Printable Sign Language for Kids

Printable Sign Language for Kids is available on the left hand side of this page. Enter your details and upon confirmation you will be taken immediately to a page where you can download and print a sign language chart that has been specifically designed for kids.

We have been signing with our kids for a little over 12 months now however Ian was a sign language instructor for many years before this. Our baby daughter is only 16 months old and she knows the baby signs for about 20 words even though she can only say about 3 of them. Her older brother uses this to his advantage so that they can play with each other and communicate – he is 6 years older than her and loves to teach her new signs (and show off to his friends about how clever she is!).

There are many reasons why you may be looking to start sign language with your children. Not so long ago, it would most likely have been because they were diagnosed with a hearing impairment. In more recent times it is becoming widely accepted that this is something we should all engage in. After all, there is so much more to human social interaction and communication than the words that we speak and finally we are beginning to realise that this is an important part of our social development.

Printable sign language for kids makes it easier for you to refer to the signs. Print our free chart so that you can place it in a prominent part of your house and remember to do the signs frequently.

Research is now confirming what we have been wondering for years – communication is so much more than words. Our human interaction relies so much on the visual stimulation and interaction. They are now finding, through careful studies of the brain, that the earliest forms of communication are not only visual but that visual communication is processed by the exact part of the brain that processes our spoken communication. This is a breakthrough not only for medical research but for those wishing to engage in baby sign language with their child.

There are so many benefits from learning to sign with your children:

• Sign language can be (and should be) universal – the vast majority of the keyword signs used in children’s or baby sign language are the same world-wide.

• Printable sign language for kids is 1. Free (if you download our chart) and 2. a fantastic way to initiate communication with your baby, toddler or child.

So, no matter what the reason is that you came to this page we are glad that you are here. We want you to enjoy the benefits of the wonderful communication method as much as we have. If you would like to help us ‘spread the word’ on how great sign language is for children then please, send the link of this page to your friends and family so they can download their printable sign language for kids as well.

Toddler Interpreter teach Baby Signs and they offer the best Free Baby Sign Language chart available online and their Baby Sign Language Book is used by parents and childcare centres in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Teach Baby Sign Language. Printable Sign Language for Kids can be taught using Toddler Interpreter’s comprehensive Baby Sign Language Dictionary. Toddler Signing can help reduce frustration and Baby Sign Language has proved very beneficial for Premature Babies and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.

Toddler Interpreter © 2009 – 2010

Baby Sign Language – Baby Signs – Sign Language for Babies

Toddler Signing

Toddler Signing is a wonderful method for early communication development. When I first started to sign to my baby, she was only 4 months old. I have to admit, at this age it seemed like it would be a long time before she would be signing back to me. Now she is 16 months old and I am so glad that we did engage in teaching her baby signing from such as early age, the benefits are just amazing. Ian has been signing for many many years, he has worked in the disability sector as a sign language instructor. I am a research scientist and as a parent I am very proactive in researching what the best thing is for my kids. In fact, it was Ian’s idea and goal to have his baby daughter learn sign language; he has had this dream for a long time now. You should see how he is with her toddler signing now, he is so proud.

When we started our sign language journey with Scarlette she was so little. There had been some complications but she was a very healthy but a very little baby. I remember her little innocent face, taking it all in as we talked to her. I have always been really animated with my little ones, I know how much they love to read your facial expressions. Introducing toddler signing just gave us another medium for interaction. It was met with a little bit of curiosity to begin with but I am sure that she understood us after 2 weeks of consistent signing. We followed the principals of Toddler Interpreter, where you only begin with the first sign until they shown a ’sign’ of recognition. For us, it was very clear. We would sign for ‘milk’ and she would get excited. At this very early stage we knew she understood because she would squeal, flap her arms and look pleased. That really is all they can do at that early age. It was only a short while though until she was old enough to look around the corner and make sure that I had in fact prepared a ‘milk’ for her. I will always remember this day because I was walking down the hallway explaining to her after she woke that it was time for ‘milkies’. She tipped her head around the corner as I approached the kitchen to see that her bottle was waiting in the warmer. I rang Ian so excited…she had got it! My signing and talking was actually making sense to a 5 month old baby and I was just amazed.

This really was a small step now that I look back at our toddler signing journey. It was going to be a long time until she could sign to us however I didn’t care, it had already proven to work for me. As long as she could understand me we were half way there. The thing that grabs me the most is how much these tiny little babies understand. It isn’t until you provide them with a means of communication that you actually get to see how much of what we say makes sense to them.

