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It is recommended that you start baby sign language with your baby between the ages of 3-9 months to see the most benefit. Baby sign language is useful at any age before the child is able to start speaking 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 sign language to bridge the communication gap.

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

Most babies will have the dexterity and muscle control to reciprocate the signs to you at the age of 6-9 months. It is important to note that you receive the benefits of baby sign language way before the baby is able to reproduce your signs. By the age of 4-5 months, the baby will be able to recognize your signs, especially if you use them regularly and consistently.

At 4-5 months, your baby almost certainly won’t recognize the word milk but they will be able to recognize the sign 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.

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 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 your baby, you will find baby sign language to have the greatest impact if you begin around 3-6 months of age.

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 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. There is no difference between baby sign language and toddler sign language.

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. 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 sign language when frustrated. Not being able to spit out what they are trying to say but still keen to get their point across. Toddler Sign Language 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 keyword signs that are important to your toddler and are not spoken by them yet. Use these simple gestures every time you speak that keyword and only ever use the gesture in a relevant situation. 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 toddler signing. By having a visual stimulus, 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 sign language for toddlers are more likely to spend quality time with their toddlers and take a vested interest in their development.

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The progress from baby sign language 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 sign language, 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 sign language. Providing that you have not replaced the need for speech with the use of signs everything should be fine. 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 a baby sign 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.

About the Author: Lisa Baade is the author of Toddler Interpreter, A Parent’s Guide to Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies and Toddlers.

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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.

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Learning how to teach baby sign language is easy. It really isn’t as difficult as it may seem. If you are able to teach your baby to wave hello or goodbye then you have all the necessary skills required to teach your baby some simple sign language as well.

Baby Sign Language is based on keyword signing and is not the same as adult sign language. There are many systems that provide baby sign language based on ASL, BSL or AUSLAN but these are all based on adult sign language. Baby Sign Language should be specifically tailored to suit the age level it is aimed at which is 3-30 months. By 30 months of age most children are able to communicate and be understood by their families and the signs are no longer required. These Baby Signs should be used as a temporary bridging gap between pre-verbal and verbal years.

If you have decided to start teaching baby sign language there is one very important thing you need to remember. Signing does not replace speech. This is the largest difference that separates baby sign language from sign language for adults. You are trying to encourage communication so flood your baby with words. When you speak certain keywords, include the sign, don’t emit the spoken word.

Apart from that, there really isn’t much to it. If you follow the same pattern you would use to teach your child to wave hello or goodbye then you will pick it up in no time at all. Here are some simple tips to get you started.

Make sure that you use the sign in relevant situations. If you are signing for milk, make sure it is just before their feed time and reward them with the milk to enhance the comprehension.

Ensure your baby is in the mood. If they are tired or hungry they are not going to be interested. If this is the case, just sign to them for consistency and provide them with their needs. Don’t make it a negative experience or they are likely to want to forget about doing it.

Make sure you sign to them while they are watching and so that they can see your hands clearly. Don’t make it too complicated. Although they are attracted to movement, you want to make it as easy for them to copy as possible. This is why baby sign language is specifically designed to be within the capabilities of the baby and shouldn’t involve finger spelled signs.

About the Author: Lisa Baade is the author of Toddler Interpreter, A Parent’s Guide to Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies and Toddlers.

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Understanding some of the Autism Symptoms for Children will help to find appropriate intervention as soon as possible. Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurological disorder that reportedly effects up to 1 in 150 toddlers. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is characterized as a spectrum disorder because the degrees of the disorder can vary dramatically. ASD presents in the forms of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Aspergers and severe Autism.

To date there is no known cure of Autism, with research continuing there are suggestions that genetic pre curses to the disorder may exist. Early diagnosis and intervention offers the best outcome for the child. Parents who are concerned that their child may have signs of the disorder should seek a diagnosis as early as possible.

It can be very difficult for parents of babies and toddlers to see the signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder, as they are still developing but there are some definite early warning signs that parents can look out for.

Autism symptoms for children are a little more obvious for parents to detect when the child is showing signs of ADD and ADHD . Children suffering from ADD and ADHD often have very short attention spans, are extremely over active the majority of the time and very difficult to feed. Their world just seems to have too much in it and not enough time to see and touch it all.

