Simple Signs: Essential Sign Language Words for Kids

Table of Contents

1. Why Sign Language for Kids Matters
2. Getting Started: The Basics of Teaching Sign Language
3. Essential Sign Language Words for Kids: A Starter Guide
4. Integrating Sign Language with Speech Blubs for Holistic Development
5. When to Consider Professional Help
6. Your Path to Confident Communication Starts Here
7. Conclusion
8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Has your little one ever cried or pointed, desperately trying to tell you something, but you just couldn’t quite understand? That moment of profound frustration, both for them and for you, is incredibly common in early childhood. Children often have a blossoming world of thoughts and needs long before their verbal vocabulary catches up. What if there was a way to bridge that gap, giving them a voice even before they can speak words clearly? This is where the magic of sign language for kids comes in.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how introducing basic sign language can be a powerful tool to enhance communication, reduce tantrums, and foster early language development in your child. We’ll delve into the many benefits, from boosting vocabulary to strengthening parent-child bonds, and provide you with a practical starter kit of essential sign language words. Our goal at Speech Blubs is to empower children to “speak their minds and hearts,” and integrating sign language alongside verbal development can be a joyful and effective pathway to confident communication for every child.

Why Sign Language for Kids Matters

The journey of communication begins long before a child utters their first intelligible word. From the earliest days, babies are absorbing information, understanding gestures, and attempting to express themselves through cries, coos, and body language. For many, the gap between what they understand and what they can say can lead to significant frustration. This is precisely where sign language steps in as an invaluable tool.

Bridging the Communication Gap

Imagine your toddler being able to sign “milk” when they’re thirsty, or “more” when they want another bite of food, instead of resorting to tears or shouts. This ability to convey basic needs and desires can dramatically reduce stress for both children and parents. Studies have shown that babies and toddlers who learn sign language tend to experience fewer tantrums because they have a functional way to express themselves, leading to a profound sense of understanding and connection within the family.

This communication bridge is not just about avoiding meltdowns; it’s about fostering a deeper connection. When you and your child share a common, immediate language, you build a foundation of trust and understanding. At Speech Blubs, we believe in providing solutions that help children express themselves, and sign language perfectly complements our mission by offering an immediate, effective, and joyful way for children to communicate their needs and feelings.

Benefits Beyond Basic Needs

The advantages of teaching sign language extend far beyond simple requests, impacting various aspects of a child’s development:

• Enhanced Vocabulary and Literacy: Research, such as studies by Dr. Marilyn Daniels, a professor of speech communication at Penn State University, has demonstrated a strong link between early sign language exposure and enhanced vocabulary, spelling, and reading skills in young children. By combining a visual sign with a spoken word, children create stronger neural connections, making it easier to learn and retain new words. The act of seeing, signing, and hearing a word simultaneously provides a multi-sensory learning experience that reinforces language acquisition. For a deeper dive into the scientific backing of language development tools, explore our research page.
• Cognitive Development: Learning sign language stimulates various parts of the brain, strengthening memory, attention span, and problem-solving skills. Children learn to associate symbols (signs) with concepts, which is a fundamental cognitive skill that supports overall intellectual growth.
• Emotional Connection and Confidence: When children can effectively communicate, they feel understood and valued. This builds immense self-confidence and reduces the emotional burden of being misunderstood. The shared moments of successful communication also strengthen the emotional bond between parents and children. Seeing your child confidently sign their wants and needs is incredibly rewarding and empowers them to engage more actively with their environment.
• A Stepping Stone to Verbal Speech: Contrary to a common misconception, teaching sign language does not delay verbal speech; it often accelerates it. Signs provide a visual cue that acts as a bridge to spoken words. As children develop the oral motor skills necessary for speech, they can transition from signing a word to speaking it, often using both simultaneously for a period. This approach can be particularly beneficial for children who are late talkers or have speech delays, offering them a functional way to communicate while their verbal skills are developing. Our founders, who themselves grew up with speech problems, created Speech Blubs to be the tool they wished they had—a tool that blends scientific principles with play to provide crucial support.
• Early Introduction to Bilingualism: For many children, learning sign language can be their first exposure to the concept of multiple languages. This early introduction can foster an appreciation for linguistic diversity and may make it easier for them to learn other languages later in life.

Getting Started: The Basics of Teaching Sign Language

Embarking on the journey of teaching your child sign language doesn’t require fluency or extensive training. It’s about starting small, being consistent, and making it a fun, natural part of your daily interactions.

