How to Teach Your Baby to Sign When You feel Like You Are Too Busy & Overwhelmed

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One of the most common questions we receive on our inbox relates to the time investment associated with teaching your baby how to sign. Working moms, moms of multiples, single moms and first time moms who are new to signing are intimidated by the idea that teaching a baby to sign may just not work for them given their busy schedule. If you are among one of these groups we have good news for you: Baby sign language is super easy to teach and requires minimal dedicated time. Let’s take a look at the most efficient ways to incorporate baby signing into your everyday routines:

Start Learning Early and Make it a Natural Tool for Communication

The best time to become familiar with baby sign language by learning the basics is before your baby is born. Make baby sign language an integral part of nesting and getting ready for your little one. Take advantage of bedrest to read and learn the best advanced teaching techniques and memorize the most popular starter baby signs. If you already have a baby or several little ones use your quiet time to read the Baby Sign Language Teaching Guide or fast track by engaging with our Facebook community and asking other moms their best baby sign language tips and tricks.

Teach Baby Signs Contextually

The best time-saver when it comes to teaching baby sign language is to teach it in context. When baby is eating teach him or her food signs. When changing the diaper introduce baby to signs like poop, potty & diaper. In addition to saving time your baby will be better able to make the connection between a sign and a concept when you do it contextually and reinforce it with verbal interaction.

Enlist Family & Friends

This is particularly important for families who happen to be busy because of family size. One of the best sources of learning is sibling imitation. Make signing a game by engaging the whole family. By sharing you are making it easier on you and reinforcing communication skills with every single family member.

Don’t Waste Your Time Comparing

The main goal of baby sign language is to equip your pre-verbal child with what he or she needs to communicate their basic needs to you and other caregivers. To do this it is generally enough if your baby learns a few key signs. Babies progress differently and have different needs at different stages of their development. Celebrate your milestones without wasting time feeling behind because other babies can sign every shape, color and animal there is.

Hold Intensive Learning Sessions as Time Permits

If you have a set of baby sign language cards, consider having intensive learning sessions with your baby. This is a very unique way to engage with your baby in a way that facilitates bonding. Many working parents find that 20 minutes of flash card activities provides much needed one on one time with baby and provides opportunities to praise their achievements thus helping their self esteem.

Click Here to Buy Your

Baby Sign Language Kit

A Baby Sign Language Video Story- Rebecca Signs Using Baby Sign Language Flash Cards

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When the team at www.babysignlanguage.com embarked in the mission of creating the most durable and didactic baby sign language flash cards we wanted a product that made sense in terms of size, texture, visual feedback and simplicity in use.

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Recently we received Rebecca’s baby sign language story and video. Rebecca along with her proud mom Heidi and daddy Josh is well on her way to have a rich vocabulary and can currently communicate her basic and not so basic needs resulting in a joyful little girl that can easily engage with those around her in the context of family and school.

Heidi tells us more about their experience using the baby sign language program & kit:

“I started signing to Rebecca when she was six months old. I had a hard time telling when she was hungry and I thought that it would be great if she could ask to be fed. So I began with “milk” and showed her the sign every time I nursed her.

A few months went by, and I did not see any signing back, so I decided to show her some more signs. I took your website’s suggestions for starter signs and showed her “mommy,” “daddy,” “food,” and “kitty” for our cat. Rebecca loves our cat (the feeling is not mutual) and within a few weeks, she was signing cat back to me! I fed our cat with Rebecca in my arms, and soon she was signing “food” whenever we prepared his meal. I was so proud of her—I guess it just took the right subject matter for her to start signing!

Once Rebecca figured out that she could tell me what she was looking at by signing, she started asking me to show her signs for everything around her. She wanted to know how to sign “dog” and now she slaps her leg every time we see one outside. She wanted to know the signs for her bath toys and now she requests her favorites (a duck and an octopus) even when she’s not taking a bath. She learned the signs for all the food she’s tried and for all the animals in her books (which is a lot!). There was a period of time when she was learning two or three new signs a day, which was challenging for me and my husband because we wanted to make sure we knew the signs, too!

As of now, Rebecca can sign more than 200 words! Recently, I used sign language to teach her all the colors and several shapes as well. I thought that it would be an accomplishment to teach her the primary colors, but once Rebecca realized what I was showing her, she wanted to learn all of them! She loves learning new things and signing lets her tell me what she has learned.

Lately, Rebecca loves anything with music, so I have started adding signs to the songs I sing to her. When she sees the signing, she becomes very focused and tries to imitate which sign I am doing at a certain point in the song. As an added benefit, singing a song with signs can calm her down when she is upset.

