Baby Sign Language Basics

Many children become frustrated when they cannot communicate their needs or wants. Even infants can understand what you are saying and have needs they would like to communicate back to you. You can help if you teach them sign language. Your child's confidence will grow with their ability to communicate. 

We have been signing to Tristan since he was about 8 months old. He didn't start signing back to us until he was about 10-11 months old.  He understood what we were signing to him but he wasn't able to sign quit yet. Tristan is learning new signs weekly, it's never to late to start. Here are some everyday signs we use with Tristan and some new ones that we plan to introduce very soon. 

 

I Love You

On one hand, lower your middle and ring finger toward your palm, keeping your thumb, pointer, and pinky fingers up.

 

Good

1. Place one hand palm up in front of you and another hand (palm facing your body) at your chin.

2. Lower the hand at your face to meet the hand in front on you

More

1. Squeeze together the tips of your fingers on each hand to form two points.

2. Touch the tips of each point together, then separate.

3. Repeat Step 2 a few times.

 

Please

With your palm on your chest, rub your hand in a circle.

 

Play

1. Hold each hand in front of you so that your pointer and pinky fingers are sticking out, but the rest of your fingers on each hand are tucked into your palm.

2. Rotate each hand at your wrist a few times.

 

All Done/Finished

1. Clench both hands into fists in front of your body, knuckles pointing toward you.

2. Turn hands outward, extending your fingers.

   

Bed

Rest your head on your hands with palms flat together at your cheek, as if you were lying on a pillow

  

Milk

Open and close fist several times

 

No

Bring index and middle finger together to touch thumb. 

 

 

 Thank You 

Bring hand, palm in, from mouth outwards. 

 

 

Water

Bring hand with three fingers up to the edge of mouth. (In American Sign Language, three fingers is the letter "W" for "water".) 

 

 

 

Hot

With right palm cupped to mouth, twist wrist out and down from mouth to upper chest.

 

 Mommy

Place thumb of one hand, fingers, open to chin and tap several times. 

 

 

Daddy 

Place thumb of one hand, fingers open, to forehead and tap several times.

  

 

Eat  

Bring hand to mouth with fingertips touching thumb and tap the lips to illustrate placing food in the mouth. 

 

 Pain

1. Bring the pointer fingers of both hands together, tucking your other fingers into your palm.

2. Pull apart your fingers, them bring back together.