Looking back at how far she has come I am so proud of her. She uses her toddler signs every day to let us know what is going on in her world. There is such a big personality in there that I am sure wouldn’t have developed as much it it weren’t for the fact that we introduced toddler signing to her at such an early age. Now when she sees a puppy dog she furiously signs for ‘puppy’, when she needs to go to the toilet she does the sign for ‘toilet’ and when she is hungry or thirsty she also signs to us. She has about 20 toddler signs that she can do very well now and there are new ones each day. In fact the other day, she did the sign for ‘baby’ which is one that we hadn’t shown her for many months. She also gives us loads of kisses and cuddles which is all you can ask for as a parent. We are so lucky to have a healthy and happy little baby and even luckier to have one that is so clever with her little hands.

Toddler Interpreter teach Baby Signs and they offer the best Free Baby Sign Language chart available online and their Baby Sign Language Book is used by parents and childcare centres in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Teach Baby Sign Language. Sign Language for Babies can be taught using Toddler Interpreter’s comprehensive Baby Sign Language Dictionary. Toddler Signing can help reduce frustration and Baby Sign Language has proved very beneficial for Premature Babies and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.

Toddler Interpreter © 2009 – 2010

Baby Sign Language – Baby Signs – Sign Language for Babies

Sign Language for Babies

Sign Language for Babies involves the use of gestures to communicate with your baby while they are very young. It all begins when they are very little by using some simple hand signals. These hand signals are universal meaning that they are the same in every language worldwide. These hand signals are often natural gestures that we use every day without realizing it. Many people begin learning sign language for babies only to discover that they naturally started this process without even knowing it. This process is just added to with some additional gestures through our baby sign language program.

Communication involves the spoken word but much of what we say is also communicated through our body language. Using baby signing teaches the baby that there is more to communication than just words. It is really important that the sign is used with the word, signing does not replace the need for words, rather it compliments them perfectly. As you progress with your signing, it becomes a natural process that is used without thinking. It isn’t very difficult to get to this stage as the signs are easy to remember but also very natural hand gestures.  

Babies are fascinated with their parents and are naturally attracted to movement. Many think that they need to wait until the baby is nine months old to begin sign language however our personal experience was that our baby understood what we signed to her from about 4-5 months. This provided us with much enjoyment of course but it was also really practical. At this very young age there is little chance that she would have understood the spoken word for things like ‘milk’ ‘more’ and ‘sleep’. However, the use of these baby signs allowed her to understand us. When she woke in the morning, we would sign to her that we were making her a milk bottle and she would be both relieved and excited that we knew what she needed.

There is about a 5 month period where the baby understands your signs but can’t sign back yet, and this is when we found sign language to be very beneficial. From about 9-10 months of age she has started to sign back to us. No matter how in tune you are with your babies routine, there will always be a time when you need a little reminder that it is ‘milk’ time, and there is no doubt with her little hand opening and closing at us that she knows exactly what she wants. Sign language for babies can be a wonderful way to communicate with your baby and it brings many opportunities for two way conversations and shared experiences. 

Toddler Interpreter teach Baby Signs and they offer the best Free Baby Sign Language chart available online and their Baby Sign Language Book is used by parents and childcare centres in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Teach Baby Sign Language. Sign Language for Babies can be taught using Toddler Interpreter’s comprehensive Baby Sign Language Dictionary. Sign Language for Toddlers can help reduce frustration and Baby Sign Language has proved very beneficial for Premature Babies and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.

Toddler Interpreter © 2009

Baby Sign Language – Baby Signs – Sign Language for Babies

Baby Sign Language Dictionary

A Baby Sign Language Dictionary can be found in the back section of the book Toddler Interpreter: A Parent’s Guide to Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies and Toddlers. This book contains all the information you require to get started on your baby signing journey with your baby or toddler. The signs are presented in the main content section of the book in the order that they are intended to be taught. At the back of the book there is an alphabetical list of each of the signs with a photograph of the sign as part of the baby sign language dictionary.

Sign language for babies is very easy to teach – after all it is intended to be used by 6-9 month old babies. The signs in Toddler Interpreter are presented in 5 easy stages of learning, so that the most relevant signs are taught first. These signs are the ones that are most likely to be required early on and they are also the easiest signs to perform. This is what sets this book apart from the others as many baby signing ‘how to’ guides only contain a baby sign language dictionary. The first sign starting with the letter ‘a’ may not be the most relevant sign so you are left wondering “where do I start?”

