Teaching sign language to your pre-verbal child

Learning how to sign

 by Venessa Rinaldi, HVParent.com

 

My wonderful mother-in-law mentioned to me a few months ago about teaching Ella, my 15 month old, how to communicate with me using sign language.

I figured why not, it can’t hurt to try a few and see how it goes. So I started teaching her the sign language for “more” while she ate by putting my fingers together (picture making a puppet with your fingers) and crashing them together while I said “more?”

 

This went on for about five days taking turns practicing “more” first I did it and then I put her two hands together in the same fashion and said more. I didn’t think it was working and/or that she understood what I was doing because she would just sit there and demand in her own way for more. So I forgot about it for a while and never really tried it out again until one night during dinner.

 

My husband and I decided on dining out one night and taking Ella along with us. Halfway through the meal after she was finished with a piece of bread she was munching on I said, “Ella do you want more?” right before my eyes she did the sign for “more” and I looked at my husband and he was just as speechless as I was! Since then, she’s been only using the sign for “more” whenever she really wanted more food or hugs, or even kisses which is great to see her do. We understand each other better without the need for unnecessary tantrums and tears until I can hear her sweet little voice when she finally learns to say “mommy I want more”. What’s next? The sign for “milk”.