My husband, Rebecca, and I have had a wonderful experience with baby sign language. I love seeing the joy on her face when she recognizes something that she knows and she signs it. And she loves it when I figure out what she is signing and say that I see it, too. It’s a bond with her that my husband and I wouldn’t have had without baby sign language and for that we are so grateful!”

We have endless free resources and expert-designed baby sign language kits that include everything a parent or educator can possibly need to empower a non-verbal child with key communication skills that will reduce frustration and increase bonding. Visit our Baby Sign Language Store.

Baby Sign Language Can Help in the Early Stages of Apraxia Interventions

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If your toddler has been diagnosed with apraxia you alongside with your speech therapist are in the search for the best protocols to help your child communicate and achieve progress in terms of developing verbal skills.

What is Apraxia?
According to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association ASLH Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder. Children with CAS have problems saying sounds, syllables, and words. This is not because of muscle weakness or paralysis. The brain has problems planning to move the body parts (e.g., lips, jaw, tongue) needed for speech. The child knows what he or she wants to say, but his/her brain has difficulty coordinating the muscle movements necessary to say those words.

For those with little ones Apraxia is generally noticed after your baby turns a year old. Parents with little ones diagnosed with Apraxia normally identify the following:

  • The baby does not coo, babble or mimic sounds and mouth movements.
  • Delayed speech or incomplete words even when the words are simple.
  • Toddler is unable to use some consonants and vowels, particularly the ones that demand complex oral movements.

There are many other speech and hearing disorders that may impact the ability to verbalize therefore a parent that suspects apraxia should seek the diagnostic of an audiologist and a speech pathologist.

Why Baby Sign Language Materials Can Help During Therapy

One of the main reasons speech pathologists and language therapists are using baby sign language materials as part of their protocol for early intervention is simplicity. Many of the signs used by the baby sign language program are simplified versions of American Sign Language making it accessible to little ones who are experiencing motor delays.

Toddlers with apraxia are empowered to support their verbal efforts with signs aiding having clarity and reducing frustration for basic social interactions. Sign language serves as a bridge that helps little ones get to the point where through practice and therapy they are able to imitate the oral movements associated to each word.

In addition to using signs to aid in augmentative communication, many therapists are resorting to the flash cards to help little ones make associations between images and sounds.

With proper therapy and plenty of resources children with apraxia generally catch up by the time they are ready for preschool.

We encourage parents and therapists to take advantage of all the baby sign language resources available for free or consider purchasing the standard kits which are available at wholesale price for bulk purchases made by non-profits, medical and educational institutions. You can email us about it at [email protected]

Using Baby Sign Language to Help Overcome Picky Eating Problems

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As soon as your baby moves into solid food you will begin noticing preferences and in some instances you will face incredible difficulties when baby appears to like something one day and completely reject it the next day. Before using the label picky eater you need to ask yourself a few questions to help identify the root of the problem. As you ask yourself question learn to read your baby’s non-verbals and when possible empower your baby with the necessary signs to help him or her communicate concerns and preferences regarding their food.

Is Baby Full? 

When it comes to nutrition and portions getting it right can be tricky. We live in a culture that encourages snacking and oftentimes we don’t realize that calorically speaking baby may enough by the time we offer dinner. As your baby advances with their signing work on teaching them to communicate satiety by using the sign for “all-done” and conversely if they are hungry they should know how to sign “more“.

What About Temperature & Texture?

As your baby develops he or she will begin displaying personal preferences and generally speaking that is a good thing. As your baby rejects or accepts certain food be attentive to the food texture and temperature to help identify what works best for him or her. Keep in mind that early in life our taste receptors are far more responsive to heat and cold. The way we perceive flavor is also different early in life. That is why as we mature we become more tolerant of bitter and spicy tastes. Work on teaching baby to sign “hot” and “cold“, to help him or her communicate discomfort in association with food temperature.

 

Teaching Baby About Food Choices

As long as your baby is having a balanced nutrition we encourage you to introduce your little one to making choices among two or three healthy food items. Consider pulling favorite food items from the baby sign language flash card set and let your baby select what they would prefer to eat at least a few times per week. For example you could give baby the option between an apple or a pear or guide their discovery of favorite salty snacks by letting them select between a cracker and popcorn.

Understanding Potential Allergies & Sensitivities

It is very important to be observant when your baby eats. If baby is rejecting foods it is entirely possible that the food may be causing discomfort. Consider teaching your baby the sign for hurt to allow him or her to communicate abdominal discomfort or in the case of fruits like mangos your baby may have a reaction to urushiol (the same allergen present in poison ivy) and may want to tell you that his or her lips hurt.

