Baby Sign Language

I’m about to share a major mom hack with you: Baby Sign Language! Yes, you heard me. Teach your baby sign language and thank me later.

This doesn’t have to be a super crazy task, just teach them a couple simple signs that can help them better communicate their needs. They won’t be able to sign until they have full motor control of their hands (around 8months), but the sooner you start incorporating them and associating words with signs, the easier it will be for your baby to use them when the time comes. Baby Sign Language has 3 major types of benefits:

1.     Practical benefits- It takes away the guessing game. You’re baby will be able to tell you directly what it is they want. This will result in less fussing/tantrums and more communication. The cause of many tantrums derives from the frustration babies experience with not being understood. Baby Sign Language gives them a way to communicate their needs, wants, and desires.

2.     Emotional benefits- It encourages a closer bond between parent and baby. When you and your baby understand each other, it strengthens your bond. This is my favorite part of having a baby that can sign. Initially, sign language just helped us understand each other better, but now we’re at the point where it seems like we’re communicating telepathically. We’re so in tune with one another that I almost always know what he’s saying, asking for, or doing. Baby sign language (amongst many other things) helped lay the framework for our strong bond. It has also given me a huge confidence boost as a parent.

3.     Cognitive benefits- It boosts brain development. Introducing sign language early, helps babies develop their learning and reasoning skills. It really gives them a head start. While other babies are throwing fits because no one understands them, baby’s that learned sign language are already saying words and simple phrases. Studies have shown that it also leads to an increased vocabulary and earlier reading age.

We started introducing signs when Kairo was around 4 or 5 months. The first ones we worked with were milk, more, and eat. When you teach them the signs young, you might think that they aren’t picking up on them, but I promise they are. Babies are ALWAYS watching and paying close attention. It really surprised me when Kairo did the sign for milk one day, but it felt good knowing my consistency was paying off.  

Here’s another secret, the signs don’t have to be the official ASL (American Sign Language) signs. They could literally be anything you want! As long as you use them consistently with your child, they will pick up on it and you two will understand each other.

Here are the 11 signs we taught Kairo:

1.     More

2.     Eat

3.     Milk

4.     Bath

5.     Help

6.     Book

7.     All Done

8.     Sleep

9.     Come Here

10.  Thank you/You’re Welcome

11.  I love You (not in the video)

We started out teaching him the official sign for each of these, but we modified some of them based on the ways he was able to control his hand when he started mirroring the signs back to us.

The key to teaching your baby sign language is consistency. That’s it. If you’re interested in doing this, look up a couple of easy and useful signs and start incorporating them into your daily conversations. For example, every time you say milk, also do the sign. Your baby is learning even when it appears they aren’t. Keep doing it, and one day (very soon) they’ll amaze you with all the sings they know.

You’ve got this, viktorious mama!