said Rachel Coleman, co-creator and host of the popular series Baby Signing Time. “The truth is, that using ASL signs with hearing babies is revolutionizing early learning and parenting in America.” Continue Reading »

This summer, take Rachel, Alex, Leah, and Hopkins with you everywhere you go. With sturdy board books, CDs and DVDs, you can keep little hands (and minds) busy where ever you are — in the car, at the park, by the pool, on vacation, anywhere. To help you stock up, we’re offering 10% off of your purchase of $100 or more.

Continue Reading »