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Got Sign?

10 Tips to Help Teach Your Baby Sign Language

By Nancy Cadjan, Certified Baby Sign Instructor

• "Itsy Bitsy Spider" (use the signs spider, up, water, down, rain, out, sun, dry)
• "Old MacDonald" (use the signs for different animals)
• "It's Alright to Cry" (use the signs for the different emotions expressed in the song)

Or, find the Pick Me Up! (Northlight Communications, Inc., 2003) activity guide and music CD. The book and CD were specifically designed to sign with babies, toddlers and preschoolers and contains 20 original songs that are entertaining for both parents and children.

As you sing and sign, use the signs you know and don't worry about signing every word. You and Baby will have a great time while learning and increasing bonds.

10. Be consistent. The real key to success is using the signs you choose every time you engage in the activity or say the word. Every time you eat, use the eat sign and use it frequently during the eating process. Once is not enough because babies need to see things hundreds of times to learn. So say, "We're going to eat. Do you want to eat?" And then as you eat, say, "Let's eat another bite of cereal." Parents who are successful say they sign often. It is less important to know a lot of signs than it is to use the signs you know.

Have fun! Incorporate signing into your life and don't make it an activity separate from your daily interactions. Soon, you will find the fun and enjoyment of signing with your baby!

Want to see more?

• Baby Signs: A Conversation Creating Lasting Bonds
• Music in the Womb: Bonding With Baby Before Birth
• Late Talkers: Correctly Diagnosing Speech Disorders
• Talk about it!