Babies and toddlers learn ASL at The Learning Experience in Clovis

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- American Sign Language is helping infants and toddlers communicate with their teachers and family.

Starting as early as six months old, The Learning Experience in Clovis is teaching signs and gestures to the young learners.

"We try to incorporate it during like our routines -- like when we wash hands or when we get ready for lunchtime," said Destiny Tinoco. "We'll say 'Oh, do you guys want to eat?'"

It might come as a surprise to some, but according to the teachers, the kiddos learn sign language fairly quickly.

"They've picked up within the first month of them being here," said Kassidy Cha. "I think they see a lot of our other kids do it. They look at them like 'Oh, I want to try that,' and they'll do it."

This knowledge is also practiced outside the classroom -- with the child's family.

Maria Diaz enrolled her son at the daycare in May. She had concerns about a possible speech delay.

"Before, he would get very frustrated when trying to communicate like if he needed help, or even just milk or water, just the simple needs," she said. "It was a little bit frustrating as a parent, but bringing him here and him learning ASL and his teachers being great about it -- he's picked it up and even gave him that confidence to even just use his words now."

The kids learn basic words essential to their world, such as: thank you, more, please and hungry. Then a new word is taught every month.

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