If you are recognizing these Autism symptoms for children or early warning signs of ADD or ADHD in your child one thing that may be considered is their diet. There is much research to suggest that children with ADD and ADHD can be affected greatly by the foods that they consume. Chemical additives in the food and drinks they consume can have a dramatic effect on their disposition. Not to be confused with a sugar high, some additives in foods can exacerbate their agitated and uncontrollable restlessness. Eliminating these chemicals from the diet and replacing them with fresh foods and natural alternatives will go a long way to helping toddlers control their behavior.

Within the spectrum is Autism itself, this condition has no known cure and can affect a child dramatically for the rest of their life. This severity of this condition varies from very mild to severe. Some of the obvious warning signs for Autism include; your child not responding to his or her name, your child not responding to a smile with a smile, and an inability to be comforted with physical affection.

Children with Autism often lack the ability to understand human emotions. They have difficulty interpreting facial expressions and body language of others. This can often lead to frustration for both parents and children. Other warning signs include the constant repetition of words and movements or obsessing over one particular toy or object. If your child is showing any one of these early signs of Autism you should consider seeking out the medical opinion of a pediatrician. Early diagnosis and intervention can greatly improve the outcome for the child as their brain is still developing.

Speech delay is another one of the common Autism symptoms for children. The devastating reality for parents with children with Autism is that most children with Autism begin life following a normal path of development. The gradual loss of their fine motor skills and speech can be unexpected and very confusing. Many parents describe this experience as ‘losing their child’ to the disorder. It is heartbreaking and devastating.

There are many ways that you can support your child if they are showing signs of any of the Autism symptoms for children. Introducing a gesture-based sign language early on can help to maintain their ability to communicate, especially if the condition deteriorates rapidly and their speech is lost. Sign language that has been developed for babies and toddlers can be useful to help them with their communication, as they may not have the dexterity or attention span for adult sign language as yet.

If your child has been learning baby sign language from an early age and can communicate through this means, it is a skill that will prove invaluable if you later discover that your child has a speech delay or worst cases is likely to lose their speech altogether. When a child has regressed in their speech development because of Autism, the skills they have developed with sign language will be retained, allowing the parent and child a means of communication. It is important to recognize the Autism symptoms for Children as early as possible so there is no delay in seeking help.

About the Author: Lisa Baade is the author of Toddler Interpreter, A Parent’s Guide to Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies and Toddlers.

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Baby Sign Language for premature babies could prove to be very beneficial as they are in a higher risk category for developing a speech delay. Baby Sign Language involves using keyword signs to engage in two way communication with pre-verbal babies. The experts believe that it enhances speech development if used in conjunction with the spoken word. Although many parents are using it for the enjoyment it provides, there could well be added benefit for those who are already at a developmental disadvantage.

Baby Sign Language is being used worldwide to communicate with hearing babies before they can speak. Researchers have shown that using sign language gestures with the spoken word enhances the speech development of the child. This doesn’t mean that it is a program to create super babies; it simply provides them with a good foundation for early learning.

Language development is essential for developing appropriate social skills. If a child is particularly at risk of suffering from a speech delay they may benefit from having a supplementary communication tool such as baby sign language.

Using baby sign language for premature babies can be used to bridge the communication gap while they are still pre-verbal. It could be particularly useful in premature babies as they follow slightly delayed developmental milestones due to their early entry into the world. Premature babies are generally assessed developmentally against an adjusted age. But when premature babies are compared to other babies by their chronological age, they may be slightly disadvantaged with their speech development. When this is the case, baby sign language could be used to accelerate the learning process and enhance their communication abilities, allowing them to interact socially and appropriately with children in the same chronological age group.

Baby Sign Language for premature babies should always be used with the spoken word and should never replace the need to speak the associated word. When teaching baby sign language it is important to emphasize the word that is being signed. It is this close interaction with the parent that is thought to enhance the speech development more so than the use of the sign language itself. Children who are at higher risk of developing a speech delay will gain the most benefit from this positive interaction involving extensive use of the spoken language. As the child is able to sign back to the adult and establish two way communications for the first time, they are likely to understand the value and reward of being understood. This is a time to encourage and praise your child so that you perpetuate the benefits and enhance their progress.

Premature babies and other babies that are at an increased risk of developing a speech delay can enjoy the benefits of baby sign language by incorporating a few simple signs into their daily routine. Baby sign language for premature babies is easy to teach, you could even start today.

About the Author: Lisa Baade is the author of Toddler Interpreter, A Parent’s Guide to Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies and Toddlers.

