Sign Language for Infants, Toddlers and Beyond

Sign Language For Infants is Amazing!

It is such an amazing thing to watch a little baby who has not even begun to talk communicating with his or her mom, dad or caregiver using the easy signs and gestures of sign language for infants. When baby’s tummy starts grumbling and needs to be filled, baby knows there is no need for tears because with a simple movement that looks like he is putting food in his mouth he can signal to mommy that his belly needs to be replenished! But, it’s not just about baby being able to tell us when he is hungry or thirsty that makes using sign language for infants so amazing. What makes it even that much more spectacular is that baby can initiate conversations based on what he is thinking about! Take, for example, the following: MOMMY HOME, DADDY PLAY and CAT WHERE?

Sign language for infants can give you insight into what is going on inside your little one's mind since it gives your baby the means to initiate conversations based on what s/he is thinking about!

In the first example, MOMMY HOME, you have an indication that baby is thinking about her mom and is wondering when she will be home. Signing DADDY PLAY tells you her playtime with dad is special and that she wants to do more. CAT WHERE tells you the kitty is on her mind and she is looking for it. All of these examples give you great insight into what is going on inside baby’s mind and allows you to respond to her in deeply meaningful ways. These are fantastic reasons why many parents and caregivers jump on the signing with babies bandwagon and will prepare in advance to use infant sign language. They not only want a little help in taking the guesswork out of fulfilling their baby’s needs but they also look forward to the bonding opportunities that could result as baby’s signing vocabulary grows.

Toddler Signing...

Many parents and caregivers will stop signing when their babies start talking. They figure signing is not necessary anymore as their toddlers are now beginning to verbalize. Signing with toddlers, however, clarifies the words of new talkers when used in combination with spoken words and allows parents to understand what their little ones are trying to say. It helps to reduce the tantrums that come as a result of baby’s frustration over not being able to clearly communicate the things he wants to talk about. If you think about it, when your baby is around 17 to 18 months, he can understand simple phrases and commands and generally seems to know what you are saying. Imagine how frustrating it must be for him to not be able to effectively form the words he hears all around him. By continuing to use sign language and teaching your toddler new signs, you can help him get his point across by asking him to use his signs when you are unsure of what he is trying to say.

Signing with Preschoolers and Beyond...

Using sign language does not have to end when your child approaches her preschool years. In fact, this is where it can really be useful in aiding your child academically. When you sign with your preschooler, you can go beyond infant sign language and use signs to help her identify colors, letters, numbers and more. You can also use signs to communicate with your child discreetly like asking her if she has to use the potty when you see her doing the pee-pee dance or reminding her to use her manners or to share, etc. Furthermore, sign language can be an outstanding tool for reading readiness and its use in preschool classrooms has been shown to enhance early literacy skills.

THANK-YOU for signing with me!

But it doesn’t end there! There have been numerous research studies which show that using sign language with PreK and early elementary school aged children greatly improves a child’s chances for success in reading, writing, vocabulary, spelling and memory. Not all children learn the same way -- there are visual learners, auditory learners, and tactile or kinesthetic learners. Because sign language is multi-sensory and adds visual and kinesthetic emphasis to auditory input, it can be beneficial to children of all learning styles. Learning to read tends to be easier for children who sign and this, in turn, greatly increases a child’s potential for future academic achievement.

As you can see, using sign language does not have to end when your baby starts to speak. The benefits of signing can extend far beyond your baby’s first years. And while we all know our children are brilliant (big smile!), isn’t it nice to know we can give them a tool that can help their brilliance shine that much brighter. Ah, what a gift!

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