Signing with your babies brings many advantages. Here are just a few:
- Allows your baby to communicate before they can talk
- Creates a better bond between you and your baby
- Reduces fussing and frustration when your baby can say what they want
- Builds language pathways in the brain
- Accelerates language comprehension
- Increases I.Q.
When should I start signing?
As soon as you can! Most babies begin signing back at 6 months or older, when their motor skills have developed. The sooner you sign with your baby, the more signs they'll pick up, even if it takes them a while to respond in sign.
Start with a few signs
Start by introducing basic concepts like "eat," "milk," and "hungry," since these are associated with eating. Gradually add more signs over time. For example, hold up a banana and sign "banana." After a few repeated demonstrations, your baby will link the object with the sign.
Repeat the sign often
The more often you sign, the more likely your baby will sign too. Use the same signs at the same time every day or along with the same activity. For example, your baby will make the connection between the sign and the activity, the object, or the emotion (milk, eat, hungry) and be more likely to understand.
Wait for your baby to respond
It may not happen immediately, but eventually your baby will imitate the sign you have made, make a motion that closely resembles it, or answer appropriately with a different sign. One mother taught her baby the signs for "more milk?" and one day her baby finally responded, "more." What a wonderful surprise!
Happy Signing!