As you are working with your baby in understanding their food preferences you can also introduce your little ones to table manners through the use of sign language.

With time you will notice that your toddler will begin exploring new foods. Don’t give up in the first attempt, give him a few tries to become familiar with flavor profiles.

Our online dictionary has a huge collection of food items that babies love such as avocado & blueberry. Go take a look and print your favorite baby sign language flash cards for free.

 

If you want to take your baby sign language journey to the next level the baby sign language kits can help you by providing easy to use resources and techniques loved by thousands of families around the world.

Related Signs:

If you found this information useful, check out our award winning baby sign language kit. It includes more than 600 signs, covers advanced teaching methods for faster results, and includes fun teaching aids like flash cards.

 

baby sign language kit

The Deluxe Baby Sign Language Kit, bundles together everything you need to get started with signing in one box, at a steep discount. The kit includes: (1) Baby Sign Language Guide Book; (2) Baby Sign Language Dictionary: (3) Baby Sign Language Flash Cards; and (4) Baby Sign Language Wall Chart.

Baby Sign Language Guide Book shows you how to teach your child how to sign. The book begins with a Quick Start Guide that will teach you your first signs and having you ready to sign in 30 minutes. As your baby progresses, you can delve into more advanced topics like combining signs to make phrases, using props, and transitioning to speech. (Regularly $19.95)

Baby Sign Language Dictionary contains over 600 signs including the most common words, the alphabet and numbers. The dictionary helps you expand your child’s vocabulary, and has the breadth of coverage that lets you follow any child’s natural interests. Each sign is illustrated with two or more diagrams, showing you the starting position, the ending position, and intermediate motion. This makes learning new signs easy.  (Regularly $19.95)

Baby Sign Language Flash Cards include 52 sturdy board (4×6 inches) flash cards, covering a variety of basic signs. The flash cards allow you to teach words, such as animal names, that Baby is not exposed to in everyday life. The face of the flash cards shows the word and image for the child. The back of the flash cards show how the sign is performed, a handy reminder for the adult.  (Regularly $24.95)

Baby Sign Language Wall Chart includes 22 basic signs, and makes a handy reminder for caregivers. The Baby Sign Language Wall Chart covers basic signs, like eat, drink, and sleep. Hang the poster in Baby’s Nursery to help babysitters, or other occasional caregivers learn and decode the most commonly used baby signs.  (Regularly $9.95)

100% Signing Guarantee

Your baby signs to your complete satisfaction, or you get a full refund.

No questions. No time limits. No regrets.

Baby Sign Language Guide Book

Learn the best techniques for effectively teaching baby sign language. Including:

•  Quick Start Guide – learn the first 10 signs and the basic principles required to start teaching your baby to sign (Chapter 1).

•  Advanced Teaching Methods – use teaching aids like books, flash cards, and toys to keep lessons interesting and challenging (Chapter 5).

•  Phrases – teach your baby to combine signs and communicate more complex thoughts (Chapter 6).

•  Taming the Terrible Twos – reduce frustration and tantrums by enabling your toddler to communicate (Chapter 7).

•  Transitioning to Speech – use sign language to expedite and improve speech development (Chapter 8).

baby sign language kit

Sarah learned her first 10 signs at six month and it made our lives much easier. Instead of screaming, she could tell us when she was hungry, thirsty, or tired. She learned another 50 signs by nine months and that was a blast. Now she is talking much earlier than the other children in her preschool and we think it is because of her signing.

We can’t imagine missing out on all the little things she shared with baby sign language. Thank You!

– Bennett & Melissa Z., CA

Pediatrician Approved

“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 … we approve.”

Heading Home With Your Newborn (Second Edition)

Dr. Laura A. Jana MD FAAP & Dr .Jennifer Shu MD FAAP

American Academy of Pediatricians

Baby Sign Language Flash Cards

52 high quality flash cards (4 x 6″). Featuring:

•  Clean Images – real life pictures, isolated on a white background to make learning easier.

•  Signs on the Rear – diagrams on the back illustrating the signign motion in case you need a reminder.

•  Baby Friendly – printed on thick stock so little hands can play with the cards and they will live to play another day.

baby sign language kit

I was thrilled to see how easy the signs were for Abigail (3) and Eden (21 months). Much to my surprise they could figure out many of the signs from the flashcards on their own.

– Carrie P., TX

Study: Signing Enriches

“The Sign Training group told us over and over again … [signing] made communication easier and interactions more positive.”