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

Most parents have heard of this recent parenting craze but not a lot of parents actually know what baby sign language involves. Many would naturally assume that you teach adult sign language to your baby, but this is not entirely correct. Let me explain why baby sign language is very different to adult sign language.

Sign language for people with hearing difficulties is dramatically different from our spoken language; it isn’t just a matter of substituting words with signs in the same sequence. To learn sign language effectively, it takes as much effort as it would to learn any new language as it follows its own rhythm and structure. If you were to attempt to learn sign language in order to teach your baby, it is likely that your baby would be talking way before you even get started. This is probably what puts most people off teaching Baby Sign Language to their little ones as they feel they need to learn a second language.

Baby Sign Language is different to sign language as it doesn’t follow the same structure. Baby Sign Language is based on the concept of keyword signing. Keyword signing is used in conjunction with speech and is usually used with hearing children and adults. Generally, keyword signing will be used for communication when one person can speak and the other one can’t. Keyword signs are used to compliment the spoken conversation and are used by the non-verbal child or adult to communicate back and respond. Some of the gestures used are often borrowed from sign language or may be modified to be more easily understood or performed.

Babies can understand most of what you are saying from the age of 6 months but they are unable to respond. They try their hardest to communicate through their body language but keyword signing provides a more effective means of communication to help them get their point across. They can easily communicate through the use of keyword signing well before their vocal chords are developed enough for speech. Through this communication method, they suffer less frustration because they are able to let you know what they think and want without the usual guessing games.

A baby that is less than 12 months old will have the ability to copy hand signals. If your baby is already waving hello or goodbye, they are certainly able to add more gestures to their vocabulary. Being understood is very empowering for the child and they recognize early how rewarding it is to have communication skills.

They are able to produce these hand signals at an age far younger than they are able to talk. Most babies are ready to use these signs by the age of 6-9 months whereas some babies may not speak until 12 months. For others who follow a slightly delayed speech development, they may not be able to communicate with words until they are over 2 years old. In this case, Baby Sign Language can be an invaluable tool, allowing them to express themselves almost a year before they would have naturally been afforded that opportunity.

Parent’s who take the time to nurture their child’s development by teaching Baby Sign Language are also more likely to spend quality time with their baby. They are more likely to seek out ways to improve their child’s development which flows on to have many positive benefits other than just the accelerated speech development.

About the Author: Lisa Baade is the author of Toddler Interpreter, A Parent’s Guide to Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies and Toddlers.

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

If all of your friends toddlers are babbling away and your toddler is not talking yet you may have reason to become concerned. One of the things parents often use to gauge their child’s development is how early they start talking. Babies start off experimenting with noises from an early age, usually consisting of babbling noises, the typical “goo goo” and “gaa gaa” sounds, these will turn into “ma ma” and “da da”. These babbling sounds eventually progress into Mommy and Daddy. So how do you determine whether your child has delayed speech development and what do you do if your toddler is not talking yet?

On a daily basis your child will find different ways to shape their mouth and change the noise they are making; the first step in their speech development. Parents naturally spend a great deal of time talking to their baby’s but they do this instinctually and mostly to enjoy the social interaction it offers. Many don’t realize that this is also essential for the development of their speech and language skills.  

Babies recognize the sound of their parent’s voices from even before birth; they become familiar with us when they are in the womb. Parent’s voices are comforting for them, especially for newborns before their vision is fully developed. Babies and toddlers mimic their parents; that’s how they learn. The more verbal communication you engage in with your child, the faster they will learn.

By the time your child is the age of twelve to eighteen months your baby should be saying words like Mommy and Daddy. Over the next year of your child’s speech development, they will learn to put together small sentences and communicate their needs to their family members. By the age of 21 months most children can be understood by their family. If your child cannot communicate with family members and be understood by the age of 30 months there would be cause for concern. At any stage, if your child is not meeting the age appropriate developmental timelines you should seek professional opinion. Trust your instincts, more often than not parents know best.

If your toddler isn’t talking yet there are things you can do to encourage speech development. Keyword signing, otherwise known as Baby Sign Language has been shown by researchers to increase language acquisition by up to 3 months. Children using sign language have the language re-enforced to them by the parent as the gestures are used in conjunction with the word. Parent’s who use sign language with their children are often more aware of their communication with their baby’s and flood them with language on a daily basis. Gesture based baby sign language also improves word comprehension as the gesture is a natural movement that mimics the meaning of the word. Reading to your child is another important strategy that will go a long way to improving your child’s language skills. When they are exposed to reading at an early age they pick up on the way language ebbs and flows and are more likely to have an interest in books later on.

