Teach Your Baby Sign Language: When to Start
Sign language is a great way to communicate with an infant who hasn’t yet started talking. But when you should start teaching it to them? There are many variables, from manual dexterity to brain development. Here is how to figure it all out.
When to Introduce Signs
Most babies begin to make associations around six or seven months. That’s when they start to understand that vocalizing gives them power. They make a sound and you come running. Once that happens, they begin to realize that signing is powerful, too—and that it’s much more effective than crying.
A baby learns that when he cries, you’ll appear on the scene but you may not give him what he wants, at least not immediately. When he signs, however, he discovers that he gets much better results. If he makes the sign for EAT, he gets a cracker. If he makes the sign for MORE, voilà—instant service!
But before any of that can happen, his cognitive skills must be developed enough to make the association between a certain sign and what it represents. He must also have enough memory to recall the signs and sufficient motor ability to produce them.
Now I don’t need to tell you that all babies are different. While seven months may be the average age that most babies are first ready to be exposed to signs, not all babies that age will be. Some will be at the starting gate at six months; others, not until 10 months to a year. How can you tell when the time is right for your future signer? Look for clues that he’s interested in communicating:
- Does your baby look at your face intently when you speak?
- When your baby drops a toy or some other object, does he look to see where it went?
- Does your baby seem really curious? For example, is he turning his head to see what’s going on around him?
- When your baby picks up an object, does he look to you quizzically as if he’s asking for more information?
- Does your baby point to the objects that he wants?
- Is your baby already gesturing on his own? For example, is he reaching out to be picked up or waving “bye-bye”?
- Can your baby imitate gestures or actions?
If you answered “yes” to five out of seven questions, then it’s time for you to get to work. If you answered “no” to the majority of the questions, wait a few weeks and review them again. Remember that babies are making major strides very quickly at this stage so a few weeks can make all the difference.
Manual Dexterity
Want another tip to help determine if your baby is nearing the signing stage? Look at his hands. Because a baby’s hands must be agile enough to make the signs you are showing him, it’s another factor you need to consider. While there are numerous resources available about a baby’s developmental stages, there’s hardly any focus on how a baby’s hands develop.
- 2 months: A baby’s hands start to unfold and briefly hold a rattle.
- 3 months: He plays with his hands and can hold onto the rattle a little longer.
- 4 months: He reaches for objects.
- 5 months: He grabs his toes. His reach is more accurate and he can transfer objects from one hand to the other.
- 6–9 months: He can pick up small objects with his thumb and finger. He reaches accurately. He can make a sign!
- 12–15 months: He can grip a crayon.
Jump-Starting the Process
If you’ve discovered that your baby isn’t quite ready to begin, why not put the wait time to good use? Start learning the signs yourself, teach them to your family, and be ready when he is. Want an even better idea? Put your baby in training!
Here are some simple activities that will stimulate your baby’s interest in sign language, improve his motor skills, and promote his verbal language development at the same time:
- Gently manipulate your baby’s hands to help him with tasks that he’s having trouble with.
- Place Cheerios on his tray one at a time.
- Clap to music and songs. Gently take your baby’s hands and help him with the movements and gestures.
- Play sorting games. Yes, you will have to do most of the work but speak as you play and explain your reasoning to your baby throughout the activity.
- Take your baby to a mirror and play “Identification.” Touch your nose and say, “This is Mommy’s nose.” Then touch your baby’s nose and say, “This is Amanda’s nose.” Then move on to your mouth. You get the idea.
- Stimulate your baby with “touch and feel” activities. Present him with a number of different textures and let him feel the difference. For example, rub a silk scarf on his hand and then let him feel a scrub brush.
- Get out a bubble wand and help him move his arm to create bubbles.
- Encourage him to move an object from one hand to the other.
- Make good use of developmental toys with dials, cranks, buttons, and little doors.
- Read to your baby as often as possible. Babies love repetition so limit the number of books that you read to him. Take his finger and help him point to the objects/characters while stressing the name of each.
- Play peek-a-boo. This simple activity is great for developing and maintaining eye contact. That’s important when it comes to signing.
When to Expect Results
How soon until you see results? There are variables that you need to factor into the equation. It depends on how old your baby is and how regularly you sign with him, among other things.
While there are no crystal balls in this area, the following timetable will help to give you a general idea of what to expect and when to expect it. Again, let me stress that this is based on an average and doesn’t apply in all cases.
- 3–6 months: While babies are too young to begin any serious signing, this is a good time for you to put your baby in training and jump-start the process. Plus it’s a great time for you to practice what you’re about to teach.
- 6–8 months: Your baby’s memory skills are growing daily. If you begin signing when your baby is six to seven months old, you will probably see results about two months later. This is based on a high level of commitment and consistency.
- 8–10 months: Your baby’s coordination skills have improved dramatically and he will be able to produce simple signs and begin to grasp their meaning. If you start at this stage, you should see results in six to eight weeks.
- 10–12 months: If you introduce signs to your baby at this age, you should see results in two to three weeks—even faster if you are using the express method.
- 12–18 months: This is a prime imitation period. Watch what you say and watch what you sign. It could be picked up instantly, although the realization of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it may take a few days to a week.
There are many great reasons to sign with your baby; one of the best is that experts believe parents who sign with their babies tend to talk to them more, so your baby will be bombarded with aural stimuli in that area. For more information on baby sign language, be sure to check out our Quick Guides Teach Your Baby Sign Language in Two Weeks and Teach Your Baby Sign Language: The First Three Signs. Happy signing!
From The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Baby Sign Language, Second Edition, by Diane Ryan