Consistency is Key

The most crucial element in teaching sign language effectively is consistency. Here’s how to integrate it seamlessly into your child’s world:

• Always Sign and Speak Simultaneously: Whenever you use a word for which you know a sign, say the word aloud while performing the sign. For example, when offering milk, say “milk” clearly and simultaneously make the sign for milk. This consistent pairing helps your child associate the sign with both the object/concept and the spoken word, creating a strong link between visual and auditory input.
• Integrate Signs into Daily Routines: Look for natural opportunities to use signs throughout the day. Mealtimes, playtime, and bedtime are perfect settings. For instance, you can sign “eat” before meals, “play” before engaging in an activity, or “sleep” during bedtime routines. The repetition within predictable contexts helps children internalize the signs quickly.
• Start with a Few Signs, Gradually Add More: Don’t try to teach too many signs at once. Begin with 3-5 signs that are highly relevant to your child’s immediate needs and interests, such as “more,” “all done,” or “milk.” Once your child starts to use these consistently, you can gradually introduce new signs. This prevents overwhelming both you and your little one.
• Involve the Whole Family: Encourage everyone who interacts regularly with your child—parents, siblings, grandparents, caregivers—to learn and use the same signs. Consistency across all caregivers reinforces the learning and makes communication easier for your child.

Making Learning Fun and Engaging

Learning should always be a joyful experience, especially for young children. Here’s how to make sign language fun:

• Use Expressive Faces and Body Language: Signs are part of a visual language. Enhance your signs with animated facial expressions and body language that convey the meaning. A big smile with the sign for “happy” or a furrowed brow with “sad” will help your child understand the emotion behind the sign.
• Sing Songs and Read Books with Signs: Many children’s songs and books can be adapted to include signs. For example, signing “star” while singing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” adds another layer of engagement. There are also many children’s books specifically designed to teach basic signs.
• Speech Blubs’ “Smart Screen Time” Approach: Our app offers a unique “smart screen time” experience that can perfectly complement your sign language journey. Unlike passive screen time (like watching cartoons), Speech Blubs engages children actively. Our core methodology, “video modeling,” means children learn by watching and imitating their peers on screen. This peer-to-peer learning is incredibly effective for developing communication skills, as children are naturally inclined to imitate other children. For example, while learning the verbal sounds for animals in Speech Blubs, you can simultaneously introduce the ASL signs for those animals. This multi-modal approach reinforces both spoken words and signs, making learning more comprehensive and fun. Download Speech Blubs on the App Store or Google Play to explore this engaging learning method.

Using Real ASL

When choosing which signs to teach, it’s important to differentiate between simplified “baby signs” and American Sign Language (ASL). While some “baby signs” resources might use made-up or simplified gestures, learning real ASL offers significant advantages:

• Broader Communication: ASL is a complete, grammatically rich language used by millions in the Deaf community. By teaching your child ASL signs, you’re not just giving them a temporary communication tool; you’re introducing them to a widely recognized language that they can use to communicate with deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals throughout their lives.
• Consistency and Accuracy: ASL has standardized signs and grammar, ensuring that the signs you teach are understood by others who know ASL. This consistency is vital for effective communication as your child grows.
• Long-Term Value: If your child develops an interest in sign language, or if you discover they have hearing difficulties or speech delays that benefit from continued signing, having learned real ASL provides a solid foundation for more advanced learning.

Essential Sign Language Words for Kids: A Starter Guide

Let’s dive into some practical and commonly used sign language words that are perfect for starting your child’s communication journey. These are based on American Sign Language (ASL) and are chosen for their relevance to a child’s daily life.

Core Needs & Feelings

These signs are fundamental for helping your child express their basic wants and emotional states, significantly reducing frustration.

• More: Bring your hands together, squeezing the tips of your fingers on each hand to form two points. Touch the tips of each point together, then separate them slightly. Repeat a few times. This is often one of the first and most useful signs children learn!
• All Done: Start with both hands in fists in front of your body, knuckles facing you. Turn your hands outward, extending your fingers with a sweeping motion, as if pushing something away or showing empty hands.
• Help: Place one hand, palm up, in front of you. Curl your other hand into a fist with your thumb pointing up and place it on top of your open palm. Raise both hands together a few inches.
• Please: Place your open hand with your palm on your chest and rub it in a gentle circular motion.
• Thank You: Bring the fingertips of your dominant hand to your chin, then move your hand forward and down toward the person you’re thanking.
• Hungry: Make a “C” shape with your dominant hand and move it down your chest, from your neck to your stomach, as if tracing a rumbling tummy.
• Drink/Thirsty: Form a “C” shape with your dominant hand, bringing it up to your mouth as if holding a cup and tilting it back for a sip.
• Happy: Hold one hand flush against your chest, then brush that hand up and outward in a single motion, as if radiating joy.
• Sad: With your head slightly tilted down, place both open hands in front of your face with fingers spread apart. Slowly drop your hands down your chest, conveying a downward, heavy feeling.
• Sleep: Place one hand in front of your face, palm facing you. Close your hand to a fist and drop it to your chin, simultaneously closing your eyes and dragging your fist downward.
• Stop: Hold one hand, palm up, in front of you. Use the other hand to “chop” across the palm of the first hand, indicating a halt.
• Go: Place both pointer fingers in front of you, pointing in opposite directions with the rest of your fingers tucked into your palms. Roll those fingers over one another in a forward motion.

