Top Six Signs to Teach Your Baby

Let’s face it - as new parents, you can only do so much. Teaching your baby sign language is WONDERFUL for their communication development, but it should be manageable. When you need to keep it simple, focus on these six core signs.

EAT

Use this sign when announcing routines (“It’s time to eat!”), narrating your actions (“I’m eating cereal”) and your child’s actions (“You’re eating banana!”), and responding when your child attempts to access food (“It looks like you want to eat! You’re hungry, let’s eat”).

To sign ‘eat,’ close your fingers and thumb together and tap toward your mouth.

HELP

Use this sign when you see that your child needs help. Say, “It looks like you need help! I can help you!” Provide the help they need, then say, “I helped you.” When your child signs ‘help’ to you, add, “Thank you for asking for help!”

Model asking for help by struggling with something, like standing up or opening a container, and say, “I need help! Can you help me?” Thank them when they assist you (“Thanks for your help!”).

OPEN

Use this sign when you open anything - books, containers, bags, doors, cardboard boxes, etc.

“Let’s read a book. First, we open the book.”

“Here are some strawberries. Uh-oh, it’s closed. We need to open. Open lid.”

“Let’s go for a walk. Open the door!”

“We got a package! Let’s open it!”

MILK

Use this sign when your baby is drinking milk, whether nursing or taking a bottle.

“It’s time for milk.” “You’re drinking milk.”

To sign ‘milk,’ squeeze your hand in the pictured shape as though you’re milking a cow.

MORE

More blueberries, more water, more bubbles, more, more, more.

Use this sign when offering your child more of something.

“You can have more blueberries. Yummy! Here are some more blueberries.”

“Let’s do some more bubbles.”

Be aware that when babies start signing ‘more,’ they might use it as a general “I want something” and you might ask “more what?!” Try to figure out what they are asking for more of and give them that word (and sign if you know it!) too. “Oh, you want more apple. Here’s more apple.”

Note: It’s absolutely ok to acknowledge your child’s communication and not be able to honor it at that moment. Maybe you ran out of crackers (or you don’t want them to eat any more) but they’re signing ‘more.' You say, “I see that you want more crackers, but crackers are all done for now”).

To sign ‘more,’ use the same hand shape as ‘eat’ and move your hands together and apart.

Another note: I know I said six, but ‘again’ can be a more appropriate sign to use when the child wants continuation of an activity (play that song again, go down the slide again, make that silly face again).

ALL DONE

Use this sign when an activity is finished.

“You’re clean! We’re all done changing your diaper.”

“You’re all done with your milk.”

“Our book is all done.”

With these six (or seven) signs, you will be giving your baby SO MUCH to communicate to you regarding their wants and needs. If you want, add signs to your and your child’s vocabulary based on their interests. For example, if your baby is obsessed with the family dog, teach the sign for dog. Come to a Chicago-based Little Giggles baby sign language class or refer to video dictionaries at signngrow.com or babysignlanguage.com when you’re ready to learn more!