The baby sign trend has been picking up steam over the past 20 years and is used in a lot of childcare centers and by parents alike. It makes great sense as their fine motor skills are developing ahead of their oral motor skills and they can use their hands to express themselves before they are able to do so orally. Babies typically can’t use signs until they are around eight to nine months, but we can start teaching them as early as six months because some studies are showing that they understand the signs much earlier.
It is believed that there is a gap between what babies want to say and what they are capable of saying, so simple sign language can help bridge that gap.
Here are some tips to get started:
- First teach your baby that the hand signal means something by adding gestures to songs, waving bye-bye, blowing kisses, and giving thumbs up.
- Be patient. Your baby may take a few months to attempt the signs themselves, but they are watching and learning.
- Continue to talk to your baby along with the sign language. It does not take the place of speaking.
- Repetition is key. Make it part of your daily habit.
- Sign words that have meaning to your baby such as bottle, love, mommy, more, please, and thank you.
- Share the signs with your baby’s caregivers.
There are several baby sign books, apps, youtube videos, and websites to learn some basic signs to get started.
Resources:
Garcia, J. (2004). Sign With Your Baby: How to Communicate with Infants Before They Can Speak. Sign 2 Me. Seattle, Wa.
These Hands Were Made for Talking. Healthychildren.org https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/These-Hands-Were-Made-for-Talking.aspx