What is the optimal age to introduce signs to our baby?
I suggest you begin learning signs right away, so it becomes part of your routine. Your baby will enjoy watching your signs at a very early age. Some babies may begin to sign as early as 4-6 months, others not until after a year, depending on consistency of use at home (among other things). A baby needs to develop memory, dexterity, and cognition adequate for recognizing, retaining, and producing signs. Babies and toddlers alike are enjoying the class. It is never too late to start… Baby Fingers classes include children ages one month through six years.
No age is too early to begin learning and modeling signs with your baby, though most babies will be physically unable to reproduce signs until the sixth to eighth month. A baby needs to develop memory, dexterity, and cognition adequate for recognizing, retaining, and producing signs. At the same time, it’s never too late to start; even toddlers who have a few spoken words can significantly benefit from signing. Learning specific signs for “ball”, “bath”, and “bottle” can help distinguish the specific word when “ba-ba” is used for all three items. Using the sign paired with the baby’s spoken sound can help reduce frustration for both you and your baby. The SIGN with your BABY® program will help guide you through this process.
