Starting out with Babysigning

Baby Sign.  Baby Signing. Baby Sign Language.  However you know about it and whatever you call it, helping little ones have a Big Voice before speech, using gestures for communication, is simply amazing! 

Get Ready to…. Sign! is an introduction to Very First Signs from Little Signers Club.  Perhaps you are starting out with baby signing or maybe you want a quick reminder of signs that you’ve learned in classes.  You’re in the right place!  

Get Ready to…. Sign! is the perfect way to begin signing with your baby or toddler.  No sign up, no 2000 page book to read.  Just some very simple tips to get you started and to enjoy your gorgeous baby or your cheeky toddler all the sooner. 

babysigning | taught by experts ~ delivered with love

Designed for anyone who is starting baby signing in mind, we’ve 8 First Signs for you to begin with! 

Our professional colleague, Consultant Speech and Language Therapist,  Libby Hill, tells us ‘early communication intention is about making choices and making your needs known’.  

Wouldn’t it be incredible to be able to remove the guesswork and understand exactly what your little one wants?  Signing is an utterly magical parenting and early years tool that reduces frustration for everyone! 

babysigning | how did it all begin?

Let me take you back to 1986.  Dr Joseph Garcia, the worlds leading expert on using sign languge with infants,  publishes his research.

He discovers that little children who can hear, who are taught to use their hands to ‘talk’ (alongside speech) can have as many as 75 signs by the age of 9 months.

“Not only does signing with your baby reduce frustration for everyone, but the depth and quality of such early communication is an experience that every family should enjoy.  The window of opportunity is short – but the results that can be seen are extra-ordinary”  Dr Joseph Garcia.

75 signs!!  

Babies of 1 year old might – only might – have ten words (source: ICAN).  Most of these are not clear and only understood by people who are very close to them.

But what did that mean for the babies and their families? Well firstly everyone knew what was needed or wanted or what was hurting or frightening. This in itself was such a game changer for parents.  

But there was more.

Tiny tots were sharing their thoughts and interests too – an utterly fascinating window into their world, one full of wonder! It had never previously been know that such small children had such a rich inner world and comprehension of what was going on around them.  

More pragmatically – but equally importantly – Dr Garcia found that babies and toddlers who sign are:

• * calmer and more content ( by up to a staggering 90%)
• * more confident
• * develop spoken language skills more quickly
• * have better bonding and attachment ( responsive care giving)
• * are ahead of the game for literacy and language – studies suggest by 12 IQ points

Ready to try baby signing for yourself?

There are so many benefits to signing with young children. We hope you’ll love learning some new signs together with our handy BSL baby signing videos.

We use British Sign Language here at Little Signers Club – which is the UK’s fourth indigenous language.

When you are signing with your little one, remember these key golden rules:

1. GAIN the attention of your baby, toddler or pre-schooler

2. SIGN in their line of vision – make sure childen can see you clearly

3. SAY the word as you sign it – so that little ones can make the correlation

4. REPEAT as much as possible – watch for recognition of the sign and any attempt to copy

babysigning | connection.  communication.  confidence. 

How to sign Eat/ Food (BSL)

How to sign Cuddle (BSL)

How to sign Daddy (BSL)

babysigning |did you know?

There is no ‘right’ place to start but we recommend that you pick signs that you will need to sign regularly, like Milk, for example which you are likely to have the opportunity to sign several times a day.  This is one of the key points of babysigning success.  Signs that are done regularly and consistently are much more likely to be picked up by your little one and signed back to you.

 Pick 2 or 3 signs to begin with so that both you and your baby competent and comfortable with what you are doing – rather than being overwhelmed.

Quinn signs Milk

 In this little clip, below, you’ll see gorgeous Quinn signing Milk at 6 months old. Milk tends to be one of the first signs that your baby masters and remains such an important sign throughout babyhood and well into toddlerhood. 

I love this video so much. Even though he is non verbal at this stage you can see how important body language is as a ‘confirmation’ tool, if you like. His mummy checks to make sure she has understood his signing and repeated the word and Quinn gives her such a big smile! 

Yay! Mummy got it right and now Quinn knows he is understood.

Simple signing can make the world of difference to babies, toddlers and well into childhood. Being able to understand your baby with ease brings contentment and joy to your relationship that lasts and lasts and really makes the most of this precious time. 

Feeling Inspired?

Make sure you are the first to know about our regular activity packs, Sign of the Week, signing tips – oh and so much more! – with our (mostly) weekly newsletter. 

Exclusively for those who love babysigning. 

babysigning | connection.  communication.  confidence.

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