Parents ask me all the time,
“How do I teach my baby sign language?”
“Where do I start?”
“How do I remember all the signs?” and mostly,
“Will it work?”
The truth of the matter is there is no “right” way to teach your baby sign language, but we do have a great strategy in place that we think helps cut through the overwhelm and gives you a great framework for getting started.

Let’s dive in!
Baby Sign Language: Let’s Define
I have to be completely honest with you. Here at Communication Junction, we do not teach “baby sign language”. We teach American Sign Language vocabulary to your baby.
What’s the Difference Between Baby Sign Language & American Sign Language?
Baby sign language is defined as the use of gestures and altered signs to encourage communication with your baby.
While American Sign Language is a system of gestures and signs with specific language structure, used by Deaf or Hard of Hearing individuals in the United States.
In simplest terms, baby sign language teaches made up or altered signs where American Sign Language is a true language. Just like spoken language, we don’t teach made up words to our children, rather we teach real words and help them move through modifications. Here at Communication Junction, we want to give your child every opportunity to communicate, as well as lay the foundation for a great second language.
When talking about teaching your baby sign language, we are strictly speaking of teaching your baby American Sign Language vocabulary.
When to Start Teaching Your Baby Sign Language
Now.
That’s the short answer.

If you are interested in teaching your baby basic sign language, the best time to start is RIGHT NOW. Would it be great to start from birth? Yep! Is that unrealistic for some? Also yes.
Signing with your baby is a bonus. It is not required, but gosh will it be a long term benefit. We know that adding signs to your daily routine is going to be something new for you and your baby. So, you need to be comfortable with the basics of parenting and caretaking before adding something new.
For some caregivers, the right time to start is at birth and for others it’s 18 months and for many it is somewhere in between. No matter when you are ready to start, benefits of teaching your baby sign language are vast. It is always beneficial to teach your baby sign language.
How to Teach Your Baby Sign Language
Just start.
While the answer is simple, it can feel super overwhelming.
What I mean is, start adding signs to match words that you are already saying throughout your day.
Teaching your baby sign language does not need to be a different or separate activity. It should be something you can easily include in what you’re already doing.
To get you started, we have five signs that we recommend families use to teach their baby sign language.
These five signs can easily be used within your daily routine throughout the day, every day. So there is no need to add or plan additional activities to start teaching your baby sign language.
3 Steps for Teaching Basic Sign Language to Babies
The magic recipe.
Use these five signs to start teaching your baby sign language by adding them throughout your day.

Your baby will learn sign language easier when you provide consistency with the signs you are teaching and lots and lots of repetition.
Now that you know the five signs to start using to teach your baby sign language, it’s time to jump in. Get started today by laying a great foundation for spoken language development, connection and understanding.
In our Sign and Play Classes we teach at least 100 signs that you can use throughout your day with your little one. If you are ready to start teaching your baby sign language, this is a great place to start.