The most important thing to remember if you are teaching baby signs to your little one is that the signs do not replace the need for words. Baby signing is meant to compliment the speech development process therefore it is essential that the word accompanies the signs each and every time. This helps to re-enforce the association between the spoken word, the sign for that word and its meaning. All of this leads to a better comprehension of the spoken language from an early age and the benefits can flow on right up until school age. The baby sign language dictionary at the back of Toddler Interpreter is a great quick reference guide and the pocket sized book is the perfect size to carry with you. 

Toddler Interpreter teach Baby Signs and they offer the best Free Baby Sign Chart available online and their Baby Signs Book is used by parents and childcare centres in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Teach Baby Sign Language. Sign Language for Babies can be taught using Toddler Interpreter’s comprehensive Baby Sign Language Dictionary. Sign Language for Toddlers can help reduce frustration and has proved very beneficial for Premature Babies and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.

Toddler Interpreter © 2009

Baby Signs – Sign Language for Babies

Baby Sign Language

Baby Sign Language is a method of communication used with hearing babies and toddlers to communicate before they are able to speak properly. Babies understand and know what it is that they want from an early age – about 6 months. For some, it can be another 12 months or even longer before they have the ability to communicate these needs with the people around them. How frustrating to know what you want but not be able to speak – this is the reality for our little ones each and every day.

Most parents and caregivers establish a routine with their babies. This does lesson the burden of the frequent misunderstandings however there is an easier way to communicate before this speech is developed fully – it’s called baby sign language. People may think that this is the latest parenting craze or a new trend that you have to keep up with. The truth is that we have instinctually been using baby signs to communicate with our little ones for such a long time. For instance, you may have a particular gesture or facial expression that you use every time you express a certain emotion to your baby. The baby returns these simple gestures with their own sign language – they point, hand you something or they nod their head. Sometimes they extend their arms to you to signal that they want you to pick them up.

Imagine if you could develop this further so that you had 10 – 20 gestures or signals that you consistently used and mutually understood – wouldn’t life be a little easier? That is what baby sign language is all about, simplifying the communication process. Babies are between 12-30 months by the time that they have developed the ability to speak properly. It takes this long because a complicated sequence of events needs to occur before they are able to put together the correct mouth shape, tongue movement and vocal sounds. Until they work this out it is a guessing game. One that sometimes ends in tears (and this works both ways too!). Having a few simple gestures to help you understand each other can provide mutual enjoyment as well as ease the frustration. Learning Baby Sign Language is not only fun but practical and the benefits extend way beyond the first few years.

Baby Sign Language

Toddler Interpreter teach Baby Signs and they offer the best Free Baby Sign Language chart available online and their Baby Sign Language Book is used by parents and childcare centres in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Teach Baby Sign Language. Sign Language for Babies can be taught using Toddler Interpreter’s comprehensive Baby Sign Language Dictionary. Sign Language for Toddlers can help reduce frustration and Baby Sign Language has proved very beneficial for Premature Babies and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.

Toddler Interpreter © 2009

Baby Sign Language – Baby Signs – Sign Language for Babies

Baby Signs

Baby Signs have been used by parents to communicate with their baby before they can talk for over 30 years. This method of communication allows the parent to enjoy two way conversations about the babies needs and wants much earlier than would naturally be afforded. Communicating with baby sign language is very easy to introduce into your home. After all, the baby signs have been developed specifically to be easy enough for a 6 month old baby to do, it can’t be that difficult!

When you are just starting out signing with your baby, you should begin with a few easy to remember signs. These signs are simple gestures that are both easy to perform and remember. The most relevant sign to begin with is the sign for ‘milk’, because this is something that is in high demand by the baby at this age. It is also very rewarding for the baby when they get what they asked for because at this age, milk is also one of their favorite comforts.

Signing for ‘milk’ is really easy. The sign can be performed with one hand or two hands, it doesn’t really matter. You perform the sign for milk by opening and closing your hand, as if milking a cow. The signs used in baby sign language are very symbolic. This makes them much easier to understand. Each sign represents a natural gesture that you would probably do without even knowing any sign language. This is why it is so easy to learn and remember.

Using baby signing with your baby or toddler can help you to communicate with them while they are first learning to talk. Many babies are able to use this early form of communication well before they can speak any words at all. This can reduce the frustration they would normally feel when they are pointing and trying to be understood without words. The comprehension of the baby signs is also enhanced because it re-enforces the meaning of the words from a very early age. Toddler Interpreter has a handbook that contains 60 of the most useful baby signs, and the book is the perfect size for your handbag so you can carry it with you. 

