‘Where is the Bird?’ (https://amzn.to/36a7DuW) is a book + smartphone app designed to go wherever you go. Turn the pages and ‘wake up’ magical illustrations that pop-up out of the page through your smartphone as augmented reality (AR) animations, before being paired with a video of the British Sign Language (BSL) sign.

The potential impact of using sign language with ANY child before they can speak is huge. It increases communication between parents and pre-verbal children across deaf and hearing communities, and has the potential to reduce the ‘Terrible Twos’, a time when hearing children have independent thoughts and wishes, but cannot express them.

The app is a free resource for 20 BSL signs (in the Search menu) and advice on 'How to Sign with Your Baby' from the Deaf Studies Trust. In order for the augmented reality to work, the app MUST be used together with the ‘Where is the Bird? ’book,. The book is available from Amazon, priced £8.99 (https://amzn.to/36a7DuW).

‘Where is the Bird?’ was conceived by Victoria Forrest after a frustrating experience learning sign language with her hearing baby. “I’d heard of baby sign language as a way to speak to babies before they could talk,” says Victoria, “It made perfect sense, but the teaching assets were difficult.” ‘Where is the Bird?’ playfully introduces all British families to this easy-to-learn language. “We’re using simple and fun technologies to introduce all families to sign language through play.”

“Maya (3) still remembered all the signs we showed her several days later. Even the signs, like bird, that we’d forgotten!” — Owen, father.

“It really is such a gift! Everlynn would sign as soon as she felt unwell. We saw friends going through ear infections and illness with their little ones screaming. They weren’t able to find out what was wrong until they got a doctors appointment.” — Lottie, mother