Taylor is quite the little communicator with three to four word sentences now, but there was a long stretch of time from about 9 months to 15 months where she knew what she wanted but couldn’t quite say what she needed.
If you were to ask me what my best and favorite baby development tips are, my first would be baby led weaning, my second would be my Secrets of a Baby Whisperer sleep training book (also mentioned here) and the third would be baby sign language. When your little one can tell you exactly what they need to calm them down or make them happy – even when they don’t have the words to explain themselves – everyone will be the merrier. Seriously. So much merrier.
When I heard about teaching babies basic sign language it made so much sense! With an infant you are deciphering cries based on needs: food, diaper, tired… When a toddler has a specific need they try so hard to convey it to you as well, and it results in endless frustration on both ends. Being proactive about teaching a few signs to equip them with communication has saved us many times over.
I dug up these photos from just a few months ago as a few examples of which were our favorite words. Our MOST used signs included: I want food, I’m all done (for eating, playing, taking a bath…) and I want more (for food, going down the slide, you name it).
In addition to those three common requests, we also frequently used: please, thank you, dog (she got a kick out of pointing out Bodie), water, milk and sleep (it’s a nice heads up that nap time is on the way).
A few visuals for those signs:
Thank you to Parenting for the above images :). Milk is hard to make out from the illustration but it’s a hand movement like you’re milking a cow. Ha! Especially fun if you’re still nursing.
We started signing when Liv was a baby, and I’ll start incorporating just the most basic signs into everyday communication when Marley is about 7 or 8 months old. It’s great when they make that little brain connection that they can talk to you and start to sign back! Communication is king in baby world.
What do you think? Have you or would you use sign language? Did you have a good experience with it?
PS I’m traveling with Marley for work this week and am pulling up this post on tips for traveling with babies, plus favorite baby products for the first year.
Those pictures of Taylor are just so adorable. LOVE that grin in the first photo. Our daycare centers really emphasized baby sign language with both of our girls. We didn’t really need it much with T (what a blessing it was to have an early talker!); but we used it a bunch with L. It was so funny for a while because she would always both say and sign ‘please’. Though she’s still having trouble explaining what she needs sometimes.
Liv and Taylor also moved from signs to language by using both! I guess maybe because that’s how we would sign to them? I loved it, manners x2 :).
My middle son, was not talking at all by 18 months, not even mama or dada. So obviously, we were concerned. We talked to our Pediatrician and she referred us to the Help Me Grow program. Basically, it’s run by the county you live in and they come to your house and work with your child. Right away, they had all of us learn sign language and it really helped so much. My son was finally able to communicate with us and he was so much happier. He is now 2 and is saying full sentences. Turns out he was just a late talker. But Sign language is awesome for kids and we can’t wait to teach the baby.
Sabrina, your story is a wonderful one! I’m happy to hear that your little guy was able to use sign language to communicate with your family.
Ted learned his first signs from my friend’s children we watch once a week. She would show him the sign for please before giving him something. It was so cute!! He starting to use more words now, but I still love when he signs and says “peasss”…it is so cute!!! I love any way to help a child be less frustrated :)
I LOVE baby ‘pleeaaasseee’! It’s the sweetest sound (both because of their sweet baby voice and using manners!)
My son is around this tricky time period as well, and even though he has a lot of words (30+) he still resorts to yelling and jumping up and down during those times he just doesn’t have the patience to try to tell me what he wants. It’s so frustrating!
I started teaching him signs around 6 months and used them consistently, but he just never really got into them. I think he signed once or twice. I don’t know why he wasn’t fond of them. Maybe I just generally read him pretty well, so he figures I should always be able to read his mind? I’ve tried reintroducing them again and he’s still just not having it (even though he knows what I mean – I can tell by the way he reacts).
You’re really lucky your girls have enjoyed using them! I bet it really cuts down on the tantrums.
I agree, I have friends with kids that never chose to use the signs but they were experts at reading their kids’ requests as well!