Baby sign language is a fantastic way to bridge the communication gap between parents and their little kids before they can talk. It allows young children to express their needs, feelings, and desires before they have the words, reducing frustration. 

In this comprehensive guide, I've gathered a treasure trove of my favorite resources to help parents get started with teaching their little ones the art of baby sign language.

And if you’re looking for some speech therapy tips on how to introduce and use baby signs at home, be sure to check out this blog post! 

You'll discover that the best way to teach baby signs is by using them yourself and using them often. I suggest picking 1-3 baby signs to teach at a time. Then, when you say the word that goes with your baby sign, say the word and do the sign every time you use that word during your day. 

For example, if you're teaching the baby sign for "diaper," do the sign for diaper several times each time you change your baby's diaper. Over time, they'll start imitating you. And just like how their first words don't always sound exactly the way we say them, your child's baby signs might not look exactly like yours - and that's perfectly fine! We're not aiming for perfection; we simply want to provide your little one with a way to express themselves as their language skills continue to grow.

Alright, let's jump right in and explore my top websites, favorite books, and a couple of popular videos that you can use to teach baby signs.

Websites

Here are my favorite websites that offer approachable information for parents looking to introduce baby sign language. 

Best Overall: BabySignLanguage.com

Website: BabySignLanguage.com

At BabySignLanguage.com, you'll find a super cool baby sign language dictionary. It's like a big book of baby signs that you can use to learn hundreds of words for kids. This is a great place to learn the baby sign for just about any word you’d want to teach your little one. 

If you scroll down a bit, they even have the top 30 baby signs. That's a great place to start or find the first baby sign to teach your child. Remember, it's best to introduce just a few signs at a time. It's easier for your child to learn when they can focus on a few signs. Plus, it's more doable for parents too!

The website also has videos that show you exactly how to make each sign. If you're a visual learner, you'll love this!

Here are my 10 favorite baby signs to start with on BabySignLanguage.com (in no particular order!):

• Baby sign for help

• Baby sign for all done

• Baby sign for eat

• Baby sign for milk

• Baby sign for water

• Baby sign for Mommy

• Baby sign for Daddy

• Baby sign for potty

• Baby sign for more - this is a great baby sign to use in combination with another baby sign or word (more water, more bubbles, more cracker)

• Baby sign for diaper

They've also got a super handy printable PDF with 24 common signs. You can print it out and keep it for easy reference. It's also great to share with family and friends who spend time with your child.

Sweet and Simple: The Bump

Website: The Bump

The Bump has a cool article that teaches 25 key baby signs for your little one. They use really simple pictures and descriptions to teach each sign. 

I love that they keep it simple with just 25 signs. It's a great resource for getting started and building up your baby sign vocabulary without feeling overwhelmed. 

However, they do include the baby signs "Thank you" and "Your Welcome," which are nice words but not super useful for expressing wants and needs. In my opinion, it’s best to focus on signs your child can use to ask for something or tell you about their basic needs. For example, they could use "please," “want,” or “more” to request or ask for something. And you can teach the baby signs for specific items, like “milk” or “water” so they can tell you exactly what they’re wanting. 

Books that I love when teaching baby signs

These books are not just for kids; they're for parents too! It's a fun way to learn and practice baby signs together. 
Each book includes pictures that demonstrate how to make the baby sign, and they also feature images that show what the word means (for instance, there's a picture of a baby holding a milk bottle on the page where you learn the baby sign for milk). I really appreciate the use of illustrations because they give your child a relatable context as they learn.

Although the books have many baby signs, I’d recommend learning only a few signs at a time (no more than 5). After reading, use the baby signs in your day-to-day life. Babies and kids learn best when they see how signs can help them get what they want or need in their real life. 

This blog post contains Amazon Affiliate links to help support our free speech therapy resources.

YouTube and Baby Sign Language - 

If you're into videos, there are some kid-friendly ones that teach baby signs.

• Ms Rachel  

• Signing Time 

So there you have it! With these resources, you're all set to start signing with your baby and unlock a whole new world of communication. Have fun on learning this new skill together. 

And here are a few more common questions parent’s ask when teaching baby sign language:

Written By: Stephanie Hatleli, MS CCC-SLP

© 2020-2023. Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP. All Rights Reserved.

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