The Top 15 Baby Sign Language Signs for Effective Communication with Your Child

Baby sign language is a way for infants and toddlers to communicate their needs and wants using hand gestures, rather than speaking. It can be a helpful tool for parents and caregivers to understand what their child is trying to communicate, as well as a way for children to communicate before they have the verbal skills to do so. Here are 15 common signs that you may find useful to learn:

15 Essential Baby Sign Language Signs for Parents and Caregivers

1. “More” – This sign is made by rubbing the hands together. It can be used to request more food, more attention, or more of any other desired item.
2. “Milk” – To make this sign, make a fist with one hand and tap the top of the fist with the other hand.
3. “Drink” – To make this sign, bring one hand to your mouth as if you were taking a drink from a cup.
4. “Eat” – To make this sign, bring both hands to your mouth as if you were taking a bite of food.
5. “Diaper change” – To make this sign, make a wiping motion over your diaper area with your hand.
6. “Sleep” – To make this sign, make a “zzz” motion with your hand, as if you were making the sound of someone snoring.
7. “All done” – To make this sign, make a sweeping motion with both hands, as if you were wiping something off a table.
8. “Please” – To make this sign, make a “pinching” motion with your thumb and index finger.
9. “Thank you” – To make this sign, bring one hand to your chest and give a slight bow.
10. “Hot” – To make this sign, bring one hand to your mouth and blow on it, as if you were testing the temperature of something you were eating.
11. “Cold” – To make this sign, rub your hands together and then bring them to your cheeks, as if you were trying to warm them up.
12. “Wet” – To make this sign, cup one hand and then make a squeezing motion, as if you were wringing out a wet cloth.
13. “Dry” – To make this sign, rub your hands together as if you were trying to dry them off.
14. “Help” – To make this sign, raise one hand above your head and wave it back and forth.
15. “Hurt” – To make this sign, point to the area where you are feeling pain or discomfort.