The Science Behind the Baby Signs® Program

Child demonstrating sign language representing research on baby sign language and early communication development

Research on Baby Sign Language: How Simple Signs Support Language, Bonding, and Learning For over two decades, research on baby sign language conducted by child development experts Dr. Linda Acredolo and Dr. Susan Goodwyn has shown that simple gestures—now widely known as the Baby Signs® Program—can have a powerful impact on infants’ early communication, emotional…

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Enhancing Early Intervention with the Baby Signs® Program

Caregiver supporting early communication with a baby during shared book reading

Originally published January 28, 2025 · Updated January 2026 Working one-on-one with babies and toddlers—whether as a speech-language pathologist, early interventionist, parent educator, home visitor, or parent coach—offers a powerful opportunity to support communication during the most critical years of development. The Baby Signs® Program is a research-based approach that helps pre-verbal children communicate before…

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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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