So if you are concerned that your toddler is not talking yet, assess the developmental timeline as make sure they are reaching the recommended milestones. Not all babies develop at the same rate and the normal range can differ by months. If you are looking for ways to encourage speech development because your toddler is not talking yet, keyword signing and reading are both great places to start.

About the Author: Lisa Baade is the Author of Toddler Interpreter, A Parent’s Guide to Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies and Toddlers.

Teaching a simple keyword based communication tool such as Baby Sign Language can help to accelerate your child’s speech comprehension and development. More importantly it can also provide an invaluable head start if you find out later that they suffer from a speech delay. For more information visit Toddler Interpreter

Every parent should be familiar with the Autism signs in children so that they are able to take preventative or diagnostic action as soon as these signs appear. Early diagnosis will have a dramatic effect on how the condition deteriorates because there are many things that can be done to slow or reverse the process whilst the child is very young and still developing. What are the warning signs that your child might be at risk of developing an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and when should you start looking for them?

Autism Spectrum Disorder doesn’t consist of a single diagnosis as the name suggests; ASD is a spectrum disorder and includes the diagnosis of Aspergers and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD). Many autistic people are highly functioning; Bill Gates is a perfect example.  For others who are at the other end of the spectrum it can be a debilitating disease that gets more difficult to manage the older they become. Some sufferers will end up needing daily support from family or care workers for the rest of their lives. Although there is much data to support possible causes of Autism, the scientific and medical community continues to debate the possible triggers. It would be reasonable to suggest that some people are born with a higher predisposed risk of developing Autism and for others there may be environmental factors involved. Nonetheless, early detection is likely to be the saving grace.

Early intervention can provide the child with help that could play a huge role in how their future plays out. If the Autism is linked to heavy metal toxicity, ridding the body of these toxins needs to be done as early as possible before permanent damage is done to the brain. If the child is going to suffer from speech problems or language delay, early intervention will provide a solid foundation from which to begin their therapy.

One of the most common autism signs in children is flapping. This is particularly difficult to detect as it is a common trait amongst babies before they gain control over their limbs. Babies flap their arms particularly if they are excited, happy, want something or are tired. If this flapping continues well beyond the age where they are able to walk there could be cause for concern.

Another common autism sign in children is lack of desire for social interaction and a lack of apparent emotion. Autistic children and adults are withdrawn, preferring their own company over the company of others. If you are concerned that you baby doesn’t develop the normal social skills of his or her peers it might be worth further investigation. Bear in mind that children tend to play ‘around’ each other not ‘with’ each other until they are over the age of 2 years. A lack of eye contact coupled with a desire to be alone would be a cause for concern.

Obsessive behavior is another indicator which might go hand in hand with the lack of social interaction. If your child shows signs of being obsessive, especially in relation to tactile things, it might be an indication that you need to seek further help.

Autistic children and adults don’t cope well with change, especially if routines are broken. Look out for signs of obvious distress that are out of proportion with the event, especially if they involve a severe tantrum due to a broken routine.

Some children with autism also seem to have sensitivity to light and noise, although these signs of autism are more difficult to detect and may not be present in all cases.

Delayed speech is another sign of Autism in children, although this is not always the case. Some children start out on a path of normal development only to deteriorate later on after they reach the age of two. This is one of the reasons why ASD is such a baffling and frustrating condition; many parents suffer the heartache of ‘losing’ their child to symptoms that were not present in the first few years of life.

As difficult as it may be to seek out the diagnosis; understanding the signs of autism in children may assist you to seek support earlier, leading to a better outcome for the child.

About the Author: Lisa Baade is the Author of Toddler Interpreter, A Parent’s Guide to Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies and Toddlers.

Teaching a simple keyword based communication tool such as Baby Sign Language can help to accelerate your child’s speech comprehension and development. More importantly it can also provide an invaluable head start if you find out later that they suffer from ASD. For more information visit Toddler Interpreter

If you suspect that your child is showing signs of a speech delay it is worth further investigation so that appropriate intervention can be sought as early as possible. Almost one in twenty adults suffers from some sort of speech or language disorder. If diagnosed and corrected before the child reaches school age, it will have less impact on their overall intellectual development.

