Babies can begin to learn sign language at between six and eight months of age. At this age, a baby can hold a gaze for a couple of seconds. Teaching usually starts with three to five signs. Because speaking remains a goal, words are usually used along with the signs. Eye contact and emphasis on the word also help
Signing with your baby is simply an extension of what they are already doing
Be face to face with your baby to encourage interaction
Imitate the sounds and movements your baby makes and soon they will be imitating you
Use signs as part of a daily routine.
Make it a natural occurrence
The good news is that infant signing is easy! You do not have to enrol in a course or be certified in American Sign Language (ASL). Start out with the simple signs. Watch your child to discover his/her interests. Does he have a fascination with airplanes, books, trucks? You can find these signs in our baby sign language dictionary complete with flashcards showing the exact hand movements. The purpose is for your child to be able to communicate with you while having fun in everyday routines.
When signing with your child keep these points in mind:
Start simple. (More, Milk, Finished)
Always pair the spoken word with the gesture
Follow your child’s lead (use an extension of what your baby already knows)
Be patient. (It usually takes a few months for infants to do their first sign)
Share the signs with family members/caregivers
Always praise your child’s attempts
The Learning Guide To Baby Sign Language that we offer has 36 sign language signs in our dictionary also a second dictionary sorted by basic, intermediate and advanced signs to learn and teach your baby. We explore the American Sign Language Guidelines and have also included printable flashcards along with the baby sign language dictionary to easily learn and teach your child.
So let’s get started! First things first, remember to have fun. The more fun you make learning signs the more involved your baby will become.
Simply refer to our website and download everything you need for our Baby Sign Language Dictionary and flash cards to learn American Sign Language for Baby. learnbabysignlanguagenow.com
As an Early Childhood Education teacher I worked with many parent/caregivers who expressed a desire to really know what was going on in their baby’s mind….
…How do they communicate with their baby to really know what they want and what they are thinking.
This is when I first became interested in Baby Sign Language..