Baby Signs 101

Since Little Bear was about 6 months old I have been teaching him some simple sign language. Professionals and experienced parents say that it is a great aid to communication, especially before babies are able to verbalize all of their needs and wants to their parents or caretakers. Studies have also shown that it doesn't slow language development but in a lot of cases speeds the process. We haven't necessarily seen that it has sped the process of him speaking, as he only says a handful of words, but it has been a wonderful way for him to communicate with us and vice versa while he is learning to speak.

I started simple with the signs for "more" and "all done." These were most often used at mealtime but I would also use them if they were pertinent in other areas of life, like when I finished changing his diaper or clothes we might say, "All done!" I would do the sign for those words every time I said them and, eventually, when he was responding more to them I helped him do the signs. He picked up on them very quickly. At first, "more" was simply the hands coming together in a clapping motion but he soon caught on to what my fingers were doing and now does the sign for "more" very precisely.

I would say one of the most interesting things that has come from this is that he started making up his own sign language. In the video you will see him do a sign for "hot"--I don't even know the official sign language for the word and I doubt my son is so intuitive that he discovered the actual sign for it but it is his very own. The funny thing is, it started with food. If I was blowing on food and telling him it was hot he would take his hand to his mouth and say, "Ha." After I realized what he was doing I started doing the sign with him. One day we were getting in the car and he touched the outside of the car and said, "Ha," and brought his hand to his mouth. Crazy right? The sign for "drink" that he demonstrates in the below video is also his original. The real sign for "drink" is similar in that you bring your hand to your mouth in a drinking motion, but he added the little lip thing.

"Would you recommend this to others, Mama Bear?" you ask. "Absolutely!" is my response. Although it might seem silly at first you will surely enjoy the benefits after sticking with it for a few months. Today, Little Bear will see something he wants and make the sign for "please" over and over until you acknowledge that he is asking for something. He can also ask for "help" if he is trying to do something he needs assistance with.

I hope you enjoy his demonstration in the video, "Baby Signs 101." :)