Printable Baby Sign Language with Illustrations
Wouldn’t it be fantastic if your baby could communicate with you about being hungry or thirsty, wanting more milk, feeling tired, hurt or wanting to play? What if they were able to communicate all of this to you long before they could even talk!
Before babies learn to speak, their only effective way of expressing themselves is through pointing, crying and screaming. If they are not understood this only gets louder leading to a frustrated parent and baby. Babies have the ability to interpret and understand what we are saying to them long before their vocal chords are developed enough to form words. They are also very capable of knowing what they want and need by about six months of age.
When we are able to respond to our children’s needs through effective communication, we provide them with a sense of security and a feeling of being understood. The earlier we provide them with this, the more content they will be. Babies copy us from as early as 6 weeks old by mimicking our facial expressions. You can see your baby intently watching and copying as you interact with them. As you play with your child, watch their facial expressions. Make sure you are in their field of vision. As you are interacting with your baby you will notice that their eyes light up, they may make funny facial expressions, they may even poke their tongue back at you and most rewardingly they may offer you a smile or chuckle. This is the earliest form of communication and is an essential part of bonding with your baby.
Each parent has their own way of interpreting what their child needs and most often this is done through trial and error. I spoke recently with a friend who said that each time their baby cried they changed the diaper, fed and burped her, played with her and finished it all off with a bath. Not knowing what their baby was crying for they just covered all the bases! They even did this at all hours of the night. I guess the baby was so exhausted by that ritual that she fell asleep! This feeling of incompetence is something we as parents can all relate to. If only we could understand their needs much earlier before they could speak.
Speech requires a complicated sequence of events to occur; it is much more difficult to accomplish than the usual babbling we hear from new babies. It requires specific tongue movements matched with specific lip movements and the development of tiny muscles in the throat and trained vocal chords before it all comes together. The natural progression from using body language before speech is often likened to crawling before walking.
By introducing baby sign language to your baby you are providing them with a loving, nurturing and fun environment. You are helping them to develop into well adjusted children and good communicators. You should be very proud that you are making such an effort and I promise you the rewards will be great.
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 is easy 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, children with Velo Cardio Facial Syndrome and other babies at risk of developing a speech delay.
