All about baby signing
Baby signing is growing in popularity with parents, but how important is it and how do you know which system will work best for you and your baby?
Baby signing is something more and more parents are turning to. “A lot of people laughed when I started signing with my babies, but I found it really useful,” says Martha, mum of five, including 18-month-old twins Nancy and Reuben. “In fact, with the twins it was invaluable — if they were both crying, they could let me know what they wanted and I could deal with it straightaway. It’s definitely worth a go.”
What is baby signing?
Baby signing is all the rage at the moment. You can learn it with DVDs and books, or even go to a class. But what is it and does it really make a differ
ence?
In some ways, baby signing is simply more of what most of us already do when we teach babies to wave ‘bye bye’, or recognise the gestures they use if they want something. Baby signing builds on this idea – and you can begin signing to your baby as soon as he is born.
All the different baby signing systems in this country borrow signs from British Sign Language (BSL), but they aren’t as complicated. Some concentrate on signing alone, while others combine signing with singing or other activities.
Understanding your baby
Professionals who are enthusiastic about baby signing say that it can reduce the frustrations babies feel — emotions that only increase as the toddler years approach. “Signing helps babies to make themselves understood, as well as helping them to understand you,” explains Katie Mayne, founder of TinyTalk baby signing classes. “This boosts their self-esteem and helps reduce tantrums.”
Paula, mum of Jonathan, two, certainly agrees. “The main reason I did it was to save a few major tantrums,” she says. “If I understand Jonathan’s wants and needs, it makes both our lives easier.”
Maeve, mum of Stevie, five, and Charlie, two, adds: “My friend’s adopted daughter was a late talker and got so frustrated that she bit people. When she started signing, her frenzy and anger dissolved”.
Useful baby signs
Obviously, many babies do best with signs such as 'milk' — but some get enthusiastic about a whole raft of others. “Matt picked up the signs really quickly,” says mum Sheela. “The first ones he learned were ‘dog’ and ‘cat’. Although he’s now 16 months old and able to talk, his fingers still twitch as if he’s about to make a sign when he sees a bird in the garden.”
It’s important to make sure new signs are used at the right time and in the right place though. “Use them in context, for example, make the sign for ‘milk’ before a feed. And make sure everyone else — Dad, Granny, nursery and big sister — uses it too,” urges Katie.
Does baby signing really work?
Although baby signing has many very satisfied fans, not everyone agrees on its usefulness. Liz Attenborough, manager of the National Literacy Trust’s early language campaign, ‘Talk To Your Baby’, doesn’t consider baby signing to be essential. However, Liz believes that gesturing in general is “a valuable part of communication. It encourages eye-to-eye contact, which is a very important starting point.”
Others argue that, signing or not, the majority of babies make noises and gestures and most of them make their wishes pretty plain, even if they aren’t able to fine-tune their communication.
It’s important to acknowledge, too, that some children just don’t take to signing, however many classes they go to (which is fine — if they’re not enjoying it, just stop). And it’s probably best not to pay too much attention to any claims that signing will make a huge difference to your child’s IQ.
Interestingly, though, signing can help children with special needs . Some baby signing systems, such as Makaton and Signalong, are designed to meet needs such as the potential for delayed speech — although if your child has hearing problems or is deaf, they may go straight on to BSL or a different communication system, or a combination, usually in consultation with a specialist.
Have fun with baby signing
Janie signed with both of her children — Polly, five, who has Down’s Syndrome, and Rachel, 20 months. “I introduced two signs to start with and before I knew it we had a huge list,” she says. “It was useful for us and it’s a lovely way to learn together. It’s like learning new words with a picture book on hand all the time. It’s so rewarding when a small child, who can’t yet form words, can tell you if she’s tired or thirsty.”
If you decide to try baby signing, approach it as an enjoyable activity. Think of it as a fun way to get a bit more communication going between you and your baby at a stage when verbal communication is limited to cries and gurgles. And when you’re faced with a wailing baby who wants something but can’t tell you what, a bit of signing could really help.
FAQs
Speech and language therapist Bethan Mair Williams answers your questions on baby signing.
If I want to learn to sign with my baby, how do I get started?
Classes are useful but I wouldn’t recommend one with more than about 12 people in it because it can mean that your child doesn’t get enough individual attention. The second best way to introduce signing would be with a DVD that you can watch together at home. And the third best would be using a book with diagrams of the signs.
What if we don’t speak English at home? Can we still do baby signing?
The signs stand for whatever word your language uses! I work with many children who speak different languages at home. If anything, signing may strengthen your child’s ability to make connections between one language and another.
Will baby signing stop my child learning to speak aloud?
No. There is plenty of evidence to suggest that baby signing will help them to speak. This is because they are learning a form of communication, so they will have some building blocks for when they start speaking. Remember, though, that it’s very important for you to speak along with the signs you make – baby signing isn’t like a full sign language that replaces speech.
If I don’t do it, am I really letting my child down?
No! Signing isn’t essential. What is absolutely vital is to just keep on communicating with your child. Chat to them, sing to them, try and have fun together – and that’s a lot of the point of doing baby signing together.
Find out more
- Babyexperiences
www.babyexperiences.co.uk
- Makaton
www.makaton.org
- Signalong
www.signalong.org.uk
- Sing and Sign
DVD course, £14.99, available at ELC stores
Classes (visit www.singandsign.com for details)
- Talk To Your Baby
www.talktoyourbaby.org.uk
- TinyTalk
Laminated learning pack, £12.95
DVD, £16.95
Classes (visit www.tinytalk.co.uk for details)
- Baby Signing Book by Katie Mayne (£12.99, Amazing Baby)
- Joseph Garcia’s Complete Guide To Baby Signing by Joseph Garcia (£24.99, Babysigners)
- My First Signs by Annie Kubler (£4.99, Child’s Play)
- Now read our feature on development through play.
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