Deafinitely Communicating

This summer, we've decided to try something a little different. 👇

Every Sunday, all summer long, we'll be sharing one small, research-backed tip to help you connect, communicate, and build language with your Deaf or Hard of Hearing child during everyday moments.

We're calling it the Sunday Signing Series. 🤟
12 Sundays. 12 tips. All grounded in real research, practical, and immediately applicable to your everyday interactions.

The goal: Support families in identifying and making the most of the everyday moments. Why? These small moments are where language actually grows.

This series is for everyone - parents, grandparents, caregivers, extended family members, and professionals who work with DHH children and their families.

Starting next Sunday, June 14th. Save this and share it with a family who needs it. Let's do this together. 🤍

[ID: A bright yellow graphic with bold blue block, white-outlined letters reading "Sunday Signing Series." A joyful young girl with curly hair laughs and raises her hand. Text reads: "Join us for… 12 Sundays. Research-backed tips. June 14." Deafinitely Communicating logo (waving hand inside of a black chat bubble) in the bottom right corner.]

🎶"Summer, summer, summertime. Time to sit back and unwind." 🎶

This song randomly came to mind the other day and I felt it needed a little remix 😏😎

Summer is one of the best times to practice signing as a family. If you're like me, the busyness of the school year rush is gone, the mornings are slower, and you have more moments when you're actually looking at one another. These moments are perfect for sign language and connection.

Whether your child wears hearing aids, a cochlear implant, both, or neither, seize this summer to get more hands up practice as a family and simultaneously support your child's language development, access, belonging, and connection.

🌞😎 Drop your favorite summer emoji in the comments and let us know how the summer's been for you so far.

[ID: 4 slides in a carousel
Slide 1: An illustrated young Black boy in a striped shirt and sideways navy baseball cap grins with his arms crossed against a pink background. Bold orange and green text reads "SUMMER."

Slide 2: An illustrated young child with blonde hair holds a giant slice of watermelon up to their face, eyes peeking over the top, wearing a pink gingham dress against a pink background. Bold orange and green text reads "SUMMER."

Slide 3: Five illustrated children of different ethnicities stand together smiling, wearing colorful swimsuits and snorkel gear, arms around each other against a pink background. Bold orange and green text reads "SUMMERtime..."

Slide 4: Illustrated hands of diverse skin tones reach upward against a pink background, with one large hand in the center making the ILY handshape in ASL. Cursive and bold orange text reads "Time to sit back and JUST SIGN."]

🚨 We're almost full and the deadline is almost here 😬.

Registration for Mission Possible: Full Bloom closes next Friday, June 12th. Families of deaf and hard of hearing children, PreK through 6th grade, join us for a 5-day, bilingual, ASL/English Deaf day camp in Mesa, AZ.

If you or someone you know has a Deaf or hard of hearing child in Arizona's East Valley, please share this. Tag them! One week of belonging can change the way a child sees themselves. Let's make sure they're in the room

Register through the link in our bio.

[ID: A bright yellow graphic with bold dark green text reading "1 Week Left to Register." In the center is the camp flyer for East Valley Deaf Camp "Mission Possible: Full Bloom," showing camp details for July 13–17, 2026, 9AM–12PM, PreK–6th grade, open to Deaf, hard of hearing, CODAs, and SODAs. To the right, bold text calls out 8 spots remaining, scholarships available, and a registration deadline of Friday, June 12th.]

Supporting your child's language doesn't have to feel like extra work. If it does, I invite you to take a step back and take inventory of what you're already doing each day. Ask yourself, "What am I already doing?". Then, add language to it!
Everyday moments are natural opportunities to keep signing rich and consistent during a break. Make the most of these moments by connecting intentionally even in the "little" moments.

You've got this ❤

[ID: Image 1 (Cover slide): A young Black girl in a yellow floral tank top shades her eyes with one hand and looks up toward a bright blue sky, smiling. Bold text reads: "3 ways to Sign Through the Summer and increase connection!"

Image 2 (Sign at Mealtime)
A white plate of golden chicken nuggets with two dipping sauces — ketchup and ranch — on a bright blue background. Text reads: "Sign at Mealtime — Name what's on the table. Sign the food, drinks, and utensils. Fingerspell the names of people and identify their roles."

Image 3 (Sign on a Walk)
A Black family of three — a mom, young daughter, and two men — walk together down a gravel path surrounded by evergreen trees on a cloudy day. Text reads: "Sign on a Walk — Complete a nature hunt. Find 5–10 things to look for. Spot it, sign/say it."

Image 4 (Sign During Routines)
A light blue background with cutout images of pink sneakers, denim shorts, a young Black boy brushing his teeth, and two open hands illustrating the sign WANT. Text reads: "Sign During Routines — Sign while getting dressed in the morning. Let your child sign back what they need rather than reaching or pointing."]

In honor of (do people still do that? 🤷🏾‍♀️), let's talk about where Deaf Camp first began!

In the summer of 2023, a group of curious and creative kids became the very first Mission Possible detectives. 🗂 The week was about building an ASL-immersive space where Deaf and hard of hearing children could connect, communicate, and create memories with their peers while their families did the same. It wasn't perfect, but it was purposed.

At the end of the week, families gathered for a parent seminar focused on promoting communication in the home and the beautifully complex, incredibly meaningful journey of parenting a child who is Deaf or hard of hearing. The seminar was led by 2 Deaf adults and something that many families still reflect on today.

That first camp planted a seed. And now, three years later, Mission Possible: Full Bloom is almost here. Camp is a little over a month away and lots of behind the scenes work is being done to ensure an accessible, fun, and language-rich camp experience for all - volunteers, campers, and families.

Registration is open until Friday, June 12th. 8 tickets remain!

🔗 Link in comments to register + support the mission.
Image description in comments.