How to Use Baby Sign

Teaching your baby sign language can open up a new world of communication between you and your baby, before he or she is able to talk.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. 

   Decide if you want to learn baby sign, and get the books, videos, and learn it as you teach it.
   If you want to keep it simple, make up your own. The baby sign language police are NOT going to grade your efforts!

2. 

   Teach your baby simple signs of your own making, like making a drinking motion with your hand for drink, or making an eating motion with an imaginary spoon for food, a hugging motion for teddy bear, hold an imaginary blanket up beside your face for blanky, etc.

3. 

   Whether using Baby Sign or your own baby signs, make the signs consistently. Each time you ask your baby if she wants a drink, or her ba-ba, or whatever you call it, make the sign at the same time. Make the same sign as you hand it to her. Ask him if he wants to eat, and then as you hand him his food, make the sign, and say "here's your food", etc.

4. 

   There are awesome baby sign videos and books on the market, and you can make baby sign as simple or as complicated as you need it to be. Honestly, the more sign you teach your baby, the better he or she will be able to communicate with you. I had a special needs child that was unable to speak until she was almost three. Baby sign made it possible for her to make her wants and needs understood. The ability to communicate her hunger, thirst and pain were critical, and the added ability to communicate what she wanted added to her happiness.

5. 

   You can get as carried away with baby sign as you wish. Our baby sign started with some good baby sign books, and then we tweaked it to make it our own. Once my daughter learned to speak, we gradually slowed down our use of it, but even seven years later, use it to some degree, so that we are able to signal each other across the room without using words.

Tips & Warnings

• Our school system uses basic sign to cross the kids safely. The bus driver signals the child to make sure they have eye contact, and then when it is safe, the driver gives a different signal, indicating that it is safe to cross the highway.
• I still use the "stop" signal with my children, by holding my hand upright toward them. I can signal the kids from across the room or across the street without shouting or screaming at them. I give a thumbs up when it is okay to proceed.
• Check your local library...you may be able to borrow your baby sign books and videos, and then won't need to purchase them!
• Look for reviews on software, books and videos before buying.

Resources

• Baby Sign Language

[athome]

on 3/19/2009 My son used baby sign and your right he did make up is own signs 5*****

[grove]

on 2/26/2009 Aw. I don't have kids but I want to try this some day.

[joni04]

on 2/26/2009 This is a very good tool, I brought my 29 month old to speech therapy because he wasn't talking, and they gave me signs to teach him! *****