Teaching Babies How to Learn Sign Language

One of the most common causes of frustration for babies, toddlers, and parents is the difficulty to communicate. Frustration builds and leads to tantrums on all sides. It is exceedingly frustrating to be the parent of a toddler who stands there with tears running down her face saying the same unintelligible thing over and over- trust me- I was there this morning.

Teaching your baby basic signs is not going to eliminate all tantrums but it will improve communication and reduce frustration which in turn will mitigate the tantrums. If this were not enough motivation recent studies indicate that children who sign have stronger lingual development than their non signing peers and frequently score higher on IQ tests. The myth that by teaching an infant signing will hinder their spoken language development is just that: a myth. Research indicates that infants who are taught signing frequently speak earlier than non- signing peers.

Most likely, you will not be engaging in complex discourse with your 18 month old, but if she can say “more” or “all done” among a few other basic signs she will be able to communicate her needs more efficiently and you will be able to meet them without playing 20 questions or charades. Also, by meeting your baby’s needs promptly you encourage the development of trust and deepen the bond between caregiver and infant.

Teaching basic signs is not that hard. There are myriad movies and books out there that introduce variations of American Sign Language (ASL) signs or the accepted signs themselves. There is no ‘too early’ either. Pretty much right from birth you can start signing along with tasks, like signing “milk” when you nurse, don’t expect your three month old infant to sign ‘milk’ though. It like learning any language takes time. Start with a few words and introduce more words one at a time. Be consistent with your signing. All people who have regular contact with your infant should use the signs in context and use the exact same sign. Use motivating words like “play” or “ball” in addition to words that express needs such as “owie” or “hungry”.

The reason it is easier to sign than to speak is down to muscle control. The muscles of the mouth, tongue, and lips develop slower than the muscles in the hands and fingers necessary for signing. An eight month old infant will also sign differently than a 3 year old. As their abilities increase their signs will become more mature and clear. It is fascinating to watch children develop and grow. Keep with it. One day your child will make the connection and sign back to you- it may take some time though.

Check out one of the best ways to teach your baby sign language.  This resource has helped thousands of mothers teach their babies sign language and it has gotten some great reviews.

Check out Sign Language for Babies and Beyond!

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