When to Start

Infants are ready to begin to use baby signs about the age of 7-9 months. Adults will start by incorporating one sign at a time as the child learns the meaning of each gesture.

When using baby signs, repetition is the key. Baby signs should be used often, in a fun and natural way. Incorporate signing into your daily routine. A child will use both spoken words and signs together as her/his language skills develop. Eventually, the transition from using signs to verbal speech will evolve and the communication cycle will be complete.

Benefits

• Encourages speech
• Infants taught to use baby signs score an average of 10 - 12 points higher on IQ tests when school age
• Multi-tasking stimulates intellectual development
• Enhances self-esteem
• Reduces crying
• Leads to a larger vocabulary
• They have a greater interest in books
• Engaging in more sophisticated play
• Have fun talking with your toddler!