In general, we believe that the less TV Pooky watches, the better. While it’s often tempting to pawn her off on Elmo when she’s cranky, we’re trying to avoid the trap of using the TV as a pacifier. So far, I think we’re doing an okay job. That being said, one of the most useful baby products we’ve come across involves sitting Pooky in front of the tube. Pooky is actively using her brain when she watches Baby Signing Time; we can almost see the little wheels turning in her head.

We started using sign language with Pooky even before getting these videos, and found it to be incredibly useful. Through signing, she was able to communicate her basic needs clearly and quickly, allowing us to respond and avert many major meltdowns. That fact alone made signing with baby worthwhile. Still, by the time the Baby Signing Time videos arrived, we were nearing a point of diminishing returns. Since neither of us speak sign language, and since we didn’t have a ton of time to research signs to teach her or a systematic approach to expanding her sign language vocabulary, we were kinda stuck.

What Baby Signing Time offers is an easy way for baby and parents to learn together. The lessons are all song-based, and each centers around a different theme. For example, one song covers food and drink, and includes the signs “eat,” “drink,” “banana,” “cracker,” “cereal,” “water,” “milk,” “juice,” and “finished.” After a few viewing sessions, Pooky has actually learned each of these and uses them regularly. Other songs cover family members, animals, transportation, clothes, owies, please-thank you-sorry, and bed time.

The songs are so catchy, and so effective, that as soon as baby hears the opening bars she gets excited and starts signing. When we play the accompanying CDs in the car, she’ll sign along as well. Even if she’s in a particularly cranky mood, she’ll calm right down and focus on the songs. She has even started trying to sing along, which she hasn’t done with any other music. It’s amazing to see her open up to new ideas.

The result of all this has been a deeper, more rewarding level of communication with Pooky. To see beyond her immediate needs and into her idle thoughts (she’ll even sign absent-mindedly as she daydreams) is pretty awesome. Communication between us now flows much more easily in both directions, and we love it.

Baby Signing Time is a two-DVD set that can be purchased, separately or together, with or without the accompanying CDs, at the Baby Signing Time website. Prices: Entire set for $49.99; one DVD + CD for $28.99; one DVD for $19.99; one CD for $9.99.