When I first heard about using sign language with babies, I was pretty skeptical.  I already knew sign language, but it had never crossed my mind to use it with a baby.  After a lot of research, I decided that when I had my first child, I would try it out.  Now after having three children and using sign language with my oldest two, I can honestly say it’s one of the best things I’ve done for them.  My third child is only 1 month old, but I am definitely going to continue using baby sign language with him.

One article I found was done by Linda Acredolo and Dr. Susan Goodwyn, which showed in a long term study that “children using standardized language measures, children at 24 months using simple signs to communicate, were on average talking more like 27 or 28 month old.”

The study alsoshowed a “three-month advantage over the children who were not signing. Also the infants using signs were putting together significantly longer sentences. Then at 36 months the children using signs on average were talking more like 47 month old which translates to almost a full year ahead of non-signing children”.

It almost sounds too good to be true, but from personal experience I know that it really does work.  Both my son and daughter have been months ahead of the average.  I had people coming up to me in the grocery store and they’d ask how old my daughter was.  When I’d tell them 15 months, they’d stare at me in shock… because at that point she was saying full clear sentences.  I can’t tell you how secretly pleased I was!

If anyone is trying to decide if they should use sign language with their child, do the research and find all the resources you can.  That’s what I did, and the evidence was overwhelming that the benefits are amazing.

If you have any questions about my experience with my family using baby sign language, feel free to email me. signing4baby@hotmail.com .

Andrea Burton Ploehn, Co-Founder Signing 4 Baby

The other day I was in the store and Brandon was signing, “Sad baby”. I looked around and there was a baby in the other line crying. I hadn’t even noticed him crying, but Brandon was really concerned. I thought it was amazing that at his young age he connected a baby crying with the baby being sad. Insights like this have let me know that I can teach even more advanced things and give him a jump-start.

Researchers Acredola and Goodwyn show in a study that “signing babies scored higher in intelligence tests, understood more words, had larger vocabularies and engaged in more sophisticated play. Signing Babies were followed until they were eight years old and on average scored 12 points higher on intelligence tests”.

Using baby sign language is such a great tool for parents, it really does help you tap into your children’s emotions.

Andrea Burton Ploehn

To receive the entire series of Signing Time at discount it costs over $600.00.  For the same amount of signs you can purchase the “Signing 4 Baby” collection for only $29.97!  Signing 4 Baby is a unique product that focuses on parent child interaction.  Research shows that to receive the amazing benefits of using sign language with your child, there are specific things that need to be done during the learning process as a parent.  Don’t just let your children sit alone in front of a T.V. for their education. Find out now how to take an active roll in giving them a jump start in life.  Visit www.signing4baby.com today!”

I’ll be seeing you soon,

Andrea Ploehn

Lesson 8

Story: One time we were talking about catching something, and Annie started signing cat. If she hadn’t signed that, I never would have known that she misunderstood us. This wasn’t the only time this happened. Sign language helped me to clarify misunderstandings and explain things better so that she knew exactly what I was talking about.

Research: Communicating requires thinking, planning, and decision-making. Each one of these activities stimulates the developing brain in important ways that benefit the child the next time around. Because Baby Signing enables children to communicate at remarkably young ages, Baby Signers enjoy a “jump start” in the development of the neural substrate of language. (Acredola and Goodwyn)

Skill Development: Using signs can reinforce things you are already trying to teach your child. Just like using repetition in signing allows for more success, when you reinforce discipline or a concept in more than one way this also allows for more success. Just like some children learn visually and others audibly, you can ensure that they get as much information as possible to make the connections you are trying to stress.

Andrea Burton Ploehn, Signing 4 Baby

When my children were first verbalizing sometimes it was hard to understand what they were saying. It was amazing how using the sign language helped, I’d ask them to sign the word so that I could tell what it was, and then I could help them verbally say it. This helped a lot with frustration, I know for a lot of kids they get so angry when they are trying to say something to their parents, but the parents just don’t understand.

Research from Joseph Garcia tells us that “Communication, like physical contact is an essential component in our children’s development. …Authorities suggest that 90% of the information we absorb is received through our vision.” Babies are born with intelligence and they learn faster than their muscles develop which would allow them to speak using verbal language. As infants learn sign they can begin the foundation for “mutual understanding” and this manual communication can contribute greatly to the “bonding process.” (Joseph Garcia, Sign 2 Me)

Andrea Burton Ploehn, Signing 4 Baby

I have to tell you an awsome experience I had a last year when my little boy was just barely one years old.

We went motorcycling with my parents and took some pictures of the kids up in the mountains. Brandon loves motorcycles and picked up on this sign very quickly. A few weeks later my mom sent us the pictures. Brandon found one of the pictures of him in the mountains and started signing motorcycle.

The amazing thing about this is that the motorcycle wasn’t in the picture, he recognized that this was the place we had gone to motorcycle. I couldn’t believe how good his memory and recognition was, he was only 16 months at the time.

Some helpful research I found that relates to using baby sign language was

Andrea Ploehn, Founder Signing 4 Baby

One time my daughter and I we we’re waiting for daddy to come home. We heard someone at the door, but it wasn’t dad. She started crying and signing dad, dad, dad. My daughter couldn’t verbally say dad yet. So if she hadn’t used the sign for dad I wouldn’t have understood why she was crying. I didn’t think that she would get upset about something like that. I would have been clueless about her reaction.

Research done by Joseph Garcia (sign 2 me), explains that “Babies are born with intelligence and they learn faster than their muscles develop which allow them to speak using verbal language. As infants learn signs they can begin the foundation for “mutual understanding” and this manual communication can contribute greatly to the “bonding process.”

I’s so glad that doing something as simple as signing with my child has so many amazing benefits.

Andrea Ploehn, Signing 4 Baby Founder