Normal speech development begins with the newborn as they discover that they can use their mouths to produce an array of soft sounds. This later develops into babble and by the age of 12 months most babies will be able to say ‘ma’ and ‘da’ or even the occasional word. Each baby has their own unique developmental timeline and an individual’s schedule could be brought forward or delayed by weeks or even months for no apparent reason. As a parent you should always trust your instincts. If something with your baby’s development doesn’t seem quite right you should always seek medical advice.

Brain damage can be attributed as the main interfering condition associated with speech delay and it is usually associated with an intellectual disability or cerebral palsy. Hearing problems or cleft palate are physical disabilities that may hinder the ability to articulate. Speech delay is also an indication of undiagnosed autism spectrum disorder.

Early warning signs of speech delay include not responding to sounds by 2 months, lack of interest in toys or people by age of four months, lack of vocalization or babbling by the age of ten months and inability to speak any words by the age of twenty-one months. By the age of thirty months, the baby should be able to be understood by most members of the immediate family. If these milestones are missed it could be a sign of speech delay. 

If you suspect your baby is showing signs of a speech delay you should firstly exclude the possibility of a hearing impairment by having a hearing test performed. Consult a pediatrician to check whether your baby’s developmental milestones are within the normal range. Discuss the potential for medical conditions that may cause speech delay such as cerebral palsy or autism spectrum disorder. 

Many problems associated with speech development can be corrected with appropriate intervention. Some speech impediments can be corrected with speech therapy. Signs of speech delay could be an early indication that other intellectual or physical disabilities so you should consult your medical professional as soon as possible to rule this out.

About the Author: Lisa Baade is the Author of Toddler Interpreter, A Parent’s Guide to Baby Sign Language for Hearing Babies and Toddlers. Infant sign language can be used to accelerate speech development by up to 3 months. Sign up using the form on the left to receive your free printable baby sign language poster.

Today we are sending out a link to download our Baby Sign Language Stage 1 Poster. Don’t worry, there’s no catch!

To get your copy, just enter your details on the left and the free download will be e-mailed to you in the next 0-5 minutes.

There is so much ‘free’ baby sign language information available on the internet but much of it doesn’t really give you what you are looking for, or the free stuff is poorly designed. We want to help you learn baby sign language so this download is the exact poster that we sell on our website for US$4.95, we hope you like it.

Make sure you save this file to your computer so that you can keep coming back to it. It has been designed to be printed on A3 size paper so for best results you can take it on a disc or USB to your local print shop.

If you would like to leave a comment below to say thank you that would be nice. Everyone likes a few nice words every now and then and when you are parenting two small children you don’t hear thanks that often, so that can be your gift in return to me. Sound like a fair deal?

This poster is yours to keep, but please do not send this out to all of your friends, our products are copyright protected and I don’t want to get you into trouble. If you would like to share this gift with your friends please feel free to point them to this page on our blog. Spread the word with Facebook, or Twitter too! 

If you want to know why we are giving away this freebie, just read more below.

We are having so much fun using Baby Sign Language with our baby Scarlette, she is 10 months old and is copying our sign language signs for ‘milk’ already. She is also getting very good at pointing to the things that she wants. Make no mistake, at this age she definately knows exactly what she wants. I am keen to help her be understood, trust me I don’t want to deal with her tantrums, not now or later! Thats why we have been using Baby Sign Language with her since she was 4 months old.

I have already been through the terrible twos once and I hate to say that it was one of the most trying times of my life. My little boy is so full of energy and fun but at times he was an absolute nightmare. That was 5 years ago now and unfortunately I didn’t have the knowledge of Baby Sign Language that I do now, otherwise things might have been a bit different. I don’t think there has been a time in my life where I have felt like such a failure. It is so frustrating to have to deal with a stand off at each and every turn. It was especially worse because like most boys, he didn’t begin talking until he was over 2 years of age. Baby Sign Language can improve this by bringing forward the age that your baby starts to talk. Most of the frustration of the terrible twos is because they know what they want to tell you but can’t be understood.

You might have noticed the sign up form on the left hand side of this page. Well today everyone that has ever entered their details are going to get a nice surprise, I am sending out one of our products to them all today for FREE! I know that sounds silly and makes no sense because really we are giving away free printable baby sign language for nothing. On our website, Toddler Interpreter, this printable baby sign language poster retails for $4.95.

