Are you getting suggestions from other parents, doctors, or therapists telling you to teach your baby or toddler sign language?
Many people are surprised by this suggestion and may have a few questions before using sign language with their babies:
- Will teaching my baby sign language delay speech?
- Won’t using sign language with babies confuse them?
- Will teaching babies sign language before speech cause them not to talk?
- How will they learn to actually talk when they are just using sign?
Let’s take a minute now to look at how exactly teaching your child basic sign language will impact their development and why it is becoming a common language development technique.
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Pros of Sign Language for Babies
Teaching Sign Language is Easier Than Teaching Words
When you look at language development one of the most important skills a child needs to learn to be able to talk is IMITATION.
And guess what?
Imitating actions is MUCH easier than imitating words.
So starting with signs or gestures first makes sense.
It is easier to imitate gestures or signs because larger physical movements are easier to imitate than small mouth movements that you can’t see.
It is also easier to teach a sign instead of a word because you can help teach your child by physically helping them through the motions.
For example, you can’t make your child’s mouth say apple. You can however grab their hands and gently help them sign it.
Should I just use signs and not words when teaching my child to sign?
No, I would not recommend that.
You should ALWAYS pair spoken words with signs. You do not want to replace using words, you just want to teach signs in addition to the spoken word.
By doing so you are working on both spoken word and sign which is best. Your child needs to hear words MANY times to repeat them, so the more you say them the more opportunities they will have to learn them. (Click here to read more about ways to boost your toddler’s vocabulary.)
Does teaching baby sign language delay speech?
After working with families with children who have speech delays for many years using some sign language to help learn language was a great tool.
Children pick up signs fairly quickly which helps ease some of the tantrums that can occur when a child becomes frustrated because they are unable to communicate.
It also allows babies and toddlers to learn with the mind-muscle connection which is great for motor skill development.
Let Signs Bridge the Gap in Communication
Signs are a great way to lower frustration and bridge the gap between using spoken language and talking.
One of the hardest things for parents is when their child has things to say, but can’t communicate it. This can lead to temper tantrums, frustration, and meltdowns.
Think of sign language as a form of communication that is equal in value to talking.
If your child signs what they need or want accept it as you would spoken word. You can encourage them to learn spoken word as well by saying the spoken word after they make their request.
This lets them know that you understand what they are trying to communicate and also gives them a natural opportunity to hear the spoken word they are using.
Learning a Second Language Has Lots of Benefits
I am a huge advocate of teaching children a second language while they are young.
American Sign Language is a wonderful language to learn and very beneficial.
If you feel like it is a good fit for your family do some research online or take a class to continue to learn it past the baby stage.
You can read more about the benefits of learning a second language HERE.
What tools are available to help me teach my baby sign language?
There are lots of resources available to help you and your little one learn signs.
You can grab a baby signs DVD (like this one) to help you learn the basics of signs. Baby sign language flash cards can also work well as a visual reminder (like these.)
A baby sign language book may also be a good option if you want something easy to take anywhere (you can grab on here.)
At what age can you start baby sign language?
Are you wondering when to start baby sign language?
The answer is: the earlier the better!
You can start using signs along with spoken language at any time.
Modeling it for your baby when they are young is a great way to introduce it.
Have you tried signing with your little one? How did it go?
I would love to hear about your experience in the comments below or find me on Facebook!
Related Posts You Will Enjoy:
4 Easy Ways to Encourage Language Development in Your Baby
Best Baby Toys from 0-12 Months
Social Skills: What to Expect 3-6 Months
Complete Guide to Cognitive Development: 0-6 Months
Baby Sign Language Resources
Learn some basic baby signs HERE.
Check out some simple ways to practice sign language with your baby HERE.
Read more about the benefits of infant sign language HERE.
Kayla O’Neill has a master’s degree in education as well as a bachelor’s degree in special education with an emphasis in early childhood education. She has been working as a developmental therapist with babies and toddlers in early intervention since 2012. She is also a mom with two young children.