A BABY signing class is looking to expand after a successful decade.

The Bolton and Bury sections of national group Sing and Sign are the longest running classes in the area, with the first babies from the classes now in secondary school.

Julia Cazin has been teaching the classes for five years, discovering the group with her own child.

She teaches in Harwood, Bury, Dunscar and Lostock and is looking to expand after Easter.

Julia said: "I love teaching Sing and Sign and often stay in touch with families I’ve met in class.

"It’s fascinating watching these children grow up and seeing their progress. I love bumping into them out and about and them asking about Jessie Cat.

"I’m so glad I started this as a hobby all those years ago and I’ve learnt so much about brain development along the way.

"Sing and Sign is so much more than a baby signing class and helping parents reduce the frustration for their baby is just the beginning."

The classes are suitable for babies under two and a half, with three age groups – up to five months, five to 15 months, and 15-30 months.

The Babes programme has new classes starting soon, and teaches parents songs to sing whilst holding eye contact with their newborn and offers new parents a chance to meet others in a small and friendly environment.

Stage one classes teach basic signs to families, using songs, props, and pictures.

Stage two classes touch on colours, numbers, and potty training, as well as the phonics alphabet.

Parents have given strong feedback to Julia, with Rachel and Russ saying their daughter, Athena, could ask for milk at eight-months-old without having to cry, and at 18-months can express pain and what hurts.

Neelu says her son Veeraj, 19-months-old, can communicate beyond his verbal ability, allowing her to gauge how much he understands, and help her to teach her son to be bilingual like her.

Emily first brought her daughter Elsie, now 23-months-old, to classes when she was tiny to help the pair bond, and signing has helped the pair to understand each other so Emily is now bringing her four-month-old son Albert to classes too.

Contact Juliacazin@singandsign.co.uk for more information.