A baby is the most delicate and precious thing for parents. We all as humans are naturally fascinated by babies as they look so cute and bubbly. Seeing a baby crawl, get angry or trying to talk is a funny thing. It is the most pleasing, fascinating and funny sight to see a baby communicate. Thus, for talking to a baby and trying to understand his emotions and making him understand what you mean is great thing expertise. This can help the baby when he is angry, sad or irritated. Here are 11 useful tips and 25 sign words to communicate with a baby.
Read More: Sign Language for Baby: Teaching 25 Keywords in Baby Sign Language
In this article:
What is Infant Sign Language?
When Can You Start Teaching Sign Language to Your Baby?
Why Should You Teach Sign Language to Your Baby?
How to Teach Baby 25 Key Words in Baby Sign Language 11 Useful Tips
Common Baby Signs and Language Chart
Is Sign Language Good for Babies?
What is Infant Sign Language?
Infant sign languages are a set of signs and actions that include hand gestures that are related to some words that can be used to communicate while talking to a baby.
When Can You Start Teaching Sign Language to Your Baby?
The most favorable time when you can start teaching sign language to your baby is from six to nine months. At this time she/he will be able to make signs of her own and on her own. When the baby is in between six to nine months he/she can pick up the signs, actions, and gestures easily and faster.
Read More: 11 Fun ABC Games for Kids
Why Should You Teach Sign Language to Your Baby?
Babies are delicate; they need care, protection, warmth, love, and understanding. There can be times when your baby needs something from you and then it can be tough for him/her to communicate with you. In emergencies, if he/she wants to say something to you he will be sad as he/she cannot communicate then it will lead to irritation, fussiness and lots of crying and too much howling. If you make your baby learn the baby signs then in times when he needs you and your understanding it will be really helpful.
Read More: 39 Developmental Activities for Toddlers
How to Teach Baby 25 Keywords in Baby Sign Language 11 Useful Tips
The useful tips to teach your child sign language is really important. While you make your child learn these useful sign languages it is important to keep some tips in your mind which will act as a catalyst to your learning process. Here are the 11 useful tips:
- Make sure that you make your child learn useful tips with perseverance.
- It is important that when you say the word and the sign that you want your child to learn, make sure that you are really loud so that your child doesn’t have any confusion.
- It is important that whenever you say your child a word and do the action you repeat it again and again whenever that action and words are needs to be repeated.
- Babies get fascinated by food so it is important that you start your sign language preparation for the baby at mealtime.
- You can start the baby sign language preparation with the toy that the baby likes the most.
- It is advised that you begin with fewer signs so that the baby doesn’t have a problem in memorizing and picking up the words, actions, and gestures.
- Whenever you perform the action or gesture make sure you always accompany your gesture or action with the word that you want the child to learn for the sign communication.
- It is advised that babies are really young and their brain has just started processing so don’t think that he/she will learn in one go, in fact, you will be required to be as repetitive as possible.
- Do not go too fast, in the beginning, this can make things worse and the mind of the baby will get haphazardly messed up. This can lead to hampering pf his future goals and learnings.
- Never be passive for the baby’s sign communication. Read the sign say it loud as much as possible throughout the day. Take chances and find opportunities so that your baby gets used to it.
- Always make sure that you be happy while teaching this will make your baby feel positive, happy and energetic around you. He/she will find you more appealing and then he/she will be more interested and energetic in learning the sign language and responding quickly.
Common Baby Signs and Language Chart
Mommy
This sign is the most important as the baby is most attached to his/her mother. This can be performed by spreading out the fingers of your hand and then touching the thumb and the chin of your face. Make sure you smile while you do this.
Photo: Peter Ardito
Daddy
Daddy is also an important sign because mom and dad are the first set of people that the baby looks up to. This sign can be performed by spreading out the fingers of your hand and then touching the thumb and the forehead of your face. Make sure you smile while you do this.
Photo: Peter Ardito
Eat
It is known that babies are fascinated by food so this action is really easy and exciting but interesting at the same time. This can be performed by squeezing the fingertips and advancing it towards the mouth on the fac.
Photo: Peter Ardito
Again
The baby needs to understand that he has to repeat certain actions for his/her parents so that they can understand their child and the parents also need to get a repetitive action from the parents so that he can learn again. This action can be performed by opening one palm of your hand while keeping it near your body and then tapping it with your fingertips but only once which will denote again word.
Photo: Peter Ardito
More
When the baby wants something more than he/she will be needing these actions a lot. This action can be performed by squeezing the fingertips of both the hands and then attaching them and removing them several times. This needs to be repetitive to make the baby understand it’s essence and importance.
Photo: Peter Ardito
Sleep
A baby needs a lot of sleep to grown and gain height. This sign and gesture are the most important and easy for the beginning as the baby needs a lot of sleep all the time. Thus, he/she will be able to convey it to his/her parents when the baby wants to sleep badly. This can be performed by bringing one hand and the palm near your face and then closing all the fingertips on your chin and then closing the eyes and dragging the face with the fist downwards.
Photo: Peter Ardito
Milk
This is also a very important sign. This is because babies like milk a lot it is their favorite meal throughout the day in the beginning year. When they want milk they can do this action. Hold all the fingers together and make a tight fist and hold it near your chest.
