I’ve mentioned in a few posts recently that Nerys has started to sign ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ which makes me really happy! I was also really pleased the other day when she signed ‘wait’ to me when she wasn’t ready to get out of her buggy yet.
I love how she can communicate with us so much better now that she can sign a few things. I think she’d be much more frustrated if she didn’t have that tool.
We watch ‘Something special’ on Cbeebies most days and she seems to really enjoy watching them all sign, and Rhys enjoys it too, especially now that he can copy the signs much more easily than when he first watched it as a baby.
For anyone who doesn’t know any baby sign language, here are my 5 favourite and, in my opinion, most useful signs to teach your baby:
This was the first sign that both Rhys and Nerys learnt. Maybe because it’s the sign that Steve and I use the most when talking to them, I’m not sure.The sign is the same for both words which makes it really easy for them to learn.
These are the signs that I think are most useful to start with, if you’re new to baby signing. Although ‘milk’ is another good one, especially for younger babies! We also sign ‘wait’ a fair bit, and I still find that one really useful to sign to Rhys if he’s a bit too far away to hear me or if I’m on the phone and want to tell him to wait without interrupting the conversation!
I’d love to know what you think about this – do you sign to your babies/young children? What signs do you find most useful?
Love this, great signing photos
We took my little boy to signing classes, just because they are fun, he turned out to have delayed speech but the signs were a lifeline and helped him communicate also helping with tantrums (I didn’t realise hopw much but due to needing to go back to work my daughter didn’t do baby sign and has terrible tantrums partly because she cannot communicate).
I loved when my son signed please and thank you, he knew over 100 signs at one oint, and even now when he really feels something he signs, so if he is really sorry he says and signs sorry, or if he wants more he signs it whilst asking for whatever it is bless him he doesn’t realise he does it. x x
Thank you, my son was a great little model for me! That’s amazing that your son knew over 100 signs, must have been a huge help for him to be able to communicate with you. I know my daughter would be so frustrated if she didn’t know the few signs she knows to tell us what she wants. x
This is great, I’ve always wanted to teach Archie a few signs as he’s a bit slow on the uptake with talking but I know he understands and he does get frustrated at times. #TheList
Thank you, these are really useful signs in my opinion, to help them start to communicate their needs. It does help ease their frustration when they aren’t talking yet. x
These are great, and I’ve been wanting to start some kind of non verbal system with my baby so maybe he can learn these to help communicate with me as he gets past the crying for everything stage.
These are really useful signs to start with, ‘milk’ is also a really good one if you’re starting with a younger baby! x
These are all very useful signs. I love that you are helping your children communicate by teaching them to sign. #thelist
I’ve always been fascinated by sign language and love being able to use these simple signs with my children! It really does ease their frustration too, when all they want to do is communicate something to you! x
Gorgeous photos. I use to have to use makaton at work but i have never got around to teaching it to my children. I think i need to try and teach them a few signs as my toddler gets so frustrated she can not communicate with us well xx #thelist
Thank you, my son was very cooperative posing for these photos for me! If you know the signs already then I would just start using a few simple ones throughout the day as you talk, it’s amazing how quickly they pick up on it when it’s done casually rather than actively trying to ‘teach’ them! x
Love the photos, what a great little assistant. I always meant to sign with Baby, but we never did. Must be wonderful to have your baby sign to you. Thanks so much for linking up to #TheList x
Thank you, he did a really good job posing for me! It does make me so happy when Nerys signs to me, the other day she signed ‘eat’ then ‘please’ to tell me she wanted breakfast which I got very excited about! x