Is My Baby Too Young to Start Signing?

A mother holding her baby

Why Sooner Might Be Better Than You Think As a new parent, you might be wondering:”When should I start signing with my baby?””Is it too soon if they’re only a few months old?” The short answer? No—it’s not too soon.In fact, starting early sets the stage for smoother communication and stronger connections from day one.…

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Let Your Baby Pick the Topic: How Signing Puts Them in Charge

Mother smiling at baby who is signing, with blog title text overlay “Let Your Baby Pick the Topic – How Signing Puts Them in Charge”

One of the most exciting things about baby sign language is watching babies take the lead in communication. Instead of simply reacting to adult questions or instructions, signing babies have a way to initiate interactions. They get to pick the topic. And that makes a big difference. Originally shared on the Baby Signs® blog in…

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Mythbusting: Will Signing Delay My Baby’s Speech?

Vertical poster with the text “Will signing delay my baby’s speech?” and “Signing doesn’t delay speech—it supports it,” alongside a mother signing to her baby on a soft beige background.

One of the most common questions we hear from parents considering baby sign language is: “If I teach my baby to sign, will it delay their speech?” It’s an understandable concern—and it’s also one of the biggest myths about baby signing. The truth?🖐️ Signing does not delay speech. In fact, it often supports and accelerates…

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Enhancing Communication and Safety with Baby Signs®

Illustrated Baby Signs® chart showing infants demonstrating safety signs: Help, Hot, Hurt, Stop, Gentle, and Dirty

Celebrating National Baby Safety Month with the Baby Signs® Program Welcoming a new baby into your life is an exhilarating experience—full of joy, wonder, and a strong desire to keep your little one safe. As parents and caregivers, ensuring your baby’s well-being is always a top priority. Every September, National Baby Safety Month reminds us…

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Celebrate Your Baby’s Birthday—With Signs!

Colorful illustrated poster featuring DiaperDoodle™ characters demonstrating six birthday signs: Balloon, Cake, Candle, Happy, Ice Cream, and Song.

Your baby’s birthday is more than a milestone—it’s a celebration of everything they’ve learned, discovered, and become in their first year (or two, or three!). And what better way to mark the occasion than by using signs your baby already understands and loves? Whether it’s their first “cake” or the thrill of a big balloon,…

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Baby Sign Language and Books: A Wonderful Partnership

baby reading circle time book

As most of you know by now, Dr. Susan Goodwyn and I discovered through our federally funded research that signing actually speeds up rather than slows down the process of learning to talk. There are a number of reasons why. The one I’m going to focus on here is the fact that signing makes book-reading…

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Supporting Early Communication in Richland, WA: A Look Inside Our Baby Signs® Workshops

Children's Developmental Center Training Collage

Last week, we had the privilege of facilitating two Baby Signs® workshops at the Children’s Developmental Center in Richland, Washington—one for professionals and one for families. Both were part of our mission to bring the powerful, research-based benefits of early communication to children and caregivers alike. The first session was a Baby Signs® Workshop for Professionals,…

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Celebrating Passover with the Baby Signs® Program

Passover

Help Your Little One Connect to Tradition Through Simple Signs Passover is a meaningful time for families as they gather to retell the story of freedom, enjoy symbolic foods, and share in generations-old traditions. Whether it’s your child’s first Seder or they’ve already experienced a few, incorporating infant sign language can make the holiday more…

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The Science Behind the Baby Signs® Program

Scientific Research

How Simple Signs Can Supercharge Language, Bonding, and Learning For over two decades, child development experts Dr. Linda Acredolo and Dr. Susan Goodwyn studied how simple gestures—now widely known as the Baby Signs® Program—can dramatically impact infants’ early communication, emotional development, and intellectual growth. Their extensive research, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH)…

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Enhancing Early Intervention with the Baby Signs® Program

Woman and toddler reading a book together.

Working one-on-one with babies and toddlers—whether as a speech-language pathologist, parent educator, early interventionist, or parent coach, —presents a special opportunity to shape children’s language, social-emotional, and cognitive development. By integrating the Baby Signs® Program into your professional practice, you can strengthen parent-child connections, reduce frustration, and support early communication skills. Below, we’ll explore why…

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How Creative Signing by Toddlers Transforms Everyday Moments

Zoo Signs

Bonita and crew were visiting the National Zoo in Washington, DC. Julia was enchanted by all the animals and eager to use her many animal signs to label them—monkey, lion, bear, bird, zebra, elephant, and giraffe to name just a few. But then they came to a grasslands enclosure that featured something new to her:…

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Learn the ABCs with ASL: ABC Sign With Me!™

ABC Sign With Me!™ logo with red A, blue B, green C, and ASL handshapes

Early childhood is a magical time when little ones are eager to explore and learn. One of the most important skills they begin to develop is literacy—the foundation for all future learning. But how can we make this journey into reading engaging, fun, and effective? The answer lies in our ABC Sign With Me!™ class,…

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Ashley Green, Lactation Consultant, Fosters Early Bonds with the Baby Signs® Program

Ashley Green and co-founder

Ashley Green, a dedicated Registered Nurse and Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant, is making waves in early childhood education as a Baby Signs® instructor in San Antonio. Latched Support, a nonprofit organization co-founded by both Ashley and Veronica Simpkin’s, focuses on providing essential resources and support to families. With a passion for integrating Baby Signs®…

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How Long Does a Sign Last?

HOT

One of the questions that our Baby Signs® Instructors hear frequently from parents is how long a sign stays in a baby’s repertoire before the word appears. Of course, the answer is that it varies enormously. If the sign is substituting for a relatively easy word like “ball” or “more,” the word may appear relatively quickly. But…

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When to Start Signing

Woman holding a baby on her lap.

One of the most frequent questions our network of Baby Signs® Instructors hear when they give their Parent Workshops and Sign, Say & Play® classes is “When should we start signing with our baby?” Truth is, there’s no “perfect” time to start signing. Over the years we’ve noticed three different approaches parents take to the issue of…

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