Should You Teach Your Baby Sign Language?

I’ve recently had some questions about teaching sign language to babies and young children. Is it just a “silly” thing first-time parents spend their time on? Will teaching a baby sign language cause delayed language development? Is it easy to teach a baby sign language?

I’m happy to provide some answers and share some resources where you can learn about sign language for babies and toddlers!

Is Baby Sign Language Just a Fad?

This is a pretty common concern when it comes to learning about baby signs. A lot of parents don’t want to appear too “extra” like they’re trying to raise an elite baby snob!

One interesting thing I learned is that baby signs are actually based on real American Sign Language. They’re not just made-up signals that the baby leaves behind once they are old enough to speak. Learning American Sign Language is a beneficial skill for people of all ages to be equipped with. While you may not personally have a family member or close friend who is Deaf, the Deaf community is oftentimes an underserved population and a higher number of people skilled in ASL is a positive thing for everyone.

Baby sign language is a beneficial form of communication that can take the guesswork out of learning your baby’s cues. Parents, grandparents, and babysitters get frustrated by a toddler pointing and screaming for something, not knowing what they are really asking for. How neat if instead a nonverbal baby or toddler could simply show you a hand signal letting you know that they wanted milk, or to be held, or to read a story!

When Do You Start Teaching Babies Sign Language?

Many caregivers start teaching babies signs around four months of age. Now, don’t expect that a baby this young will be able to sign back just yet! It’s all about the repetition, and consistently teaching them over a period of time that certain signs are associated with things like milk, “up”, “more”, bath, snack, and so on. It’s common for weeks or months to go by before your baby starts intentionally communicating with you by signing.

It’s also never too late to teach sign language to your baby, toddler, or older child. Even though you may not rely on it once your child learns more words, it’s still a great and useful skill to have, and provides an extra parenting tool to help your child when they are stressed out or having a tantrum.

Does Baby Sign Language Delay Speech Development?

Some parents worry that teaching their baby to sign will lead to a dependence on signing, where the baby sees no need to use words and therefore has delayed language skills.

Based on my research, this isn’t a concern, as development of speech is a biologically pre-wired part of a child. Assuming that there are no medical or developmental issues that would hinder the child’s normal development, a baby choosing not to speak because of a preference for signing would be like a baby deciding not to grow another inch that year.

Speech and language pathologists who work with children experiencing speech delay even recommend signing as a healthy part of the language development process.

If you feel that your baby is not talking at the appropriate age, or using enough words or letter sounds for their age, be sure to bring it up at your next pediatrician visit so you can be provided with speech resources or referrals, if needed.

Is it Difficult to Teach a Baby Sign Language?

It doesn’t have to be! You can read books or watch videos about the simplest signs, then just start incorporating them as you care for your baby throughout the day. Sign “milk” as you lift your shirt to breastfeed, or as you warm up a bottle, and say the word as well. Sign “up” while also saying the word, as you pick up your baby. Matching simple signs to the appropriate words and actions is a fantastic start. You do not have to learn all of ASL first in order to get started - you can learn along with your baby.

There are quite a few books, videos, courses, etc. out there which can teach you about baby signing and ASL in general. I personally enjoyed “Baby Talk” by Monica Beyer, as it was very enjoyable to read, easy to understand, and contains clear illustrations and instructions of all the common signs that you would use with your baby or toddler on an everyday basis! If you have another resource you have used and loved, I would love to hear about it in the comments!