So more about this free printable baby sign language. I am going to send out the Stage 1 Poster. It contains all the baby sign language signs that you need to get started. Our baby sign language is based on gestures so you will find that these baby signs are all very easy to do and many will look very familiar to you. Its how you use these that are more important. There is a special knack to teaching your little one how to recognize that these signs are associated with the specific keyword. Once they pick up on that they will be looking out for more so that they can add to their vocabulary and you will be well on your way to enjoying two way communication.

The first stage of learning baby sign language is where they understand you – this is great. This can start as early as 4 months – much earlier than most people get a chance to have a understanding and proper communication with their little one. This continues on and builds until they have the dexterity to copy you. At this stage they will do the sign back to you, or in our case, Scarlette nods ‘yes’ to us to acknowledge that she does want what we sign to her. This is why I like the Toddler Interpreter Baby Sign Language the best – it is based on natural gestures not ones that are brought in from adult sign language. The sign language sign for ‘yes’ in the sign language used for the hearing impaired isn’t a simple nod of the head, it involves a hand movement. It doesn’t make much sense to me to teach a hand gesture for ‘yes’ to a baby. Who else is going to understand your little one is saying ‘yes’ when they are out playing with others or at a childcare centre. What happens when they get older – do you have to teach them to nod their head? Likewise, the sign for ’sorry’ in traditional sign language involves a gesture that looks like you are gesturing that you are hungry. This also bothers me; what if your baby is trying to apologise but people think that it is hungry – confusing hey! Thats why we put so much into developing our Baby Sign Language tools, we don’t want to make life harder for your little one by introducing a language that only a select few will understand, that would only add to their frustration in my opinion.

I hope you like our free printable baby sign language gift. If you are starting to get excited about using this with your baby don’t forget to check out our book, it has so many great tips on how to really use baby sign language effectively with your little one. It is available as a hard copy that we post out to you or as a download that is instantly available so you could start reading it today. I am also available to answer your questions personally, just send me an e-mail.

I have set this up for you so that if you sign up on the left in the near future you will also receive your free printable baby sign language. Once you go through the process of confirming you want to receive the offer, the Toddler Interpreter Baby Sign Language Poster 1 e-mailed straight out to you. Make sure you use a valid e-mail so that you don’t miss out on your poster.

Don’t forget to leave a comment below and pass the link to this page on to your friends so they can get their poster sent to them too. Remember that our products are copyright protected so you aren’t allowed to send it around to everyone, sorry about that.

Enjoy your free printable baby sign language and have a great day!

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Many parents of new babies often find that their little bundle of joy doesn’t sleep as well as he or she should. This can leave some parents looking for answers and other pointlessly placing the blame on themselves.

The first thing you should do is investigate some simple possible causes for your babies broken sleep routine. Most bad sleep patterns can be associated with feeding problems so this article will discuss the following issues:

• Complimenting breast feeding with bottle feeding.
• Using feeds to get your baby to sleep
• You are what you eat – and so if your baby if you are breastfeeding
• Do solids help babies sleep

Complimenting feeds and the relationship to sleep problems.

Some believe that combining a mixture of bottle feedings with breast feeding could be a potential cause for some sleep problems. There are many reasons why parents would want to compliment their breast feedings including going back to work, becoming pregnant again or just for convenience. If there is no change between your babies sleep patterns compared to when you baby was breast fed exclusively then this is unlikely to be the cause of your problems. There is a risk that your milk supply will lesson if you are not breast feeding at least once every four hours. If you milk supply is diminishing then this could be a cause of your babies poor sleeping problems as they may be waking up hungry.

Using Feeds to get your baby to sleep.

Feeding your baby to sleep is a dangerous path to go down for two reasons. The main reason that this causes trouble is that the baby doesn’t get a chance to burp before going down for their nap. This causes wind pain that will likely wake your baby before they have had enough sleep. The second reason that this is not recommended is that your baby will associate sleep with food. This may lead them to expect a feed every time they need to go back to sleep including in the middle of the night. Try to establish a routine where the feed is given upon waking. This will allow time for the baby to expel their wind and will help to break the trend of associating a feed with sleep.

You are what you eat – and so if your baby if you are breastfeeding.

