How to Teach Your Toddler Basic Sign Language

Teaching your toddler anything can take time and patience. Teaching your toddler sign language is no different. Because babies are eager to learn anything new and their brains are ripe for learning, baby sign language is one more way to teach your toddler how to speak at an early age.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Twin A
• Twin B
• Mommy or Daddy
• Baby Sign Material

Teaching Your Twins Sign Language

1. If you are not already part of a Mommy and Me Group, join one. You'll receive a BabySigns Quick Reference Chart for teaching sign language at home.

2. Find other resources for teaching your toddler sign language online. BabySigns, Inc. is an excellent website (see Resources below).

3. Combine lessons with meals. The best time for teaching sign language to infants is at breakfast, lunch or dinner. This is when you can command their full attention and they are more likely eager to learn.

4. Showing your child how to sign at an early age has its advantages. Babies have no real language skills and teaching them sign language closes that language barrier gap.

5. 
   Mealtime Baby Signs

   Position your child. If your child is still being fed in a highchair, seat her so that she is in front of you. With your quick reference guide in hand, demonstrate the easy signs, like "eat," "drink," "more," "milk," "cereal," "bib" and "all done."

6. 
   Bedtime Baby Signs

   Other easy signs for your baby would be "love," "stars," "sleep" and "book." Book is a good one to teach, espcecially if you love reading to your baby.

Tips & Warnings

• It is best to have patience with your twins, otherwise, the process of teaching them to sign will frustrate all three of you
• Just have Fun!
• The only warning I can give would be, your baby will have so much fun signing, they will find a new language to 'hide' from Mommy and Daddy

Resources

• Sign With Me
• BabySigns

[CCrock]

on 2/24/2008 Good article. The key is patience and consistency. My baby started signing "more" a week ago and did it for 2 days, now she stopped. err!