Baby Sign Language Dictionary
The baby sign language dictionary includes over 600 common signs. Start with the Top 10 Starter Signs, then expand following baby’s interest. For each word, there is a video, diagram, and teaching notes to make learning new signs easy.
For babies just beginning their signing journey, start with the top ten starter baby signs. From there, follow your baby’s interests to find new words that baby is motivated to learn. To help you teach words that you don’t encounter a lot in real life you can print out the baby sign language flash cards.
For signs that are not included in the dictionary, post a comment telling us the signs you want and we will try to add them during our next round of revisions. In the meantime, you can either:
- Substitute – substitute a word close in meaning. For example, many people use the word up, instead of carry me.
- Improvise – create your own signs using a memorable gesture. In the signing community, these improvised signs are called home signs. Just be sure to keep a record of your improvised signs, they are easy to forget!
- ASL Dictionary – you can find nearly any sign your heart desires in one of these full ASL dictionaries. Lifeprint, Handspeak, or ASL Pro.
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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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }
Will you please add the sign for “help”? Thanks! :)
This would have been so helpful when I was raising my children… What a wonderful idea… And, that it’s free makes it all the more praiseworthy… I can only imagine how frustrating communication is for young babies today with all that surrounds them…
I’m surprised that ‘help’ isn’t in there, too.
ADMIN – Hi Sharlene,
We appreciate your kind words. We haved added help, thank you for suggesting it.
Thanks so much for the great resource! This is fabulous!
Can you please add the word “eat”…thank you!
ADMIN – Hi Melissa,
We added eat. Thank you for suggesting it.
You have most of the signs i would like to sign to my daughter. The lady on the videos makes the signs on this website pretty easy to learn so thank you for teaching me so i can better communicate with my daughter
Thanks for this information….I have custody of my twin grand-daughters who have been diagnosed with MR, both different degrees. They are two but we have no way to communicate as they can’t and maybe won’t be able to talk. Signing is what the doctor recommended. Thanks for getting us started.
This is a great resource. My almost 2 year old doesn’t like to talk (even though he can) so I started teaching him signs and he’s learned 4 in the past week! We need some refining, but he’s communicating! Thanks so much for this!!
And echoing Heather – can you add the sign for “help” much needed!
Thanks for what you do!
ADMIN – Hi Lauren,
Appreciate the kind words. We will be adding another 800 words in the coming months including help.
Nice website… we were looking for the “carry me” sign or “carry”. Can you add that too please?
We will soon add over 800 new signs!
This is such a helpful website! I know you are planning on adding new signs in June, so I’m just gonna say I hope there are more food signs – my girl loves strawberries, and lima beans, and most other fruits and vegetables. I hope to learn enough of them to let her tell me what she wants each meal. :)
Thank you so much for this free webpage. My middle daughter is three and throws major tantrums for no reason and we wanted to try signing to see if that helps her and all ready the two words we taught her today and made an impact thank you so much.
The sign for “You’re Welcome” would be great! :) Thank you!
Head to our Facebook page. I just shared you’re welcome with our followers.
came back looking to see if youve added the new signs yet. Our daughter has learned over 300 signs in the last year, your flashcards are an added bonus!! thank you!
Thank you for this wonderful website! I continue to share it with all the new parents I know! Sign language has helped me communicate so much better with my daughter who has been signing since she was 6 months!
My son is 18 months old and we are just now starting to teach him to sign. He loves it. We were wondering if you could help us with the sign for ‘help’. He is a do-it-yourself guy but still needs help from Mom and Dad. Thank you
ADMIN – Hi Dawnatella,
Help looks like you are making the ‘thumbs up’ sign with your dominant hand, with your non-dominant hand underneath forming a base. Then you raise both hands up. The effect is like giving someone a big ‘thumbs up’ for helping you. You will find a video and diagram of the sign in the dictionary.
Thanks so much! My son is 18 months old but isn’t communicating more than, “ah ah ah” when he’s hungry or thirsty. He learned “eat” and “more” today. It’s very exciting. “You’re welcome” and “help” will be great to learn when you add them. Again, thank you for the FREE site where we can all learn to better communicate with our children.
I really appreciate this site’s simplicity and yet expansiveness. Could you include “scared” or “afraid” in your next round of signs? Thanks again for all you do!
I would love to have the sign for “bottle”, but we’ve been using “milk” in its place for now.
Thanks for everything!
Give us a few weeks and we will create the material for bottle
can you add the sign for Nanny and Grandad please
ADMIN – Hi Natasha,
For nanny and grandad, you can use the signs grandmother and grandfather respectively.
thanks you
This is wonderful! Thank you so much to putting such a helpful website together.
Love the site! How about the sign for down?
Excellent website. I love the video examples. Can you please add “sick” as I think this is an important one for children.
ADMIN – Hi Ryan,
Glad you found it useful and thanks for the suggestion. We have added sick to the dictionary.
This is such a great site!! My daughter was born 3 months early and she’s a little behind in her speech. They suggested teaching her signs and she already knows how to sign “more” after 1 day! I can’t wait to teach her more words! The videos are really helpful too!! Could you add ‘closed’ to your list? Thank you!!!
This is such a wonderful site! When I first heard of baby sign language, I could not believe it! Now, this is something I think is very useful, even more so now that I know it is the same signs as ASL!
What is the sign for Pacifier? Or “Binkie?” Thank you!
Sarah
ADMIN – Hi Sarah,
We just added the sign. You can find it in the dictionary.
What is the sign for “ouch,” “ouwie,” “hurts,” “booboo,” or “pain?” Thanks, Sarah
ADMIN – Hi Sarah,
To sign hurt, you take your two pointer fingers and touch them together. To indicate the place where it hurts, you make the sign over that spot.
My son is 2 months old is it to early to start signing? Or is it better to start the earlier the better?
ADMIN – Hi Julie,
Starting earlier is always better, but you have to be prepared to be more patient to see results. For example, if you started at 2 months, you might have to wait 6 months to see results. While if you started at 9 months, you might see results in 1-2 months.
Deaf families often start at birth, signing to their babies in the same way the hearing community talks to their children, and the deaf community routinely sees very early signing (around 6 months old).