Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: When can I start signing? How Long Will It Take?
A: Six to eight months old is a good time to start. It takes an average of two months for a baby to start signing back.
You can start doing baby sign language at any age. You can even do prenatal baby sign language (more correctly known as fetal sign language). However, most babies don’t develop the cognitive and motor skills needed to learn signing until they are 6-8 months old. It helps to start sooner, but it can be frustrating for parents because babies won’t sign back. If you start at eight months old most babies will start signing back within two months
Q: Why Teach Baby Signing?
A: Reduce frustration & fussiness. Bonding. Fun.
Babies brains develop faster than their fine motor skills. Parents often observe that their one year old can understand lots of words but can’t speak. This can be very frustrating for a baby because they can’t communicate their needs to you. This leads to fussiness, a condition that child development psychologists formally call the “terrible two’s.” With sign language you can reduce a lot of this frustration. Even better, you can use it to have fun and play games together. bonding
Only someone that is not a parent would ask why you would want to be able to sign to your child!
Q: How does Baby Sign Language affect speech development?
A: It accelerates speech development.
Professor Linda Acredolo (U.C. Davis), and Professor Susan Goodwyn (C.S.U.) have received a series of NIH grants over the last twenty years to research baby sign language. Their research shows that signing babies have larger vocabularies and improved cognitive development. Baby Sign Language seems to help bridge the gap to speaking for infants. It also seems to get them more interested in learning. For more information on baby sign language research see here.
In fact, if a baby has trouble speaking, most speech pathologists will teach the baby to sign as a bridge to speaking. The reason is that talking can be very hard and frustrating for babies. They try to form words but they don’t quite come out right. For example, instead of “ball” the child might approximate by saying “ba”. When the words aren’t recognized by the parents babies can get frustrated and give up. When the baby does the accompanying sign, parents recognize and reward the approximate pronunciation. Over time as the babies speech gets better, they drop signing because it is too slow – much like a walking toddler stops crawling.
Q: Do you use ASL? What if I live overseas?
A: The signs we use are American Sign Language (ASL). I would recommend all English speakers use ASL.
In a very few cases where the sign is complex, we have simplified it to make it easier to learn.
Sign language has many dialects, and even different English will use different sign languages. For example, Australians use AusSign (Australian Sign Language). The main reason we use American Sign Language is that there are lots of resources available to teach ASL. There are plenty of books, tapes, flash cards and DVDs for infants that are available in ASL. In countries with a smaller population, we have heard it can be harder to find resources if you use the local sign language. Of course if you happen to have any deaf family or friends that you would like baby to be able to sign with – learn in your local dialect.
If you found this information useful, check out our award winning baby sign language kit. It includes more than 600 signs, covers advanced teaching methods for faster results, and includes fun teaching aids like flash cards.
The Deluxe Baby Sign Language Kit, bundles together everything you need to get started with signing in one box, at a steep discount. The kit includes: (1) Baby Sign Language Guide Book; (2) Baby Sign Language Dictionary: (3) Baby Sign Language Flash Cards; and (4) Baby Sign Language Wall Chart.
Baby Sign Language Guide Book shows you how to teach your child how to sign. The book begins with a Quick Start Guide that will teach you your first signs and having you ready to sign in 30 minutes. As your baby progresses, you can delve into more advanced topics like combining signs to make phrases, using props, and transitioning to speech. (Regularly $19.95)
Baby Sign Language Dictionary contains over 600 signs including the most common words, the alphabet and numbers. The dictionary helps you expand your child’s vocabulary, and has the breadth of coverage that lets you follow any child’s natural interests. Each sign is illustrated with two or more diagrams, showing you the starting position, the ending position, and intermediate motion. This makes learning new signs easy. (Regularly $19.95)
Baby Sign Language Flash Cards include 52 sturdy board (4×6 inches) flash cards, covering a variety of basic signs. The flash cards allow you to teach words, such as animal names, that Baby is not exposed to in everyday life. The face of the flash cards shows the word and image for the child. The back of the flash cards show how the sign is performed, a handy reminder for the adult. (Regularly $24.95)
Baby Sign Language Wall Chart includes 22 basic signs, and makes a handy reminder for caregivers. The Baby Sign Language Wall Chart covers basic signs, like eat, drink, and sleep. Hang the poster in Baby’s Nursery to help babysitters, or other occasional caregivers learn and decode the most commonly used baby signs. (Regularly $9.95)
100% Signing Guarantee
Your baby signs to your complete satisfaction, or you get a full refund.
