Tips for Getting Started
While signing isn’t exactly a must for new parents, it isn’t exactly difficult to learn, either. Books and videos on baby signing abound, and 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. Here are some big-picture tips to get you started.
- Be patient. The baby-signing trend is based on the observation that babies taught simple signs at 6 or 7 months of age could begin using them to communicate at as early as 8 or 9 months. While there’s no reason you have to wait until your baby turns 6 months to get started, we encourage you to be realistic in your expectations for any true signs of success.
- Speak up.Be sure you don’t cut back on the amount of time you spend talking with your baby. As long as signing does not take the place of speaking, it won’t get in the way of your baby’s learning to talk with her words as well as her hands.
- Make it a habit. As with much of the learning your baby will be doing, repetition is key. For a better shot at success, make signing a daily habit, not a one-time lesson.
Sign it like you see it. Use signs to describe routine activities and common objects that make up your baby’s world.
- Don‘t be heavy handed.Don’t worry if your baby doesn’t get the signs quite right or doesn’t pick them up right away. Remember the goal here is to have fun communicating and lessen frustration, not add to it!
Share your signs. Be sure you share your signs with your baby’s other caregivers so that everyone can join in on (and understand) the conversation once your baby begins to sign. And if your baby’s child care provider is going to be the one teaching your baby sign language, be sure to ask for a quick tutorial so you will understand what your baby wants when she starts signing to you!
Last Updated 6/1/2010
Source Heading Home With Your Newborn, 2nd Edition (Copyright © 2010 American Academy of Pediatrics)
The information contained on this Web site should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
