Language Development in Infants

There are many who wonder about signing and language development in infants. They fear that signing will adversely effect early language development and, therefore, opt to avoid using sign language with their infants altogether. Years of research from many different sources indicate this is simply not the case and that the language development in babies who sign progresses typically, if not above the norm.

Since often times seeing is believing, we thought it would be fun to show you a couple videos of little ones whose parents taught them sign language. As you will see, these babies are talking just fine; in fact, as stated above, their language development might be considered advanced when compared to children their same age.

This first video is of a little one who is probably one of the most famous little signers on the web! Her mom, founder of My Smart Hands, made this video when her daughter was just 17 months old. She then posted it on YouTube where it has since become one of its most popular baby signing videos. Watch as this amazing baby shows off her language skills!. If you are like most, you will be astonished and completely in awe as she not only recites the alphabet, but also does her version of the manual alphabet as well. She even knows what a couple of 3-letter words spell!

The next video is another that we think will show you how sign language helps boost infant language development. This little one is the inspiration behind the creation of Itty-Bitty Signers and the Baby Sign Language Academy.

The video spans 8 months, starting out with our little signer at only 13 months old. As you watch you can see the progress of her signing and how her language skills improve greatly with each passing month. She, too, is a remarkable little one whose parents credit her exceptional verbal skills to baby sign language.

We hope these videos have lessened any concerns you may have had about signing with babies and that you will give it a try with your own baby so that you can see for yourself that language development in infants is enhanced by the use of baby sign language!