As your baby learns to communicate, consider the benefits of teaching them particular hand gestures to indicate their wants and needs. Though not a technical sign language, these recognized movements can help you attend to them better. The guide below explains other advantages of this child development tool.

How Does Baby Sign Language Further Child Development?

1. Decreases Communication Frustration

Teaching your baby signs for common words such as “eat,” “sleep,” “play,” “cold,” “bath,” and “tired” improves communication between you and your infant. Babies who learn to communicate with gestures usually experience fewer frustrations that result in crying and fussiness. You’ll also feel less stressed as a parent because you know exactly what your baby needs.

2. Enhances Attention & Visual Skills

Baby sign language gives your infant a headstart in terms of recognizing visual cues. This often helps them have better focus, making retaining new information easier. Those who advance in this also usually have better listening skills, which makes parenting less challenging and helps the child do well in school and social settings.

3. Improves Parent & Child Confidence

The ability to communicate efficiently reportedly offers psychological advantages, such as improvements in your baby’s self-esteem and confidence. You may also experience a boost in confidence as a parent because your understanding of your baby’s wants and needs increases.

4. Helps With Cognitive Development

Studies show baby sign language does not delay speech; rather, it improves verbal skills to promote cognitive development. Children who learned sign language as infants typically score higher on IQ tests than those who don’t and enjoy larger vocabularies.

5. Promotes Bonding

A deeper understanding between you and your baby strengthens your bond. You’ll enjoy a closer relationship faster because there will be fewer moments of frustration and miscommunication. Instead, you’ll be able to more easily enjoy your time together.  
 

To further help your child thrive, turn to World of Knowledge Child Development Center in Lincoln, NE. The center provides a half-day preschool program where teachers are trained in baby sign language. Call (402) 483-4769 today with questions or learn more about their approach to toddler development online.