Baby Signs

Summary

This video from Michigan State University Extension introduces Baby Signs, a method that helps infants and toddlers communicate their needs, wants, thoughts, and feelings before they can speak. By using simple hand gestures like ‘eat’, ‘more’, or ‘all done’, babies can express themselves and reduce frustration. Research shows that Baby Signs not only promote early language development but also enhance social-emotional skills. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to use Baby Signs to foster trust, build language skills, and create positive, less frustrating interactions with young children.

Takeaways

• 😀 Infants and toddlers can communicate their needs, thoughts, and feelings before they can speak using gestures and signs.
• 😀 At 10-12 months, babies start to communicate with simple gestures like pointing and waving, indicating an attempt to express themselves.
• 😀 As toddlers' thoughts and feelings become more complex, they may struggle to communicate without words, leading to frustration.
• 😀 Baby Signs are simple hand gestures that represent specific meanings (e.g., tapping fingers to lips for 'eat' or crossing palms for 'all done').
• 😀 Baby Signs can help infants and toddlers express their thoughts and needs before they can verbally articulate them.
• 😀 Research shows that using Baby Signs actually promotes language development, with children learning to talk earlier and acquiring larger vocabularies.
• 😀 Long-term studies indicate that children who use Baby Signs even show higher verbal IQs by the time they reach 2nd grade.
• 😀 Baby Signs contribute to building social-emotional skills, allowing toddlers to express their feelings (e.g., 'sad' or 'scared').
• 😀 Baby Signs help toddlers request comfort or specific actions (e.g., a hug or song), supporting emotional regulation.
• 😀 Using Baby Signs encourages parents and caregivers to engage more with infants, building their language skills through focused interaction.
• 😀 Baby Signs enhance the parent-child bond by reducing frustration and fostering a positive, joyful interaction that nurtures emotional development.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of Baby Signs?

The main purpose of Baby Signs is to provide infants and toddlers with simple hand gestures that allow them to communicate their needs, thoughts, and feelings before they can speak words.

At what age do infants begin to use gestures like pointing and waving?

Infants typically start using gestures like pointing and waving when they are 10 to 12 months old.

Why do toddlers often become frustrated at the beginning of toddlerhood?

Toddlers become frustrated because their thoughts and feelings become too complicated to communicate using simple gestures like pointing, and they do not yet have the words to express themselves.

How do Baby Signs help infants and toddlers communicate before they can speak?

Baby Signs use simple hand gestures with specific meanings, like 'eat,' 'more,' and 'all done,' which allow infants and toddlers to communicate their needs and feelings.

Is there any research supporting the use of Baby Signs?

Yes, research shows that using Baby Signs actually helps children develop language earlier and have more advanced vocabularies. Long-term studies also show that children who use Baby Signs have higher verbal IQs even in second grade.

What social and emotional benefits do Baby Signs offer?

Baby Signs help children express their feelings, request comfort, and understand the emotions of others, which promotes social and emotional development.

How do Baby Signs support language development?

When infants use Baby Signs, parents and caregivers pay more attention to what the child is focused on, which creates opportunities for language development and increases verbal communication.

Do infants and toddlers who use Baby Signs experience less frustration?

Yes, using Baby Signs helps reduce frustration for both the child and the adults, as communication becomes clearer and more effective.

What impact does using Baby Signs have on the relationship between infants and their caregivers?

Using Baby Signs improves the relationship by fostering trust and more positive interactions, as adults are better able to respond to the infant's needs.

How do Baby Signs contribute to a child's understanding of their own emotions?

Baby Signs help children develop a vocabulary for their own feelings, allowing them to better understand and express their emotions, as well as recognize those of others.