Teaching Sign Language to Your Baby
Many people are turning to sign language as a teaching tool for
their babies. Teaching sign language is not just a trendy thing
to do, but it has become some of the earliest education many
children are receiving as parents are taking the lead in
educating children from their earliest days.
Teaching sign language to your baby may seem like a difficult
task (especially if you don't know sign language yourself!), but
it is easier than you may think. In fact, we teach babies sign
language without even thinking about it! When we show them to
wave, we're teaching them "bye-bye." When we point at objects,
we're teaching them to try to tell us what they want by pointing
as well.
A baby's mind is like a little sponge - it takes in everything.
Learning comes so very easy to them. You will be amazed at just
how quickly you and your baby can communicate using signs. It's
never too late to start this process, and the whole task can be
fun for the entire family!
It's nice to be able to know what it is that your baby needs and
to be able to provide it for them quickly. And we all want to be
able to communicate with babies as soon as we can beyond the
babbling and cooing stages. Start out by using signs that will
help you learn what your baby wants, whether it's food or milk
or to be changed or some other sign that would be an indicator
of his or her needs.
You should start off by using just a sign or two until you all
begin to get the hang of it. Use the sign for food at mealtime
or when you are feeding the baby. Show them an object and the
corresponding sign so that they will begin to make the
connection. Consistency is the key in this process. If they see
the sign everytime the word is used, they will quickly learn the
connection and sign. Just don't forget to say the word as well!
Saying the words along with the signs is important, as if
encourages speech development. While some people believe that
babies will not learn to speak if taught sign language, this is
simply not true. When done along with spoken word association,
sign language can advance your child's verbal abilities.
There really are so many great benefits to babies who use sign
language. Studies have shown that they learn to speak earlier.
They have less frustrations about being understood, which means
less crying. As they grow, they have an increased vocabulary, a
greater interest in books, higher IQ, and many believe that they
will have greater self-esteem. Sign language will help in the
development of your child's vocabulary and can be a huge benefit
in the future, as it will allow them to communicate with both
hearing and non-hearing individuals.
We all hear about the "terrible twos." But did you know that the
stage so many parents dread is mainly caused by the child's
frustrations of not being able to communicate their needs and
wants? Even if they can't quite communicate their thoughts fully
to you, being able to communicate through sign language helps in
reducing all those frustrations, which can dramatically decrease
the whining, crying, and temper tantrums that come at that age.
If you don't know sign language yourself, there are courses you
can take in sign language, not to mention books and videos
specially designed to help with teaching sign language to babies
and children. Sit down and take some time to learn these as a
family. Teaching your baby sign language is an easy, fun and
exciting way to begin communicating with your newest member of
your family. Make the most of your time with your little one.
Sharing, bonding and learning together as a family.