But the children aren't using their voices for this early communication. They're using their hands.

Young toddlers and their parents have been taking part in "Baby Sign Language," a class teaching them alternate ways of communicating with their children who may not have developed regular speech yet.

Instructor Mary Ann Walker shows families basic signs that can be used for everyday activities and performs kid-friendly songs with sign language.

"Every child has the ability to sign," said Walker, who also teaches for Hayward Adult School and Parent Education.

As it is with many abilities, some children will learn signing quickly while others may take longer to pick it up, she said.

The class is ideal for children between 7 months and 18 months of age because of where they are developmentally.

"They really know what they want, but they don’t have a way to communicate that," Walker said.

Communicating through sign language allows children to share their needs and wants with their parents and caretakers, which can help prevent temper trantrums, Walker said.

Held in a daycare classroom at Horizon High School in Pleasanton, parents and children sit in a circle, some in rocking chairs, others on floor mats.

They sing songs aloud and silently, using their hands all the while. They go through a review of about 60 words, including commonly used signs such as "milk," "change" and "thank you."

New mom Jennifer Sawin recently completed a fiveweek course with her 4monthold daughter, Julia, and her mother, Jackie Tiffany, all of Tracy.

Although Julia still may be too young to perform the signs, Sawin said she has been teaching the signs to friends with older children.

"I think we learned a lot," she said of the class. "It was very interesting and exciting."

Sawin and her mom are both teachers and agreed that the sign language seems to help with regular language development.

"It’s just neat to know you can communicate with your child before they actually speak," Sawin said.

Dublin resident Carmina Brittain has been learning sign language to use with her 9monthold son, Alexander.

Alexander already is being raised bilingually in English and Spanish, and Brittain said the sign language can help ease the confusion between the two.

She already has noticed her son develop some of the signing skills and attributes this to Walker’s course.

"I think this class is great because they can give you signs that you can use right away," Brittain said.

Walker plans to teach Baby Sign Language again in the fall. She will also be teaching a “You and Your Baby” course and a "Movement Magic" course for Hayward Adult School over the summer.

By Lea Blevins