“these data demonstrate clearly that … [signing] … seems to “jump start” verbal development”

“can facilitate and enrich interactions between parent and child”

Impact of Symbolic Gesturing on Early Language Development

Dr. Susan Goodwyn, Dr. Linda Acredolo, & Dr. Catherine Brown

Journal of Nonverbal Behavior

Baby Sign Language Dictionary

The Baby Sign Language Dictionary includes :

•  Words (500+) – learn signs for nearly every topic of interest.

•  Letters – sign the alphabet and teach basic spelling.

•  Numbers (0-10) – introduce counting and basic mathematics.

baby sign language kit

Nicholas loves his signs and it lights up our lives every time he shares one of his little secrets. He is so observant, and we would miss it all without the signs.

– Donald Family, NY

Baby Sign Language Wall Chart

The full color wall chart (24 x 36″) includes 17 everyday signs. Use the wall chart for:

•  Caregivers – help babysitters and other caregivers learn the basic signs so they can understand baby’s signs.

•  Family – teach family the basic signs so they can join in the fun.

baby sign language kit

Everyone thought I was nuts when I started. A month later, all my friends saw Michelle’s first signs. Then they wanted to know how they could start.

Michelle is talking now and doesn’t sign much anymore, but it gave her a headstart over other children her age. Everyone says she talks like a three year old. Now she is helping me teach her baby brother Jordan how to sign.

– Adelaide S., CA

Study: Better in School

A group of second graders who signed as infants, performed better academically than a control group six years later. The signers had a 12 IQ point advantage.

Longterm Impact of Symbolic Gesturing During Infancy at Age 8

Dr. Linda P. Acredolo (Professor, U.C. Davis)

Dr. Susan W. Goodwyn (Professor, California State University)

100% No Regret Guarantee

Your baby loves signing, or a full refund.

As you can tell, we love Baby Sign Language. It transformed the way we interacted with our children, and we want every family to have the opportunity. Baby Sign Language will make a difference for your child. Give it a try.

If for any reason you aren’t completely blown away, we will cheerfully give you a complete refund, including standard shipping. No time limit. We are that confident!

baby sign language kit

Baby Sign Language for Spring Break- Print Your Set Before You Go

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If you are taking a little trip with baby in tow we want you to be ready to teach and discover new things together. Older siblings are welcome to join to add to the fun.

Baby Sign Language for the Beach

 

Ten really awesome baby signs to teach your baby or toddler while on vacation at the beach:

Beach, Water, Ocean, Dolphin, Bucket, Sun, Towel, Swim, Hot, Boat

Baby Sign Language for the Snow

 

Ten great baby signs to teach your toddler on their first trip to the snow:

Snow, Snowman, Cold, Jacket, Ski, Outside, Fire, Chocolate, Gloves, Snowflake.

Baby Sign Language for a Camping Trip

 

And now let’s learn ten baby signs to use in the great outdoors:

Tree, Flower, Leaf, Hot Dog, Camping, Bike, Walk, Squirrel, Wolf, Bear.

 

Related Signs:

If you found this information useful, check out our award winning baby sign language kit. It includes more than 600 signs, covers advanced teaching methods for faster results, and includes fun teaching aids like flash cards.

 

baby sign language kit

The Standard Baby Sign Language Kit, bundles together everything you need to get started with signing in one box, at a steep discount. The kit includes: (1) Baby Sign Language Guide Book; (2) Baby Sign Language Dictionary: (3) Baby Sign Language Flash Cards; and (4) Baby Sign Language Wall Chart.

Baby Sign Language Guide Book shows you how to teach your child how to sign. The book begins with a Quick Start Guide that will teach you your first signs and having you ready to sign in 30 minutes. As your baby progresses, you can delve into more advanced topics like combining signs to make phrases, using props, and transitioning to speech. (Regularly $19.95)

Baby Sign Language Dictionary contains over 600 signs including the most common words, the alphabet and numbers. The dictionary helps you expand your child’s vocabulary, and has the breadth of coverage that lets you follow any child’s natural interests. Each sign is illustrated with two or more diagrams, showing you the starting position, the ending position, and intermediate motion. This makes learning new signs easy.  (Regularly $19.95)

Baby Sign Language Flash Cards include 52 sturdy board (4×6 inches) flash cards, covering a variety of basic signs. The flash cards allow you to teach words, such as animal names, that Baby is not exposed to in everyday life. The face of the flash cards shows the word and image for the child. The back of the flash cards show how the sign is performed, a handy reminder for the adult.  (Regularly $24.95)

Baby Sign Language Wall Chart includes 22 basic signs, and makes a handy reminder for caregivers. The Baby Sign Language Wall Chart covers basic signs, like eat, drink, and sleep. Hang the poster in Baby’s Nursery to help babysitters, or other occasional caregivers learn and decode the most commonly used baby signs.  (Regularly $9.95)

100% Signing Guarantee

Your baby signs to your complete satisfaction, or you get a full refund.