No questions. No time limits. No regrets.
Baby Sign Language Guide Book
Learn the best techniques for effectively teaching baby sign language. Including:
• Quick Start Guide – learn the first 10 signs and the basic principles required to start teaching your baby to sign (Chapter 1).
• Advanced Teaching Methods – use teaching aids like books, flash cards, and toys to keep lessons interesting and challenging (Chapter 5).
• Phrases – teach your baby to combine signs and communicate more complex thoughts (Chapter 6).
• Taming the Terrible Twos – reduce frustration and tantrums by enabling your toddler to communicate (Chapter 7).
• Transitioning to Speech – use sign language to expedite and improve speech development (Chapter 8).
Sarah learned her first 10 signs at six month and it made our lives much easier. Instead of screaming, she could tell us when she was hungry, thirsty, or tired. She learned another 50 signs by nine months and that was a blast. Now she is talking much earlier than the other children in her preschool and we think it is because of her signing.
We can’t imagine missing out on all the little things she shared with baby sign language. Thank You!
- Bennett & Melissa Z., CA
Pediatrician Approved
“It’s easy to see why so many parents swear by it, why child care centers include it in their infant and toddler classrooms, and why it has become so commonplace as an activity of daily learning … we approve.”
Heading Home With Your Newborn (Second Edition)
Dr. Laura A. Jana MD FAAP & Dr .Jennifer Shu MD FAAP
American Academy of Pediatricians
Baby Sign Language Flash Cards
52 high quality flash cards (4 x 6″). Featuring:
• Clean Images – real life pictures, isolated on a white background to make learning easier.
• Signs on the Rear – diagrams on the back illustrating the signign motion in case you need a reminder.
• Baby Friendly – printed on thick stock so little hands can play with the cards and they will live to play another day.
I was thrilled to see how easy the signs were for Abigail (3) and Eden (21 months). Much to my surprise they could figure out many of the signs from the flashcards on their own.
- Carrie P., TX
Study: Signing Enriches
“The Sign Training group told us over and over again … [signing] made communication easier and interactions more positive.”
“these data demonstrate clearly that … [signing] … seems to “jump start” verbal development”
“can facilitate and enrich interactions between parent and child”
Impact of Symbolic Gesturing on Early Language Development
Dr. Susan Goodwyn, Dr. Linda Acredolo, & Dr. Catherine Brown
Journal of Nonverbal Behavior
Baby Sign Language Dictionary
The Baby Sign Language Dictionary includes :
• Words (500+) – learn signs for nearly every topic of interest.
• Letters – sign the alphabet and teach basic spelling.
• Numbers (0-10) – introduce counting and basic mathematics.
Nicholas loves his signs and it lights up our lives every time he shares one of his little secrets. He is so observant, and we would miss it all without the signs.
- Donald Family, NY
Baby Sign Language Wall Chart
The full color wall chart (24 x 36″) includes 17 everyday signs. Use the wall chart for:
• Caregivers – help babysitters and other caregivers learn the basic signs so they can understand baby’s signs.
• Family – teach family the basic signs so they can join in the fun.
Everyone thought I was nuts when I started. A month later, all my friends saw Michelle’s first signs. Then they wanted to know how they could start.
Michelle is talking now and doesn’t sign much anymore, but it gave her a headstart over other children her age. Everyone says she talks like a three year old. Now she is helping me teach her baby brother Jordan how to sign.