Photo: Peter Ardito
Cold
This is done by raising both the shoulders a little bit and then clenching both the hands into a fist and holding them together under your chin. You can try to shiver a little bit to make the baby understand the importance and meaning of this gesture.
Photo: Peter Ardito
Bath
This action is important for the mother. Babies always throw tantrums before bathing and the mother finds it difficult to convey that she wants the child to come for bathing now. This action is more fun and interesting. This can be performed by holding both hands together and then clenching them into a fist and moving them up and down in front of your chest.
Photo: Peter Ardito
Bye-Bye
This sign is very important for the baby when he meets his relatives, friends, siblings or even cousins. This can be taught to the baby by opening your hand next to your shoulder and then bending your fingers a little bit and then waving the hand slightly right to left.
Photo: Peter Ardito
Cat
This action is also important for the baby as he/she can tell his/her mom when a baby is seen by them. This action can be performed by pinching the pointer finger with the thumb and then tracing the hand from the face to few inches away. This action signifies tracing the whiskers of a cat.
Photo: Peter Ardito
Hungry
This action is really important as the baby can express his emotion of hunger whenever he feels like. This will make his communication with his/her mother more comprehensive and understanding. This can be performed by making your hand into a C shape and then moving it up and down from your neck to your stomach.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Drink
This is a very exciting and interesting sign. To perform this sign make the shape of the cup by forming like a C shape by hands and then take the hands to the mouth as if you are drinking something.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Water
Water is an important part of human life. It is very important for breathing and living life to the fullest for the baby water can be really important if she/he learns this sign it will be easy for him to communicate with you. To perform this sign you have to point three middle fingers up and then take your index finger to your chin.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
All Done
This is an important aspect of the baby. When she/he is done with something, it will be easy for him/her to communicate with his/her parents. This can be performed by putting both of your hand’s palms facing towards you and then reversing them opposite to you.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Play
This is a very important aspect of a baby. A baby likes to spend fun time and play. This sign can be performed by keeping your three middle fingers inside and keeping the thumb and pinkie finger out and then shaking your wrists left and right.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Poop
This is important for the baby as he/she might not be able to tell when he/she s feeling like going to poop. Making your kids learn this sign will help you in stopping the mess the baby might create. To perform this gesture make clenched fists with both hands folding all the fingers and then keeping the thumb out. First, touch the thumb of the lower hand with the above one and then again detach it.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Yes
Yes is an affirmative word that kids cannot say easily. For a baby is confused about how to communicate teaching him/her saying yes really be helpful. This will make communication between mother and child fun and smooth. To perform this sign or gesture you have to just fold all the fingers into a wrist and then shake your wrist up nana d down.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
No
This is also a very important gesture for the baby. When the baby doesn’t like anything or wants to express his/her emotions he/she can use this sign. It can be really helpful. This sign can be performed by keeping your thumb and index finger and middle fingers out and them snapping them inside back to the clenched wrist.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Help
This is also a really important action for the baby. If the baby needs help ever he/she can reach out and approach their parents and convey their feeling with this sign. To perform this sign one can make a clenched fist and then keep one thumb out and place it on the other hand. Then remove the clenched fist from the hand and repeat it till the action’s meaning is not conveyed to the other person.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Book
A baby is a fast learner. Thus it is important for the parents to introduce their child to the world of knowledge and books as easily and simply possible. To perform this gesture one has to keep both the hands together as such that both the hand’s thumb face up and keep the pinkies together and act as if you are opening a book. Perform as if you are opening and closing of the book.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Medicine
This gesture or sign is also important as the baby starts crying when he/she sees medicine as it’s sour but the parent has to make the baby a baby familiar with the term medicine. This action can be performed by clenching your fist and keeping the middle finger on the palm and then twisting it over the other hand’s palm.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Share
It is important that the baby learns to share everything and learn this virtue at a young age. This sign can be performed by keeping the hand flat and extending the thumb up and then run the other hand back and forth over the extended fingers, thus making the action easy and simple to understand.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Sorry
It is important that the baby learns to apologize at a young age. This virtue is really important for becoming a kind and generous person. One can perform this action by rubbing the clenched fist of your hand in circles on your chest.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Please
Please is also a really important gesture or we can say a magic word in children’s language. If a baby learns to express this action it can be beneficial for the baby as well as others. This gesture and action can be performed by keeping the fingers of the hand and thumb flat and moving it in circles on your chest.
Photo: Kitkat Pecson
Is Sign Language Good for Babies?
Yes, sign language is really important for the babies. It replaces crying with the communication of feelings and thoughts. It helps in sharing special moments and creating a bond with the baby which makes your baby empowered and understanding. This also helps in boosting the development of the brain because the mind of the baby works continuously to understand those signs. There is a process of learning, understand and practicing going on which makes the mother and baby bonds amazing and full of warmth since the beginning of the baby’s life.
Read More: 11 Amazing Games to Help Your Child Learn English
Source
https://www.thebump.com/a/how-to-teach-baby-sign-language
https://www.parents.com/baby/development/intellectual/intellectual-growth/
https://www.parentingscience.com/baby-sign-language.html