No questions. No time limits. No regrets.

Baby Sign Language Guide Book

Learn the best techniques for effectively teaching baby sign language. Including:

•  Quick Start Guide – learn the first 10 signs and the basic principles required to start teaching your baby to sign (Chapter 1).

•  Advanced Teaching Methods – use teaching aids like books, flash cards, and toys to keep lessons interesting and challenging (Chapter 5).

•  Phrases – teach your baby to combine signs and communicate more complex thoughts (Chapter 6).

•  Taming the Terrible Twos – reduce frustration and tantrums by enabling your toddler to communicate (Chapter 7).

•  Transitioning to Speech – use sign language to expedite and improve speech development (Chapter 8).

baby sign language kit

Sarah learned her first 10 signs at six month and it made our lives much easier. Instead of screaming, she could tell us when she was hungry, thirsty, or tired. She learned another 50 signs by nine months and that was a blast. Now she is talking much earlier than the other children in her preschool and we think it is because of her signing.

We can’t imagine missing out on all the little things she shared with baby sign language. Thank You!

– Bennett & Melissa Z., CA

Pediatrician Approved

“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 … we approve.”

Heading Home With Your Newborn (Second Edition)

Dr. Laura A. Jana MD FAAP & Dr .Jennifer Shu MD FAAP

American Academy of Pediatricians

Baby Sign Language Flash Cards

52 high quality flash cards (4 x 6″). Featuring:

•  Clean Images – real life pictures, isolated on a white background to make learning easier.

•  Signs on the Rear – diagrams on the back illustrating the signign motion in case you need a reminder.

•  Baby Friendly – printed on thick stock so little hands can play with the cards and they will live to play another day.

baby sign language kit

I was thrilled to see how easy the signs were for Abigail (3) and Eden (21 months). Much to my surprise they could figure out many of the signs from the flashcards on their own.

– Carrie P., TX

Study: Signing Enriches

“The Sign Training group told us over and over again … [signing] made communication easier and interactions more positive.”

“these data demonstrate clearly that … [signing] … seems to “jump start” verbal development”

“can facilitate and enrich interactions between parent and child”

Impact of Symbolic Gesturing on Early Language Development

Dr. Susan Goodwyn, Dr. Linda Acredolo, & Dr. Catherine Brown

Journal of Nonverbal Behavior

Baby Sign Language Dictionary

The Baby Sign Language Dictionary includes :

•  Words (500+) – learn signs for nearly every topic of interest.

•  Letters – sign the alphabet and teach basic spelling.

•  Numbers (0-10) – introduce counting and basic mathematics.

baby sign language kit

Nicholas loves his signs and it lights up our lives every time he shares one of his little secrets. He is so observant, and we would miss it all without the signs.

– Donald Family, NY

Baby Sign Language Wall Chart

The full color wall chart (24 x 36″) includes 17 everyday signs. Use the wall chart for:

•  Caregivers – help babysitters and other caregivers learn the basic signs so they can understand baby’s signs.

•  Family – teach family the basic signs so they can join in the fun.

baby sign language kit

Everyone thought I was nuts when I started. A month later, all my friends saw Michelle’s first signs. Then they wanted to know how they could start.

Michelle is talking now and doesn’t sign much anymore, but it gave her a headstart over other children her age. Everyone says she talks like a three year old. Now she is helping me teach her baby brother Jordan how to sign.

– Adelaide S., CA

Study: Better in School

A group of second graders who signed as infants, performed better academically than a control group six years later. The signers had a 12 IQ point advantage.

Longterm Impact of Symbolic Gesturing During Infancy at Age 8

Dr. Linda P. Acredolo (Professor, U.C. Davis)

Dr. Susan W. Goodwyn (Professor, California State University)

100% No Regret Guarantee

Your baby loves signing, or a full refund.

As you can tell, we love Baby Sign Language. It transformed the way we interacted with our children, and we want every family to have the opportunity. Baby Sign Language will make a difference for your child. Give it a try.

If for any reason you aren’t completely blown away, we will cheerfully give you a complete refund, including standard shipping. No time limit. We are that confident!

baby sign language kit