If you’ve ever walked into a room where toddlers are frantically waving their hands at their parents while everyone else looks on in total confusion, you’ve probably witnessed a my day signing time session. It looks like chaos. It feels like a secret language. Honestly, that's because it basically is.
Baby sign language isn't just a trend for overachieving parents who want their six-month-old to recite Shakespeare. It’s a functional, bridge-building tool. I’ve seen kids who can’t even hold a spoon properly use signs to tell their moms they’re thirsty. It changes the vibe of a household. Suddenly, the screaming stops because the communication starts.
The Science Behind My Day Signing Time
Most people think babies are just blank slates until they start talking at age two. That’s wrong. Research from experts like Dr. Linda Acredolo and Dr. Susan Goodwyn—who literally started this whole movement decades ago—shows that infants have the cognitive ability to communicate way before their vocal cords are physically ready to form complex words. It's a developmental gap. Signing fills it.
When you incorporate my day signing time into a routine, you aren't teaching "Sign Language" in the formal, academic sense of ASL (American Sign Language), though most parents use ASL signs as the foundation. You’re teaching symbolic association. The brain makes a connection: this gesture equals that object. It’s pretty wild to see it click. One day they're just swatting at the air, and the next, they’re looking you dead in the eye and signing "milk" with perfect clarity. It feels like a magic trick. But it’s just neurobiology in action.
Why Visual Communication Wins
Think about how frustrated you get when you’re in a foreign country and can’t find a bathroom. You point. You mimic. You use your hands. That’s exactly how a pre-verbal child feels every single waking hour. By giving them a few signs, you’re basically giving them a survival kit for the "foreign country" that is their own life.
There’s a common misconception that if you teach a kid to sign, they’ll get lazy and won’t want to talk. The data actually suggests the opposite. Studies indicate that children who use signs often have larger vocabularies by age two because they’ve already mastered the concept of naming things. They’re primed for language. They’re ready to go.
Real Talk: The Daily Routine
Let’s be real—nobody has time for a three-hour seminar on linguistics every morning. Integrating my day signing time has to be low-effort or you’ll quit by Tuesday. You do it while you're eating. You do it during a diaper change.
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I usually tell people to start with the "Big Three": Eat, Milk, and All Done.
If you can get those down, your stress levels drop by roughly 40 percent. No more guessing if the crying means they're hungry or if they just want to throw their peas on the floor for the sport of it.
- Eat: Bunch your fingers together and tap your mouth. It’s intuitive.
- Milk: Like milking a cow, but without the cow. Just a squeezing motion.
- More: Tapping fingertips together. This is the gateway drug of signing. Once they learn "more," they’ll use it for everything—more bubbles, more swings, more cookies.
You have to be consistent, though. If you only sign when you’re feeling "parental," it won’t stick. You sign while you're half-asleep. You sign while the coffee is burning. You sign until it becomes a reflex.
Beyond the Basics
Once you move past the survival signs, my day signing time gets fun. This is where you add in things like "dog," "book," or "sleep."
My friend’s kid used to sign "dog" every time they heard a motorcycle. At first, we thought he was just confused. Then we realized he associated the loud rumbling of the bike with the neighbor's barking Great Dane. That’s a high-level cognitive connection! Without the sign, we would have just thought he was cranky. With the sign, we got a window into how his little brain was categorizing the world.
Common Roadblocks (And Why They Don't Matter)
Parents get stressed about "doing it wrong." They worry their hand placement isn't precise.
Listen.
Your baby isn't a certified ASL interpreter. They have chubby little hands and limited motor skills. If they do something that vaguely resembles the sign you're teaching, count it as a win. This isn't about linguistic purity; it's about not having a meltdown in the middle of a Target.
Sometimes, there's a "lag." You might sign for three months with zero response. You'll feel like you're talking to a brick wall. And then, suddenly, they’ll sign "light" and point to the ceiling fan. The dam breaks.
The Social Aspect
There's also the "weirdness" factor. You’re at a playgroup, and you’re signing "apple" while your kid is chewing on a plastic toy. People might stare. Whatever. When your kid can tell you their ear hurts before they start screaming, those other parents will be the ones asking you for tips.
The Long-Term Impact
Does my day signing time turn your kid into a genius? Maybe not. But it definitely builds a stronger bond. There’s something deeply intimate about communicating with someone who can't speak yet. It builds trust. The child learns that when they have a need, they can express it, and you will understand.
That’s huge for emotional development.
It also helps with siblings. If you have an older child, get them involved. They love being the "teacher." It gives them a role and reduces that weird sibling rivalry that happens when a new baby takes over the house.
How to Get Started Today
Don't buy a $200 course. Don't overcomplicate it.
Start with one sign. Just one. Pick the thing your child cares about most. If they're obsessed with their teddy bear, learn the sign for "bear." If they live for bath time, learn "water."
Actionable Steps for Success:
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- Pick your anchor sign. Use it every single time the object or action appears.
- Say the word while you sign. This is crucial. You want the auditory and visual signals to hit the brain at the same time.
- Physically guide their hands (sometimes). Gently mold their hands into the shape if they seem frustrated, but don't force it.
- Watch for "approximations." If they clap when they mean "more," accept it. That's their version of the word.
- Expand slowly. Don't try to teach five signs in a day. Add one new sign every week or two once the previous one is mastered.
The goal isn't perfection. The goal is a quieter house and a happier kid. Stick with it for at least four weeks before you decide it's not working. Usually, the breakthrough happens right when you're about to give up.
Keep it simple. Keep it consistent. Your future self—the one not being screamed at in the grocery store—will thank you.