Baby Sign Language -enhancing communication and bonding

Baby Sign Language is a powerful tool that helps babies communicate before they develop verbal skills.

Babies are eager to communicate from a very early age, but learning to talk is complex! Speaking requires perfecting vocal cord vibrations, tongue shapes, and breathing patterns. While babies may have the mental ability to understand language, it takes time for their vocal abilities to catch up. This delay can cause frustration, as babies struggle to make themselves understood.

I believe the best time to Introduce baby sign language around the time that babies begin developing gross motor skills like sitting up, clapping, pointing, and gesturing.

However, if your little one is older it's not too late! Even toddlers, who may already have a few words, benefit from learning new signs which not only help to expand their vocabulary but very importantly can help to clarify what they’re saying. Leading to less frustration when they are attempting to talk but can't always be understood. ❤️

Baby Signing was popularized in the 1980s by Joseph Garcia, who found that babies who used signs alongside spoken words could communicate significantly earlier than those who were relying only on spoken communication. With some babies at one year knowing up to 75 signs! Compare this to the typical one-year-old who may only know around 10 spoken words. The difference is remarkable, and these signing babies were observed to be less frustrated and happier overall. Parents, too, found their babies calmer and less stressed, which promoted better bonding.💕

Not only does baby signing reduce frustration, but studies also suggest that babies who use signs may go on to have higher IQs when they reach school age. This is likely because they’re learning a second language during a critical time in brain development. Learning sign language creates additional pathways in the brain, enhancing overall cognitive abilities and setting the foundation for future learning.

Why Baby Signing Works

Babies are kinesthetic learners, which means they learn by doing. When you add signs to your spoken language, your baby is able to absorb words even faster. Plus, it’s fun! Babies feel empowered when they can communicate, and signing becomes a joyful bonding experience.

If you're new to baby signing, don’t worry. You don’t need to learn an entire language overnight. Start small with just one or two signs that are relevant to your daily routine, like “bath” or “mummy.” You don’t need to sign everything—just focus on key words that will help ease communication.

At our Wiggles and Movers classes, we incorporate Baby Signing to help you and your little one communicate and bond in a fun and meaningful way. We’d love to see you in class!

At Bright Babies, we use British Sign Language (BSL), not only because it makes sense for us in the UK, but also because it opens up the possibility of using these signs with the deaf community. But in this case, we're primarily using it as a communication tool for our little ones.🥰