Paul and Patricia Geers developed Fingerspelling Blocks to help their son, who is deaf, more easily learn Sign Language.

The Geers knew young children had difficulty translating two-dimensional drawings of the alphabet into three-dimensional use with their hands.

But when they developed a set of ABC blocks with a Sign Language hand shape on top, their son and other children rapidly learned it and were signing and spelling short words as early as the age of three.

Fingerspelling Blocks include 26 durable plastic blocks embossed with brightly colored letters on the front and sides. Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a hand shape on the top and an object on the back that begins with the corresponding letter.

With Fingerspelling Blocks, children can feel and and see the hand shapes from various angles, making the signs easier to reproduce with their own hands.