Toddler Signing: Going
Beyond Baby Sign Language

PLEASE keep signing with me!

Keep Your Toddler Signing!

Baby Sign Language - the term is being heard everywhere these days. Although the predominate research surrounding using sign language with babies began in the 1980s, it seems it has only been within the last ten years or so that it has gained in popularity with much of the focus being on using it primarily with preverbal infants. And while the majority of parents and caregivers become interested in sign language for the main purpose of helping their baby bridge the gap between their nonverbal and verbal years, many discontinue using it once their babies begin to speak.

There is much to be said about how extraordinary signing with preverbal babies is and how amazing it is to be able to share two-way communication with them. The ability for your baby to tell you what he needs without resorting to crying or whining is truly a gift that we wish everyone with a baby could enjoy. But signing does not have to end with your baby’s first spoken words and while the use of toddler sign language may involve a little more perseverance in remembering to use signs with a baby who is beginning to talk, the results of toddler signing are well worth the effort.

Toddler signing helps to clarify the words of new talkers and minimize tantrums that result over baby’s inability to communicate effectively.

When we think about the reasons to use toddler sign language the thing that tops the list is the way that it helps to clarify the words of new talkers and minimize tantrums that result over baby’s inability to communicate effectively. It takes a long time for the fine muscles in the mouth to develop to the point of clear articulation and sign language can be quite useful in those moments when your little one is trying to say a word he is not yet able to pronounce. Some consonants and letter combinations take a long time for some children to master and children can get quite frustrated when you cannot understand them. We have had many instances with our little one when in mid-toddlerhood (and even sometimes now at four years old) we could not make out what she was trying to say so we’d ask her to sign it if she knows it. She may not always have known the sign but the times that she did made us all happy that we hadn’t given up signing after she started to talk.

Signing alone is not going to get rid of all your baby’s tantrums, but the amount of frustration that is reduced as direct result of your baby being able to effectively communicate the things he wants to talk about goes a long way in keeping many of those tantrums at bay.

Besides its assistance in reducing tantrums and helping you to understand the words of your little one, toddler signing continues to promote bonding and self-esteem building. Your baby loves to be with you and to converse with you and when you respond to your baby’s signing it not only tells him what he has to say is important to you, but it also builds his confidence in his ability to communicate. Not only that, but because ASL is visual and the signs are often iconic, your baby is able to quickly learn, understand and use them and this offers your child a strong sense of empowerment.

Some of the other benefits of toddler signing are that it reinforces positive communication skills while simultaneously enhancing and stimulating language development. Learning to read tends to be easier and good reading skills as we know, can greatly increase a child’s potential for future academic achievement. Signing has been proven to enhance early literacy skills for success in reading, writing, vocabulary, spelling and memory.

Jackie Durnin of Australian Baby Hands has written a terrific article entitled Using Sign Language With Toddlers. The piece contains additional reasons to sign with toddlers not included here. The document is located in the Resources & Activities section under Baby Signing Articles or you can click the link above to be directed to it now.

With all the extended benefits of using sign language with toddlers, it seems only natural to continue signing with little ones beyond their first spoken words. And, if you are like many of us who caught the signing bug, you will enjoy signing with your baby so much that you won’t want to stop anyway!