Baby Signs

Toddler Interpreter teach Baby Signs and they offer the best Free Baby Sign Language chart available online and their Baby Sign Language Book is used by parents and childcare centres in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Teach Baby Sign Language. Sign Language for Babies can be taught using Toddler Interpreter’s comprehensive Baby Sign Language Dictionary. Sign Language for Toddlers can help reduce frustration and Baby Sign Language has proved very beneficial for Premature Babies and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.

Toddler Interpreter © 2009

Baby Sign Language – Baby Signs – Sign Language for Babies

What Age Should I Teach Baby Sign Language?

It is recommended that you start to teach baby sign language with your baby between the ages of 3-9 months to see the most benefit. Sign Language for Babies is useful at any age before the child is able to speak in sentences. Most babies should be able to be understood by members in their family by the age of 31 months. Anytime before this age will be appropriate for using baby signs to bridge the communication gap.

Some parents decide to start teaching their Baby Sign Language from birth. However, starting with your baby this early will make it seem like a very long time until you see the Benefits of Baby Signing and it may discourage some parents from continuing.

Most babies will have the dexterity and muscle control to reciprocate the Baby Signs to you at the age of 6-9 months. It is important to note that you receive the benefits of Sign Language for Babies long before the baby is able to sign back to you. At around the age of 4-5 months, the baby will be able to recognize your baby signs, especially if you use them regularly and consistently. This can prove to be very beneficial as they have the ability to understand what you are communicating with them from a much earlier age.

At 4-5 months, your baby almost certainly won’t recognize the sound of the word milk but they will be able to recognize the Baby Signs for milk. Even though they are not signing back to you as yet, you can communicate with them to let them know it is time for milk or time for bed. This can help to settle them down into their routine and they will feel more comfortable knowing that you are taking care of their needs.

Baby Signing for milk before and during their feed will reinforce the association between the word, the sign and the outcome, leading to a better comprehension and understanding. Babies have no control over their environment, so being able to understand you will help them to feel settled. It is important to start slowly by introducing only one or two baby signs at this early stage so that you don’t overwhelm the little one with too many things to remember.

Although there is no right or wrong age to begin teaching sign language for babies, you will find baby sign language to have the greatest impact if you begin around 3-6 months of age. This will allow you to to be understood by your baby from a much earlier age. As they become older they will begin to use the Baby Signs to ask for things, especially if they have seen you using the signs consistently.

Toddler Interpreter teach Baby Signs and they offer the best Free Baby Sign Language chart available online and their Baby Sign Language Book is used by parents and childcare centres in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Teach Baby Sign Language. Sign Language for Babies can be taught using Toddler Interpreter’s comprehensive Baby Sign Language Dictionary. Sign Language for Toddlers can help reduce frustration and Baby Sign Language has proved very beneficial for Premature Babies and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.

Toddler Interpreter © 2009

Baby Sign Language – Baby Signs – Sign Language for Babies

Sign Language for Toddlers

Sign Language for Toddlers is an invaluable tool for toddlers to communicate before they have fully developed their speech. The toddler years are full of frustrations and tantrums; providing some mutual understanding can help to relieve some of this tension. Their speech development is especially important during these first two years and is more rapid than at any other time in their life. Sign Language for toddlers can be used to compliment speech development and fill in the gaps where they don’t quite have the words yet.

Toddlers are exciting little people. Everything happens at such a pace; it is a time for growing, developing and exploring. Parent interaction during this crucial period is so important. Proper speech development will allow them to engage in proper social interactions which will develop their social skills. Speech and social development are some of the most important milestones; how they progress these two vital skills will play a major role in the way their future plays out.

Sign Language for Toddlers is the use of gestures to convey the meaning of certain keywords. Some begin this sign language much earlier and refer to it as baby signing or baby sign language. There is no difference between baby sign language and toddler sign language, just the name. These baby signs are very simple to perform and are universal gestures that can be used in any country worldwide.

Although toddlers are able to speak a few words by their first birthday, they are still learning their language skills right up until their third birthday. It will take this long for some toddlers to be understood by their family members let along strangers and other caregivers. Toddlers are so demanding and expect everything to go their way. They also know exactly what they want and when they want it. By providing them a means to communicate these things without the frustration of not being able to speak properly, you can reduce frustration. Frustration, especially in boys can lead to aggression problems later on. It shouldn’t be considered as a means to give in to the toddler, in fact, sign language for toddlers can often be used to re-direct the behavior to a more appropriate solution.

Some parents report that their toddlers revert back to baby sign language when frustrated. Not being able to spit out what they are trying to say but still keen to get their point across. Sign Language for Toddlers offers them a release for their frustrations allowing the temper to dissipate.

