Baby Signs 101

"help"

1.  It is never too late to begin signing. Most online signing resources recommend consistent signing by 6 months, but, in my experience, babies don't quickly catch on to new signs until about 12 months.  Signs are just as helpful and developmentally appropriate for a verbal 18 month old as for a non-verbal 12 month old.  Even big toddlers and children can benefit from signing!

2.  Don't give up.  The older your baby is, the easier it is to grasp the signing concept and pick up new signs.  But, even older toddlers need time to understand the correlation between the sign, the word and the object or action described.  Once the concept clicks, new signs are easily acquired.

"please"

3.  Consistency is key.  The more often your baby sees the sign and hears the corresponding word, the easier is to learn a new sign.  You might feel silly signing and repeating yourself to a baby who has not conceptualized singing but rest assured, every baby can sign!

4. Start with fun signs.  As parents, we view signs as a way to teach our very young children communication skills.  Therefore, we tend to teach helpful words as first signs -- milk, please, thank you, more, etc.  But, think about your child's interests in choosing the first signs to teach. Cat, dog, fish, fan, lights, stars, and moon are all great first signs to get your baby excited about signing.

"pig"

5.  Don't be afraid to make up your own signs.  There is no rule saying you must use the official Baby Signs sign language with your child.  Go with the flow, follow your child's lead and experiment with different signs as your baby broadens her signing vocabulary.

6.  Signing helps all babies.  Do not fear your baby will be a late talker if she learns signs.  Research states that signing helps baby's brain develop the capacity for spoken language in a way that simply talking to baby does not promote, amongst other benefits.  As previously mentioned, children of all ages can benefit from signs as a way to promote verbal development.  And of course, the emotional benefit of signing is invaluable  to a non-verbal child who can finally express herself in a positive and easily understood manner.

Online Resources:
www.babysigns.com
www.babysignlanguage.com
www.signingbaby.com
www.babies-and-sign-language.com
www.lifeprint.com