Children develop rapidly in their first few years of life. So much growth and new skills happen every day. Helping your child develop and strengthen their communication skills can seem daunting. Sign Language can be a great tool to help caregivers both develop and support early communication skills.

Teaching children sign language can help them communicate their wants and needs, making it easier for them to communicate and for you to understand them. Regardless of whether your child is hearing or hard of hearing, sign language or gestures can be a great way for them to build social skills. These skills even play a positive role in the bond between a caregiver and child, as effective sign gestures can make caregivers more responsive to their children.

Due to infants’ dexterity and cognitive development, teaching sign language can begin around 6 to 9 months. Promoting communication between babies and caregivers allows young children to express their needs and thoughts effectively. 

Sign language can be a lifelong beneficial skill taught from an early age. Developing communication skills as early as possible can help advance children’s social skills in numerous ways. On top of this, teaching more children sign language can bridge the communication gap between the hard of hearing and hearing.

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Emma Dineen

Research Assistant, UConn KIDS

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