Ben started signing up at 8 months and more at 9 months old.  Here are some great video clips so that you can see some examples of the very first attempts of a baby using sign language.

This was the first day he decided to start walking… I was a little excited, he was only 8 months old!

I just had a new baby and my 2 year old has started to act up.  I know he’s not getting quite as much attention as he used to.  So I decided to find activities that he’s good at that can make him feel important in a short amount of time.  When he was a baby I taught him American sign language.  He learned over 200 signs.  When he started to talk more and more, we just didn’t use the signs as much.  But now, as a positive reinforcer, I’ve brought back the signs when we are watching a cartoon, reading a book, sitting down to eat, or learning about colors.  I can tell he is already starting to respond, because he feels cool (probably because he’s doing something the baby can’t).  I’ve also tried to involve him in teaching the new baby signs.  He loves this!  I can tell it makes him feel so important and it allows him to interact with the baby in a positive way.  If my toddler starts to get rough with his new brother I distract him by asking him to teach the baby another sign.  He’ll grab his brothers chubby little hands and try to make him do the sign.. it’s pretty darn cute.

Andrea Burton Ploehn, www.signing4baby.com

Sometimes when I talk to parents about using baby sign language with their children they are hesitant to “add another thing” to their busy schedule.  The amazing thing about using American sign language with your child is that it’s incredibly easy.

When I teach my baby sign language class we start out by showing a few pictures and have the class play a little game of cherades.  They can’t use any words or sounds, only gestures.  Out of a stack of about 20 pictures the class is pleasantly surprised after the game.  The reason:  generally the students without knowing the American Sign Language (ASL) sign for the picture end up using the correct gesture for that sign.

American Sign Language is a visual language the comes naturally to many people, especially babies.  Before your child can talk and without any encouragement from their parents, babies will almost always use gestures to communicate.  Children will reach or point at objects they want, bang their hands on the table to get a reaction, and even shake their heads in objection to something, etc, etc…

For those parents that feel it would be too difficult to add “another thing” to the routine, l’ll let you in on a little secret.  Using sign language with your child is easy and in the long run you will be thanking me for helping you avoid frustration and tantrums.  Your child’s ability to use sign language will amaze you, it’s almost 2nd nature.  And you’ll find yourself using the signs without even thinking twice about them after a few days.

I promise, you wont feel like you have to find the time to sign, you’ll be looking for opportunities to use them.

Andrea Burton Ploehn, Signing 4 Baby co-founder

Using signs to teach colors is very useful. With my daughter we introduced colors very early. Your child can typically identify colors long before they can speak. Just like when you’re signing, you should always mention the color of the object you are describing or using.When my little girl could already use words and we would play color games, if she ever forgot I would simply sign the color and she would be able to figure it out. Having a visual symbol along with a verbal symbol to represent something will often help with memory and organization.

Andrea Burton Ploehn, Signing 4 Baby

American Sign Language is a foreign language. The signs you are teaching your baby are concepts used in this foreign language. Clayton Valli is a leading researcher and linguist and defines American Sign Language. “American Sign Language is an autonomous linguistic system whose elements are visual rather than aural. It is a fully formed language….” Teaching your child American Sign Language gives them the chance to become bilingual. Many Universities accept American Sign Language as a foreign language and have courses for it.

Deborah Parrish, M.S., Signing 4 Baby Founder

My grandson is 7 months old. He is already standing up against the furniture and trying to walk.  When we feed him cereal or veggies we use the sign “more”.  He has not yet produced the sign, but he waits and smiles and then is very patient letting us manipulate his hands.  You can see the process for learning as we go.  The important thing for us to do is to keep signing with him.  I also use other simple signs when he is watching me as I work around the house or play with him.  The eye contact and my attention that focuses on him is valuable for his personal development as well. He can sense the connection and feel the love that comes with the attention he receives.  Sign Language is amazing.

Deborah Parrish M.S.

Taking a toddler to the zoo is extra fun when you use American Sign Language.  I had the opportunity go to the zoo with a two year old toddler who has been learning to sign with her mother since she was born.  At the zoo she tried many different animal signs and descriptive (adverbs and adjective) signs. Then later that day she was using signs to help talk about the experience.  The language development for young children has shown time and time again the positive intellectual effects of American Sign Language. Not only could our little signer, communicate with signs as she looked at the animals, but, that reinforcement of spoken along with signed communication enhanced her memory skills.

Deborah Parrish M.S.