Today more parents are learning basic American Sign Language (ASL) and know the benefits of sign language when used with their babies and toddlers!

Teaching sign language provides you with the ability to understand your baby and reduce frustration. Baby sign language allows for enhanced communication between adult and child because your child can better share his/her needs with you without crying.  This helps you as a parent/caregiver to better understand your baby and take the guess work out of his/her wants and needs.

Also, research has shown that by introducing baby sign language skills you will naturally promote earlier speech communication.  One reason believed is because signing parents tend to talk more to their baby’s and are helping associate words with items when signing and speaking are used at the same time.

Baby sign language gives you an opportunity to spend more quality and meaningful time with your child which helps to further strengthen that special bond between child and parent.

All babies use their hands naturally in an attempt to communicate before they can actually speak.

Some of the first signs you will naturally see is probably a wave “bye-bye” or shake of the head for “no”.  The problem is that the number of signs that your baby will use naturally without your help is quite limited.

There are a number of positive benefits for both parent and child. If you are willing to take the time to practice repetition, baby sign language (BSL) can definitely be a powerful way to communicate with your baby months before they are able to speak.

•    Reduces frustration for babies and their caregivers
•    Gain insight into your baby's world
•    Early communication and results in earlier verbal language
•    Stimulates intellectual development
•    Results in a higher IQ (10-12 points)
•    Enables babies to communicate their wants and needs 
•    Strengthens the infant/parent/caregiver bond
•    Enhance infant's self-esteem
•    Encourages an early interest in books
•    Enhances creative ability

Most babies don't begin to talk until they are 9 - 12 months of age, Baby Sign Language gives the child a head start on two way communication.

This milestone may seem to be a small advantage; however research has shown that this small advantage flows through to have larger impact later on in life.