It may feel overwhelming, trying to learn how to sign with babies, but if people go about things step by step and keep them simple, then both parents and their babies can learn successfully. “Simple” is in fact a key concept. People must recognize that the baby’s understanding lies at a simple level, centering on their small world of eating and sleeping, and whether or not they feel comfortable. So baby signing should start at that simple, concrete level, by beginning with things they already know.
But how do people know when it’s time to sign? The process can begin as early as nine months of age, though the baby may not learn to start signing back until three or four months later. But when they reach the point where they are meeting people’s eyes for a few seconds at a time, and are starting to respond to smiles and gestures, they are beginning to show that they want to communicate in some way. If a baby can wave “hi” or “bye bye,” then they are already on the verge of using signs to get a point across. This is the time to learn how to sign with babies.
One should begin with simple signs, like “eat,” “hungry,” or “sleepy.” They need to teach baby sign language slowly, saying the words aloud as they use the signs. They should always use the same signs for the same things, and have others in the family use them too. This will help reinforce the baby’s own learning and teach family members how to sign with the baby as well. It’s best if individual signs correspond in some way with the meaning of the word. This means that families might make up their own signs rather than using an existing, complex adult sign language. Even the baby might make up some signs to get a point across, and they can use these too.
When preparing to learn how to sign with babies, the most important thing is for the parents to wait until the time is right, and then allow their baby to progress at his or her own pace. Teaching sign languages to infants involves more than tapping into their intellectual capacity; it also requires them to have sufficient motor skills. So the parents need to be patient, and let their child progress at whatever pace they can handle. In this case, the baby is really the guide.