Benefits of teaching toddlers sign language

There are a lot of reasons why a parent might want to teach ASL (American Sign Language) to their child, whether or not that kid is deaf or hard of hearing. We taught our daughter basic sign language when she was a toddler, because (although she could hear OK) she had challenges that made it difficult for her to speak. It was easier for her to communicate her basic needs to us via sign language. Through multiple discussions with her SLP, or speech-language pathologist, we were reassured that learning sign language would not be a crutch that would prevent her from practicing and developing her speech. Rather, it would be another tool via which we could make sure her language comprehension stayed on track. It meant that she could begin to use and understand the symbology of language even though it would be a while before her verbal speech developed completely. In other words, she learned that signs could represent actions, things, or desires so that she had the foundation she needed to start speaking when the time was right for her developmentally.

Some families try to make sure that their kids learn sign language because they have a close friend or family member who is deaf or hard of hearing, and they want their kids to be able to communicate openly with them.

What age should you start baby sign language?

Many parents find that their kids are able to communicate basic needs (hungry, thirsty, bathroom, etc.) via sign language even earlier than they have the physical capacity to talk. In fact, many 4 month ok babies are developmentally prepared to understand the signs that they see in the home, even if they don’t have the fine motor coordination to produce signs back after 7 months or more. This probably isn’t too surprising – just think: did your child learn to wave or point before they could say “good-bye” or ask for an object? You just have to make sure that your preverbal infant has hit the milestone of being able to hold your gaze for long enough to see the whole sign, otherwise, you may end up being frustrated.

Yet other parents just find that sign language is another tool to expand their kid’s horizons, and help their cognitive development and mental malleability. Learning sign language flexes many of the same mental muscles as learning a foreign language, but you can get started even earlier in life. Many psychological benefits, such as improved confidence and self-esteem, have been observed in kids that learned sign language early on. This makes sense, as it can be a very frustrating experience for young children to have a need that they are trying to communicate to their parent which goes misunderstood and unfulfilled.

Why should you teach your baby sign language?

Take a look at the data: according to a recent study, 8-year-olds who had learned sign language as babies earned 12 extra points on average on IQ tests than their non-signing peers. The evidence is visible even sooner, though. By 36 months, babies who were taught sign language in tandem with oral English were actually almost a year ahead in their speaking skills.

Source: Dr. Robert C. Fifer, director of audiology and speech pathology at the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine.

Whatever your motivations are, here are methods we used to teach our toddler sign language. With a little diligence, it is possible for your kid, too – and it can be a fun bonding experience for the both of you! Here’s a pro tip: focus on what your kid’s interests are. For example, you are way more likely to have success if you start with signs for things that your kid really loves or needs. If your child loves to visit the petting zoo with you, teach him or her the signs for the different animals. You’ll be happy with the results. It also helps to start with objects that are around the house and can be easily linked to a sign, such as a toy or a ball. Remember, if your child goes to daycare or has a regular babysitter, things can go faster if you ask them to continue using a couple of signs throughout the day.

This article is based on our experience in raising kids, conversations with our child’s own doctor and speech therapists, and additional research. Sources are cited where applicable. However, it has not been reviewed by a doctor, SLP, physical therapist, or other health professionals, and is not to be considered medical advice or a substitute for consulting with a physician. This article focuses on teaching children who have normal hearing how to use sign language as an additional communication tool.

Books:
Signing pull the tab book
Baby can actually influence and observe the signs that the babies in the book make, by pulling the tabs and moving the flaps. Seeing the characters make the signs while you say them aloud is a great way to make these neural connections early. Repeated pairings of seeing a sign and hearing the word verbally is a fast way to learn the basics. Best of all, this book focuses on ASL signs that are useful for communicating basic needs, like eat, drink, all done, thank you, and so on.

Songs
The obvious one is singing the ABCs while you sign the letters to your child. But, there are many more songs that you can use to help your child learn sign language. If you need some inspiration, check out this YouTube channel with ASL variations of popular songs like Firefly (by Owl City) and Party in the USA (by Miley Cyrus).
Be sure to put your child somewhere that he or she is comfortable, and can pay attention for enough time to complete the song. A high chair is great for this because your kid can sit up straight and face you without getting distracted and crawling away. Our daughter loved being sung to in her indoor swing, so this is where we taught her to sign the ABCs and it went great.

Games:
You can find a whole host of sign language crossword puzzles, word finds, and many other games available online. To see these and many other learning tools, visit lessontutor.com.

Videos
There are hundreds of great videos out there that can get kids used to ASL without overwhelming them. Here is one of our favorites:

Just sign!
Remember, babies learn best via immersion, observation, and imitation. Start signing in their daily life, and they’ll pick it up intuitively faster than you think. Remember, don’t overwhelm them. But think about the 2-3 most common things you might say to your child – “are you hungry?”, “are you thirsty?”, etc – and start signing them (along with saying them aloud). Before you know it, they will be mimicking the same signs to request those things.

Get creative!
One out of the box way we’ve heard to teach sign language to younger children with shorter attention spans is to shut the lights off and use LED light-up gloves. This is unique and different enough to hold baby’s attention for a longer period of time. We found this to be a particularly fun experience and it sure got everybody laughing!

More general tips:
Introduce babies to one or a few basic signs at a time – don’t overwhelm them or they are likely to get confused or discouraged.

Some kids may not show interest or excitement in sign language even when they are successfully acquiring signs. Don’t get discouraged yourself if this is the case, and stick with it. All kids learn at their own pace and style.

Remember to have fun. Teaching children sign language can be a great bonding experience and has many additional benefits, but it should not be a chore. Start slow and with reasonable expectations, and adapt to your child’s reactions and learning style. You will have a great time.

There are also many free resources for teaching your toddler sign language that are available on the internet to read, stream, or download. For example, download American Sign Language for babies flashcards, watch ASL YouTube video series, etc.

The best part of teaching toddlers sign language is that almost all kids already use a significant amount of nonverbal communication in getting their needs across. By molding and shaping the types of nonverbal communication that kids use right from the beginning, it can be fairly intuitive for them to learn ASL.

Does teaching a child sign language delay speech?

It is important to reiterate once again that teaching toddlers sign language does not delay their verbal speech. In fact, the converse is true: the majority of baby signers learn to speak earlier than their counterparts who did not ever learn sign language. One of the lesser anticipated benefits is the additional eye contact and tactile contact that you get to share with your child while you teach them ASL.

Is baby sign language the same as ASL?

Most parents will choose to teach their children American Sign Language, or ASL, because they understand that their kids may find it useful later in life. There also exists another signed language called Makaton, which is specifically designed to help hearing people with learning or communication difficulties. Makaton is used in conjunction with spoken speech to assist children and adults with communication, and is typically intended to cease as speech develops.

Many children will invent their own signs for objects. It is up to you whether you want to correct them to the “official” sign or go along with theirs. The important thing is consistency! So make sure if you’re going to use theirs, that all caregivers are on the same page.

There may be other products that can be recommended by your child’s doctor, SLP, or speech therapist. Remember, this article is a place to start, but isn’t medical advice, or a substitute for having a qualified medical professional consult with your child in-person. Every kid is different and has unique needs for their optimal language development.

Benefits of teaching toddlers sign language

What age should you start baby sign language?

Why should you teach your baby sign language?

Does teaching a child sign language delay speech?

Is baby sign language the same as ASL?

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