- Adelaide S., CA
Study: Better in School
A group of second graders who signed as infants, performed better academically than a control group six years later. The signers had a 12 IQ point advantage.
Longterm Impact of Symbolic Gesturing During Infancy at Age 8
Dr. Linda P. Acredolo (Professor, U.C. Davis)
Dr. Susan W. Goodwyn (Professor, California State University)
100% No Regret Guarantee
Your baby loves signing, or a full refund.
As you can tell, we love Baby Sign Language. It transformed the way we interacted with our children, and we want every family to have the opportunity. Baby Sign Language will make a difference for your child. Give it a try.
If for any reason you aren’t completely blown away, we will cheerfully give you a complete refund, including standard shipping. No time limit. We are that confident!
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{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for all of the information! I had no idea babies could start communicating this early.
This website has been so helpful.
I know it sounds unbelievable, but I’ve been signing more milk to them since birth, and at 9 weeks, they seem to understand, and are trying to make the sign themselves. (they are twins)
Hi! Thanks for your site and all of the helpful information. I just started researching ASL for my 6 month old and this may be a silly question (and it may be answered somewhere else on the website) but does it matter what hand you use to make the signs? I noticed that you use your right hand in the videos, I am left handed and tend to favor my left hand but I wasn’t sure if it made a difference or not. Thanks!
Tiana,
Baby sign language is transitional in nature. As long as you and the family understand what the baby is conveying I would not be so concerned about the dominant hand. However when we are talking about babies with hearing impairments or speech delays that will need sign language long term the hand used does matter.
Hi, Im working with deaf and deafblind people for more than l5 years and i have to say this webside is amazing!!!! I really want to start with a baby sign language classes soon in a country i leave. ( Outside of the states) I found this page, very eduactional, basic, and anybody from interpreters or simply parents can use it in a fun way. Love the flash cards, and videos so easy and practical. in a whole sentences I love it all!! Thanks for this important resource to help parents and educational instructors to expand their skills in this field. I have a question i really want to downloud the flash cards, i have to do it one by one in adobe, or is another easy way to do it all at once. Im not a couputer savy so any help i can accept. Thanks a lot, Jenyffer Gonzalez
Currently the only download option is one-by-one. Hopefully soon we will have alternatives.
I understand how to teach things like “dog” and “more” but I’m not sure how too teach concepts like hurt and other similar situations where I’m not exactly how she feels. For example, if she was fussy and I wasn’t sure why, I would like for her to be able to show me the sign for hurt next to her mouth if she had teething pain or next to her tummy if she had gas. But if I’m not sure what’s wrong with her in the first place how do I make the sign association to teach it especially at a high repetition?
Dear Darcy,
I will make it a point to blog about teaching abstracts. Allow me a couple of weeks.
I am a nanny and am going to start teaching sign language to the 7 month old girl I care for. I was wondering if there was a simple sign for nanny, or any sign you would recommend she use to refer to me. I see there is a sign for babysitter but I was hoping to find something simpler. Thanks
Hi Kate,
Some nannies I know teach the baby their first initial. This is wonderful because parents can also use the sign.
Hi! I just started signing to my 7 month old son. I’m worried that when he starts daycare in two months that it will slow down his progress in learning sign language or decide to not sign back at all since the majority of his day is with people who don’t sign to him. Do you have any suggestions?
ADMIN – Hi Lorraine,
Nothing to fear. Your son is brilliant and will figure out who he can sign with and who he can’t. Multilingual children quickly figure out that they can speak English to Daddy, French or English to Mommy, French to Grandpa, Spanish to their teacher, and Mandarin to the dog. I remember my daughter learned a bit of Spanish at school and was puzzled when her daddy couldn’t understand, but soon set about fixing the problem by teaching him.
Many daycare centers do Baby Sign Language, and if your doesn’t do it now it might be something you can suggest to them.