How many different signs should I use with my child?

Make baby sign language fun and easy for your child. Hear what Heather Ellington suggests as the key terms and techniques that will kick-start baby sign language for you and your child.
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How many different signs should I use with my child?

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It is a good idea to start out with just a few signs first so that you can get used to the idea of signing and saying the word every single time. The most important thing is to be consistent with your signing so that your baby really learns. Once you have that consistency, you can start adding more and more signs as you are comfortable. And once you have signs for every routine in your day, you can start adding fun signs like bear. This one is great for reading books like Brown Bear, Brown Bear. Bear. Also, you can teach the sign turtle. This one is my favorite. Turtle. You take your thumb with a cup over it and the turtle sticks his head out. You can also teach sweet potato. Sweet potato. Once baby starts eating more diverse foods. And using those fun signs are great once you have established a routine with teaching a baby sign language.

Make baby sign language fun and easy for your child. Hear what Heather Ellington suggests as the key terms and techniques that will kick-start baby sign language for you and your child.

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Heather Ellington

Baby Sign Language Instructor

Heather graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and Special Education in 2007 and is currently pursuing her Masters of Science in Communicative Disorders and Sciences at California State University, Northridge. Heather began learning ASL in college, and has volunteered for an inclusion class for Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Multiple Disabilities at the elementary school level, where she also worked as an interpreter. Heather marvels at the way sign language has helped children, babies, and parents get their needs met effectively and in a fun way, while promoting literacy, speech, and language development.

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Transcription: 
It is a good idea to start out with just a few signs first so that you can get used to the idea of signing and saying the word every single time. The most important thing is to be consistent with your signing so that your baby really learns. Once you have that consistency, you can start adding more and more signs as you are comfortable. And once you have signs for every routine in your day, you can start adding fun signs like bear. This one is great for reading books like Brown Bear, Brown Bear. Bear. Also, you can teach the sign turtle. This one is my favorite. Turtle. You take your thumb with a cup over it and the turtle sticks his head out. You can also teach sweet potato. Sweet potato. Once baby starts eating more diverse foods. And using those fun signs are great once you have established a routine with teaching a baby sign language.