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ERGObaby carrier > Resources > Baby Sign Language > Sign with Your BabySign with Your Baby
www.sign2me.com This expansive website details the importance of allowing your infant early communication through sign language. Children can begin signing as early as 6-7 months, and through using physical gesticulations they learn to integrate audio, visual and kinesthetic learning. In addition, Joseph Garcia states that sign language provides a multitude of benefits, including "... reduced frustration for parent and child, a stronger parent-child bond, and accelerated verbal-language development."
Research has shown that when you sign with your baby before verbal language begins your
child will:
- Be less frustrated
- Actually speak earlier
- Have a higher IQ
- Develop a larger vocabulary
- Show enhanced self-esteem
- Become a better reader
Our story:
At around age six months, my husband and I started signing with our son Keala Kaj. We introduced three signs of words we frequently used: 'more', 'eat' and 'toilet'. A couple of weeks later we added to his vocabulary 'drink', 'nursing', and 'gentle'. By about eight months of age Keala Kaj started signing his first word, more'. It was an incredible moment when he was able to communicate what he wanted! Soon to follow, he signed dog, eat and drink. He also quickly caught on to the sign for happy. I love that one. It also happened to be his first spoken word. He definitely is a happy baby! Our experiences of signing with our baby were tremendous and I highly recommend everybody opening the door of communication with their baby in this way. It has been a very rewarding experience for us.
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