Hands on! Using Sign Language with Babies and Toddlers

Think of movies like “look who’s talking” and “daddy day care” where little tykes are given the ability to communicate as adults. It makes for great entertainment, and while it gives babies and toddlers way too much credit, it also makes one think about what baby would say if he could communicate.  Well he can communicate a lot sooner than you think! The technique of using sign language with babies has shown that they do have something to say before their little mouths are ready to work for them.

I use signs in my therapy with language delayed toddlers often and it has remarkable results. Using signs does not only give them a means to communicate but also helps to facilitate language development. I learned a lot about using signs in therapy from Monita of Tiny Handz. She is a dedicated mom who found that this really worked with her own son. Since then hundreds have benefited from her practical approach to incorporating signs into everyday tasks. It’s not just parents and therapists who are using this but teachers too, as we have implemented the Tiny Handz programme at Bel Porto school.  

Another point to consider is that it’s not only useful with the language delayed population, but normally developing children can be given a language boost when they are exposed to it too. This helps to alleviate the frustration of both mom and baby. Many people brush off the idea as they feel that learning sign language is too time consuming and mentally demanding. Taking the time to invest in this skill now is a way to possibly prevent spending time on speech therapy later. Parents also raise concern that their child will choose to sign above speaking;  however children who can talk do talk. Although it doesn’t come naturally, it is not as tough as it seems and with practice it becomes subconscious.

How then would you go about learning signs? Here are a few steps:

1.       First you would decide on your aim for implementing signs with your baby/toddler. This could be because you want to strengthen the bond with your child, you want to alleviate their (and your) frustration around communicating or you want to give that that little head start on communication.


2.       Then decide on which system of sign language you are going to implement. There are many systems that have been developed. I personally suggest going with a system based on South African sign language (like Tiny Handz); but I would also recommend that you look at other signing systems as there may be some signs from one that you like more than the other. It is completely up to you which signs you choose, as long as you are consistent in using them.



3.       Determine the vocabulary you will be using. Look for a list of baby’s first words for some guidance. Here is one that I recommend from teachmetotalk.com. For your own ease of learning I recommend that you pick 5 easy words to start with. These could be ‘eat’; ‘drink’; ‘more’; ‘mommy’; ‘daddy’.  Other words that you would target could then be vocabulary that your child shows an interest in. If you have pets, then you would do ‘dog’ and ‘cat’. If your child spends his day at Granny’s then ‘granny’ would be good. If he loves eating bananas then you will teach him the sign for banana. Make the vocabulary that you choose relevant to you and your family as this will make them more functional and easier to remember.

4.        Learn the signs that go along with the words you have chosen. You can find videos on YouTube that target specific signs. There are also signing charts available on many of the websites (see links). It is also a good idea to let those close to you and your little one know what the signs are and why you are doing them. Use them as you are talking to each other to establish the habit of signing as you speak.

5.       When you are talking to baby make sure they can see your mouth and the object. If you are teaching an action sign like “more”, then make sure that once you use the sign the action happens. Make it as practical as you can by incorporating the signs into daily activities as well as games. Children learn best through play and when something is fun or funny they will be more likely to imitate that.

6.        If your child is beginning to imitate the sign then you need to repeat it back to them with the word. Repetition is essential to language learning. Babysignlanguage.com talks about the different stages your baby goes through when learning signs and how to encourage your baby through each stage.  Have a look at those for more specific information.



I prefer the American sign for "more".
Click on the picture for another interesting article

For more information check out my Pintrest board on this topic!

Here are some more interesting links:

1.How do you start with signs?

2. 9 Things you should know...

3. Mommy Speech Therapy on Sign Language with Toddlers

If you would like to attend a class on learning sign language in Cape Town leave a reply or check the Tiny Handz programme to see where and when classes are happening