Baby Sign Language: Benefits, Best Signs to Start With, and How to Teach Them

Imagine being able to understand what your pre-verbal baby needs before the tears start. That’s the promise of baby sign language — and it’s one that’s backed by a growing body of developmental research. Teaching your baby basic signs from around 6–8 months can open up a communication window months before speech develops, reducing frustration for both of you. Whether you’re already curious about baby sign language benefits how to teach or you’ve never considered it before, this guide covers the research, the most useful signs to start with, and practical methods that fit into everyday UK family life.

What Is Baby Sign Language?

Baby sign language refers to the use of simplified hand signs — adapted from formal sign languages such as British Sign Language (BSL) in the UK or various national sign languages across Europe — to communicate with hearing babies before they have the motor control and neurological development needed for spoken language. It is not a replacement for speech; it is a bridge to it.

The most widely used system in the UK is Makaton, which uses signs alongside spoken words and is the same system used on the long-running children’s programme Mr Tumble. Makaton is not BSL — it is a simplified communication programme designed to support language development. Some families use adapted BSL signs directly; others use approaches from the US-originated Baby Signs programme developed by researchers Dr Linda Acredolo and Dr Susan Goodwyn.

Regardless of which system you choose, the underlying principle is the same: pair a consistent gesture with a spoken word, every time you say that word, and your baby will begin to associate the two and eventually produce the sign themselves.

The Evidence: What Can Baby Signing Actually Do?

Research into baby sign language has grown substantially since the 1980s. Key findings include:

• A longitudinal study by Acredolo and Goodwyn (1998) found that 11-month-olds who were taught signs showed accelerated spoken language development at age 2, compared with a non-signing control group
• Signing babies have been shown to have larger vocabularies at age 2 in some studies, though effect sizes vary
• Multiple studies document reductions in frustration-driven behaviour (tantrums, crying) in signing infants, likely because the baby’s communicative intent is more frequently understood
• Baby signing strengthens the joint attention and turn-taking skills that underpin spoken language acquisition

It’s important to be realistic: baby signing is not a cognitive enhancement tool, and claims about higher IQ in signing babies have not been replicated consistently. The primary benefit is communicative — it reduces the frustration gap between what babies understand and what they can express.

When and How to Start

Most speech and language therapists recommend introducing signs from around 6–8 months, when babies begin to develop intentional communication and joint attention. Don’t expect responses immediately — it typically takes 4–8 weeks of consistent use before a baby produces their first sign, and many babies don’t sign until 9–12 months. The key is consistency, not speed.

How to introduce signs effectively:

• Start with high-motivation words. Begin with signs that represent things your baby cares deeply about: milk, more, eat, up, and all-done are excellent starting points because they appear in daily routines repeatedly
• Sign every time you say the word. Consistency is essential — signs work through paired repetition. Say the word clearly while making the sign, every single time, for weeks
• Make eye contact and get to your baby’s level. Signing works through visual attention; ensure your baby is watching you when you sign
• Use real contexts. Sign “milk” during feeding, “bath” at bath time, “book” when reading — context helps build the association
• Celebrate any approximation. Your baby’s first signs will be rough approximations of the correct gesture. React with enthusiasm regardless — reinforcement builds the behaviour

The Best Signs to Start With

Keep your initial vocabulary small — 5 to 10 signs maximum. Too many signs introduced at once creates confusion rather than clarity. Here are the most practically useful first signs for UK families:

• Milk: Open and close your fist (as if milking) — the most universally useful first sign
• More: Tap fingertips together twice
• Eat/food: Bring your fingertips to your mouth
• All done/finished: Shake both hands open, palms down — extremely useful at the end of meals and activities
• Up: Point index fingers upward — babies typically sign this very early because they’re motivated to be picked up
• Sleep/tired: Tilt your head to one side and rest your cheek on pressed palms
• Book: Open palms like a book — great for reading routines
• Bath: Mime scrubbing your chest with both hands

If you’re using Makaton, the official Makaton website (makaton.org) has free sign videos for all core vocabulary, and the Mr Tumble YouTube channel provides accessible examples in context. BSL dictionaries are available online through the British Deaf Association.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will baby signing delay my baby’s speech?

This is the most common concern parents raise, and the research evidence consistently says no. Multiple studies have found that signing babies do not develop speech later than non-signing babies; many studies suggest the opposite. The reason is logical: signing builds the same underlying communication skills — joint attention, turn-taking, intentional communication — that support spoken language. Signing does not compete with speech; it primes the system for it.

Do both parents and caregivers need to sign?

The more consistently signing is used across caregiving contexts, the faster and more robust the baby’s signing will develop. However, even one consistent adult signing can be enough to get started. Share a few core signs with nursery staff, grandparents, and other regular caregivers — a simple printed reference sheet helps.

My baby is 14 months and not signing yet — is something wrong?

Not necessarily. Some babies sign from 8 months; others don’t produce their first sign until 14–16 months. If your baby is communicating through other means — pointing, eye contact, vocalisations — development is likely progressing normally. If you have broader concerns about communication development, speak to your health visitor or GP, who can refer to speech and language therapy if warranted.

Can I use baby signing with a bilingual baby?

Absolutely — signing is language-neutral and can bridge multiple spoken languages simultaneously. Research on bilingual signers suggests signing may be especially beneficial in bilingual contexts by providing a common communicative code that transcends whichever language is being spoken in a given moment.

Getting Started Today

The best way to begin baby signing is to pick three signs — milk, more, and all done — and commit to using them consistently for four weeks before evaluating. You don’t need a class or a book; the Makaton website’s free resources and Mr Tumble’s YouTube videos are genuinely sufficient to get started. The investment of attention is small; the reduction in feeding-time guesswork and pre-meal frustration tantrums is entirely worth it.

If you enjoy the process and want to go further, many UK towns and cities have baby signing classes run by certified Sing and Sign or Baby Sensory instructors. These classes add the benefit of social connection with other parents and babies at a similar stage, and the group setting provides extra motivation for consistency. Some families continue signing well into toddlerhood, long after speech has developed, finding it useful in noisy environments, across distances, and as a way to communicate silently during nursery performances or in restaurants. The skills your baby develops through signing — attention, intentional communication, and turn-taking — serve them well into their school years and beyond.