Baby Sign Language: How to Teach Your Child to Communicate with You

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Baby Sign Language: How to Teach Your Child to Communicate with You

Baby sign language is an amazing tool. With it, your little baby, who otherwise would be unable to tell you his or her needs for months, can begin to communicate with you at a very early age.

While families in the deaf community have been aware for a long time that babies could learn to sign, it took a while for this information to become more mainstream. However, as more parents began to teach signing to their babies, the popularity of signing grew. Teaching sign language to your baby is not hard and can be incorporated into your normal daily routine.

Benefits of Signing to Your Baby

Verbal: Some people have concerns that sign language may delay their child's verbal development, but baby sign language can actually help a child start talking sooner and advance their language skills.

Emotional: Children who sign are able to express themselves. As a result, signing with your child can do a lot to eliminate those frustrating situations where your baby collapses into tears after unsuccessful attempts to make his or her needs known to you. Signing empowers your child and enables you to respond them accordingly.

Once you decide to begin teaching sign language to your baby, start by selecting an initial group of words. Many parents find that the following words provide a good foundation:

more
all done
please
thank you
eat
drink
sleep

After you've decided on the signs you plan to teach, take some time to learn them for yourself. There are many resources available.

You can find books, videos, flashcards and other teaching resources at your local library, in stores that sell baby products, your local bookstores and online. One easy way to teach sign language to your baby is by using a specially-designed learning system by companies such as Signing Time!

To teach your baby a sign, first say the word to them. Next, demonstrate the word yourself while saying the word out loud. Finally, show them how to say the word themselves in sign language.

Consistency is key to successfully teaching your baby. Be sure to sign the words every time you use them and before you know it, your baby will begin to make the associations.

When can you begin signing to your baby?

Anytime! However, most babies won't be able to begin signing back to you until they are 8-14 months old. Starting early and building sign language into your daily routine gives your baby the consistency he or she needs to learn. Your baby will learn early on that crying is not the only way to communicate.

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