Hands That Spell: Fingerspelling Fun

What you need

• Paper, a few sheets (optional)
• Crayons or markers, 1 marker (optional)
• Hand alphabet chart, 1, printed or on a screen
• Mirror, 1

How to do it

Grown-up prep: Find a hand alphabet chart for the sign language your family wants to learn and print it, or open it on a screen. Set a mirror where kids can see their hands.

1. Look closely at the hand alphabet chart together.
2. Sit in front of the mirror and warm up your fingers.
3. Make each letter of your first name slowly, one at a time.
   Ask: Which letter was the trickiest for your fingers?
4. Spell your whole name in a smooth row, three times.
5. Learn to fingerspell the names of people in your family.
6. Take turns spelling short words while everyone else guesses.
   Ask: Can you guess the word before the last letter?
7. Learn the signs for please, thank you and friend.
8. Try a sign-only minute at dinner, then show someone new!
   Ask: Which word will you teach next?

Play it again

• Name relay: spell the name of a family member and pass it to the next person to guess.
• Silent snack: ask for your snack using only fingerspelling and signs.
• Mystery word: spell a word from a favorite book and see who guesses first.