A breastfeeding mom will need to consider what they are eating and drinking as everything they consume has the potential to go through to the breast milk.  A healthy balanced diet will defiantly help you keep up a great milk supply for your baby but you may want to reconsider some types of food s that may cause tummy upset in your bub. Some foods that are known to cause wind pains are garlic and chilli, but these need to be consumed in large amounts to have an effect. Also consider how much caffeine you are having as this could be helping to keep you baby awake. It is a common myth that your baby will wake if they are not getting enough food. This might be the case if they wake because it is time for another feed but a severely undernourished baby is more likely to sleep for very long periods of time because they lack the nutrition to stay awake.

Does introducing solids help your baby to sleep?

This is another myth that many parents will hear. Many people think that the baby will sleep longer once they have a more satisfying meal in their tummies. The truth is that introducing solids too early may cause a tummy ache and prevent your baby from getting to sleep. Doctors usually don’t recommend solids to babies under the age of 6 months.

If you still haven’t found the answer you are looking for, or you would like to continue your investigation on why your baby doesn’t sleep through the night, I can recommend  this 35 minute audio The Baby Sleep Solution. It is packed full of information and has helped many parents get some peace at night.

Imagine a world without speech; where you knew exactly what you wanted but had no way of expressing these needs to the people around you. This is the reality for our babies and toddlers before they learn to talk. They suffer the limitations of a world without speech. By 6 months of age they know exactly what they want but have no means of communicating this to you. There is no wonder they become frustrated. Even when they do begin to talk, it is some time before they are able to get their little mouths around all the words that they will need to express themselves effectively. Baby Sign Language can help to ease this frustration by providing a means of communication to bridge the gap.

Baby Sign Language is based on ‘keyword signing’ and involves the use of simple gestures for words that are important to the baby. Each gesture is to be used with repetition of the associated spoken word making babies more interested in the meaning of keywords from an earlier age. It should never replace the need for the spoken word.

Baby Sign Language is becoming increasingly popular. Many people won’t realise that its use is supported by over 30 years of research. Some people who do not recognise the long term benefits of signing with their hearing babies may be excused for thinking that it is a fad or the latest passing trend in modern parenting. However the research is clear and the parents already using Baby Sign Language are united. It is a very simple solution to a very frustrating problem.

Infants already use an extensive range of facial expressions and body language to communicate with their parents and Baby Sign Language is a natural extension of this behaviour. They squirm when they are uncomfortable; put their arms up to be picked up when you walk by and later they learn to point at things.

Babies are fascinated with movement, especially when the movement is performed by a parent. In the beginning the baby will associate the movement with the word. In the case of ‘milk’, this association is made easily as they are rewarded with their favourite comfort and associate this with the gesture. This ties it all together; the use of the gesture and the spoken word followed through with the actual item.

The first step is having them understand what you are signing to them. It is suggested that you only use one sign such as the sign for ‘milk’ at this early stage so they don’t become confused. You can begin this as early as 3-4 months of age. With the sign for ‘milk’ it is easy to recognise that you have been understood when they go into flapping frenzy and get excited. By about 8-9 months of age they will be able to ask for ‘milk’ by replicating the sign. As a parent this is just as exciting as any other milestone they reach. Once they are able to sign back to you, slowly introduce another sign or two until you develop a vocabulary for all the important things you would like to communicate.

Growth and brain development during these early years, especially the first 2 years is more rapid than at any other stage of a child’s life. One of the most crucial milestones in a child’s development is the development of their social skills and the ability to interact appropriately with others. The basis for appropriate social interaction is effective communication. The benefits of Baby Sign Language also include earlier communication, reduced frustration, increased language comprehension and further opportunities for bonding between parent and baby.

Teaching Baby Sign Language also teaches your child that there is more to communication and social interaction than just words. Effective communication does involve hand gestures, body movements and facial expression. Being a visual language it is fascinating to children as it stimulates their curiosity and attentiveness towards further communication.

Some parents express concern that using Sign Language may inhibit the speech development of their child. There is no cause for concern however; because you are using ‘keyword signing’ you are enhancing the comprehension of the word not replacing the need for spoken language. It is very important that you continue to use the spoken word with the gestures to enhance the speech development. National Institute of Health funded research demonstrated that babies who were using Baby Sign Language were able to communicate with spoken language 3 months earlier than babies who were not. Even more astounding was the fact that these same children went on to develop language comprehension skills that were 12 months ahead of their peers by the time they reached school age.  The easiest way of teaching toddlers to talk is using Baby Sign Language from a very early age.

If you found this article on Teaching Toddlers to Talk interesting, you might also like to read Teaching Toddlers to Read.