Signing with a Baby

For some, maybe sci-fi; for others, a great means of communication with small children. If you have not heard of baby sign language yet, do not worry, it is nothing complicated, and for children it is great fun, during which they can communicate without any problem with us adults, when they still cannot speak or can, but only a little.

What is baby sign language?

When you say sign language, everyone surely imagines deaf people communicating through signs made with their hands. Baby sign language is a little different. The signs are simpler, and you can adapt and invent them with children in any way you like. It is only communication between you; no one else needs to understand it.

Children can start signing very early, for example if they are carried in a wrap/carrier, they often rub their nose from side to side, which tells us that they need to pee. Or they push their head into our chest, like a pecking chicken, and that then means they want milk. There are many such signs, we just do not realize that they are signs. In fact, even waving “bye-bye” or moving the head from side to side “no-no” are also signs.

Why sign?

According to studies, children who sign have a larger vocabulary and also a higher IQ. At the same time, these children are less frustrated when their parents do not understand them. Sometimes they point, for example, out of the window, but the parents do not know what they are pointing at—whether it is a tree, the sun, a bird, or a dog. With signs, communication with parents or older siblings is then easier for them.

When should you start signing?

You can sign with babies from birth, however the ideal time to start is from 6 months, when the first solid foods are introduced. So you begin with a few signs such as eat, drink, more, finished, bib, and gradually add more and more.

If your child is already, say, one year old and you have not started sign language yet, that is no problem at all. It is never too late to start. And if you already have, for example, a two-year-old child who still does not speak, you can also try signing with them and help them “find their voice.”

When can you expect the first results?

You can expect a child to start signing around 10 months. Some children manage it earlier, while others do so later, around 12 to 15 months. If the child is also practicing a skill such as crawling or walking during this period, then they may not have time for signing. So it is important to be patient and keep showing the signs to the child and wait until they want to copy them.

Final advice

If you do not sign with your child and do not plan to, that does not mean you are a bad mom. And neither does it mean that if you have been signing with your child for several months and they do not want to copy the signs. Every one of us just does it differently, and that is okay. Sign language is a great helper for communication with our children, however it is not for everyone. If sign language appeals to you, then there is nothing easier than taking a look at the sign language dictionary and starting to sign.