Many of the emotional meltdowns that a baby between the ages of 9 and 36 months experiences are a result of not being understood. A baby develops an understanding of what he sees before understanding what he hears. So, using a visual communication like sign language makes sense.
Many parents want to use sign language with their baby, but they don’t know how to start. I suggest learning in baby steps: two to three signs at a time. Think of words and ideas that your baby is in contact with everyday, and then sign and say those words throughout the day.
Focus on objects and activities that are really motivating to your baby. My daughter's favorite things were food, food and more food, so her first signs included MORE, EAT and MILK. Use the following signs to begin signing with your baby and always say the word as you sign it.
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Milk: Regardless of whether baby nurses or drinks from a bottle, show this sign before, during and after he drinks his milk.
How to make the sign: Make the sign using your dominant hand, opening and closing your hand while pulling downward.
Hint: The movement of your hand is similar to that of milking a cow.
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Eat: Show this sign before he takes a bite, while he’s eating and when he’s finished eating.
How to make the sign: Make an O shape with your dominant hand and flatten your top fingers a bit (a flattened O). Your hand moves toward the mouth in a repeated motion.
Hint: Your hand mimics the action of putting food in your mouth.
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More: Give your baby small bites of his favorite food. Between bites, look at him expectantly while signing and say “MORE”? If he leans towards you, opens his mouth or reaches for the food, sign and say “MORE.”
How to make the sign: Both hands in the flattened O shape come together and your finger tips are tapped a few times.
Hint: Your hands come together in a way that indicates things being added to a pile.
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Illustrations used with permission from Robert Rose Publishing from The Baby Signing Book by Sara Bingham, copyright 2007. To learn more about the author and WeeHands visit www.weehands.com.
