FAQ

Why Sign with my Baby?

While most babies start talking between 1 and 2 years of age, they can understand and want to communicate much earlier. Since babies have control over their hands long before they develop verbal skills, signing enables them to express what they are not yet able to say. This reduces frustration resulting in fewer temper tantrums. Signing also exposes your child to more words at an earlier age, helping increase language development.

When will my baby start signing?

Every baby develops differently, and babies start signing at different ages. Most babies make their first signs between 7-10 months. The key is consistency, the more your baby sees you singing the better! Ruth started signing with her daughter at 9 months, and she started signing back a couple signs by 12 months. Laura's daughter Fireese signed her first sign at 9 months, and by 12 months had a vocabulary of over 50 words. Most babies at 12 months have a vocabulary of 0-10 words.

Are there tips for baby to pick up baby sign language faster?

The most important thing for parents to do to help their child pick up signs faster is to be consistent in their signing. It is more important for parents to sign each and every time they say a word than to sign 30 words once in a while. I always tell parents to start with a few signs that they are comfortable with and use on a regular basis, such as the word ‘milk’. Every single time you say the word ‘milk’ make the sign. The baby will pick this sign up faster than if you only sign it ever few times you say the word. You can sign as many words as you want and introduce as many as you’d like however, make sure you are consistent.

It is also important to keep in mind that all babies are different, some are going to pick it up faster than others. I started signing with my daughter when she was 4 months old but she didn’t start signing back until 9.5 months. However, I’ve had parents in my class who started signing with their baby at six months and the next week they started signing back. Others have not signed until eleven or twelve months.

Will signing delay speech?

Research shows that babies who use sign do not show any delay in speech. In fact, the opposite seems to be true. Babies who are taught sign language tend to speak sooner and have larger vocabularies. When signing with your baby you are always talking to them so they are continuously being exposed to verbal language. Babies want to talk and when they are able to do so they will. In the meantime, signing gives them a bridge of meaningful communication.

What are the benefits of signing with toddlers and preschoolers?

Even once children start speaking, signing still has advantages. Children who learn ASL also learn to read sooner. This is because they can see the link from the manual alphabet to written words helping them see the pattern of language. Children also love learning sign language because they are active while they learn. You can incorporate signs into songs you child like such as ‘the Itsy Bitsy Spider’, ‘Old MacDonald’, ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star’ etc. Using ASL in school programs incorporates many of the multiple intelligences. Children are active learners and ASL is one way to involve students in their education.

How do I make sure family and other caregivers keep up signing?


Family members who aren’t as inspired to sign with your baby as you are may become more motivated once your little one begins to produce signs. The caregiver will not want to be in a position where the baby is clearly asking for what he/she wants through sign and they have no idea what it is. The child will quickly get very frustrated with the caregiver’s lack of understanding. This will be one way that the caregiver will be motivated to sign with your child.

Another way you can help in this process is by providing the caregiver pictures of the commonly used signs you use. You can print off pictures, buy flashcards or signing stickers and place them around the house where those signs would be used. Don’t overwhelm your caregiver, just introduce them to one or two new signs each week.

Encourage your caregiver to view signing as a fun, interactive and educational tool to use with your child. Just as they would read a book or sing a song to your child, this is just another stimulating activity they can add into their day. Once your child is signing back you will find that most people in his/her life will feel more inspired to sign as it is a way to interact with the little one.