Teaching Sign Language for Toddlers is easy. Toddlers are very keen to copy anything that their parents do. Providing that the gesture is always used with the word, it will be picked up on very quickly. Choose some keywords that are important to your toddler. Try to chose words that are not spoken by your toddler yet. Learn the sign language gesture for these keywords and use these simple gestures every time you speak that keyword. Only ever use the gesture in a relevant situation so that your toddler understands the relevance of the gesture. They should catch on very quickly and be able to mimic and replicate your signs.

Children that may be suffering from a slight language delay are also great candidates for learning Baby Sign Language. A visual stimulus enables the toddler to develop their language comprehension as the words take on shape and have more meaning to the toddler. Sign language for Toddlers has also been shown to improve speech development when accompanied with the spoken word. Parent’s who use baby sign language are more likely to spend quality time with their toddlers and take a vested interest in their development.

Sign up on the left to receive your Free Baby Sign Language Chart poster from Toddler Interpreter. 

Toddler Interpreter teach Baby Signs and they offer the best Free Baby Sign Language chart available online and their Baby Sign Language Book is used by parents and childcare centres in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Teach Baby Sign Language. Sign Language for Babies can be taught using Toddler Interpreter’s comprehensive Baby Sign Language Dictionary. Sign Language for Toddlers can help reduce frustration and Baby Sign Language has proved very beneficial for Premature Babies and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.

Toddler Interpreter © 2009

Baby Sign Language – Baby Signs – Sign Language for Babies

How to Progress from Baby Sign Language to Speech

The progression from Baby Signs to speech should occur naturally. If you have been using baby sign language with your child from an early age it is likely that they will start to develop speech much earlier than their peers. By providing them with a communication tool such as baby signing, they will realize the benefits of communication earlier and be looking for more complex ways to get their point across.

The transition from baby sign language to speech will depend on how you have been using the baby signs. Providing that you have not replaced the need for speech with the use of baby signs everything should be fine. Baby signing will usually increase the comprehension of words and so when coupled with the spoken language will be a great benefit in the child’s speech development.

If your child is not meeting the speech development milestones you should seek advice from your pediatrician. If it does turn out to be the case that your child is suffering from delayed speech the sign language will be a huge benefit. Every child follows their own unique developmental timeline. Your baby should be able to be understood at 31 months by the members in their family. If this isn’t the case it might be time to seek help.

The transition is usually progressive. The baby will be able to speak and sign a few words. They may choose to combine a spoken word with the baby signs to get their point across. As they begin to communicate in sentences, they may try putting several words or several signs together. Once they have reached this stage, mostly children will chose to drop the sign and just use the word. They may revert back to the signs when they are tired but eventually they will go on to use more complicated sentences and the signs will be obsolete.

This will all happen naturally, the only thing you need to do is support their speech development by talking to them often. Baby Sign Language can be a wonderful tool to help in the progression to speech.

Toddler Interpreter teach Baby Signs and they offer the best Free Baby Sign Language chart available online and their Baby Sign Language Book is used by parents and childcare centres in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Teach Baby Sign Language. Sign Language for Babies can be taught using Toddler Interpreter’s comprehensive Baby Sign Language Dictionary. Sign Language for Toddlers can help reduce frustration and Baby Sign Language has proved very beneficial for Premature Babies and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.

Toddler Interpreter © 2009

Baby Sign Language – Baby Signs – Sign Language for Babies

Free Baby Sign Language Chart

Free Baby Sign Language Chart available. Enter your e-mail on the left and we will send it to you immediately.

Welcome to Toddler Interpreter’s Baby Sign Language Blog. This blog is all about parenting 0-3 year olds with an emphasis on early development. We feature article type blog posts that provide up to date information about Baby Sign Language, Early Literacy, Early Speech Development, Speech Delay, Autism and other interesting topics we would like to raise awareness on.

This is our Blog, our main site is Toddler Interpreter – where you can find even more Baby Sign Language information and products.

Make sure you sign up on the left to receive your FREE Baby Sign Language Chart – it will be sent to your inbox immediately.

Toddler Interpreter teach Baby Signs and they offer the best Free Baby Sign Language chart available online and their Baby Sign Language Book is used by parents and childcare centres in the United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to Teach Baby Sign Language. Sign Language for Babies can be taught using Toddler Interpreter’s comprehensive Baby Sign Language Dictionary. Sign Language for Toddlers can help reduce frustration and Baby Sign Language has proved very beneficial for Premature Babies and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.

Toddler Interpreter © 2009

Baby Sign Language – Baby Signs – Sign Language for Babies