Mealtime & Food

These signs are perfect for simplifying meal routines and allowing your child to participate in food choices.

• Eat: Squeeze the tips of your fingers together to form a point with your dominant hand, and place that hand in front of your pursed lips. Bring your hand away from your mouth, then back to it a few times, mimicking bringing food to your mouth.
• Milk: Clench your dominant hand into a fist and open and close it a few times, as if milking a cow.
• Water: Form the letter “W” with your dominant hand (three middle fingers up, thumb and pinky tucked) and tap it against your chin a couple of times.
• Apple: Make your dominant hand into a fist, extending your pointer finger slightly more than the others. Place that hand on your cheek near your mouth and rotate it back and forth.
• Cookie: Place one hand in front of you, palm facing up. Cup your other hand and place your fingertips on top of the open palm. Rotate your cupped hand back and forth as if shaping a cookie.
• Cheese: Place both hands together, palms touching, in front of you. With the heels of your palms touching, rotate your hands back and forth, as if twisting cheese.

Daily Routines & Activities

Incorporating signs into daily routines helps children understand transitions and participate more actively.

• Book: Hold both palms together in front of you, like a closed book. Using the inside edges of your palms as a hinge, tilt your hands open, so your palms face up, mimicking opening a book.
• Play: Hold each hand in front of you so that your pointer and pinky fingers are sticking out, but the rest of your fingers on each hand are tucked into your palm. Rotate each hand at your wrist a few times.
• Wash/Bathe: Hold both hands out in front of you, palms up, and rub them together in circular motions, as if washing.
• Diaper: With your hands at your side, extend your pointer and middle fingers, tucking in the rest of your fingers. Tap your extended fingers against your thighs a couple of times.
• Bed: Tilting your head to the side with your eyes closed, lay your cheek against the palm of your open hand.
• Outside: Place both open hands together in front of you, fingertips touching. Pull your hands apart and slightly away from your body, as if opening a door.
• Car: Pretend to hold onto and turn a steering wheel in front of your body with both hands.
• House: Place your arms in front of you so your fingertips touch and your elbows are splayed out, forming the peak of a roof. Then bring your hands parallel to one another and drag them down, outlining the walls of a house.

Family & Animals

These signs help children identify important people and common creatures in their world.

• Mommy: Spread out the fingers of one hand. Touch the thumb of that hand to the side of your chin several times.
• Daddy: Spread out the fingers of one hand. Touch the thumb of that hand to the side of your forehead several times.
• Baby: Cradle your arms as if holding a baby and gently rock them back and forth.
• Cat: Pinch together your thumb and pointer fingers, splaying out the other fingers on your dominant hand. Drag that hand up and away from your face a few inches, as if tracing a cat’s whiskers.
• Dog: With your dominant hand, tap your hip a couple of times, as if you were calling a dog.

Integrating Sign Language with Speech Blubs for Holistic Development

Sign language and tools like Speech Blubs are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they can be incredibly complementary, creating a rich, multi-sensory learning environment for your child’s communication development.

A Powerful Complement to Verbal Speech

Sign language provides a visual bridge, giving children a concrete way to express concepts before they can articulate the corresponding sounds. Speech Blubs then focuses on the articulation and pronunciation of those spoken words, making the entire process more robust.

For instance, consider a parent whose 3-year-old is a “late talker” but loves animals. The “Animal Kingdom” section in Speech Blubs offers a fun, motivating way to practice sounds like ‘moo’ or ‘baa’ through interactive video modeling. By simultaneously introducing the ASL sign for “cow” or “sheep” while engaged with the app, the parent reinforces both the visual sign and the auditory sound, building stronger connections in the child’s brain. The child sees another child making the sound and the parent making the sign, creating a powerful learning loop. This approach fosters a love for communication, builds confidence, and reduces the frustration that can arise from not being understood.

From Signs to Sounds: How Speech Blubs Supports Verbalization

Once a child understands the concept of “more” through signing, Speech Blubs can help them transition to verbalizing it. Our app’s interactive activities encourage vocal imitation alongside visual cues. The unique “video modeling” method, where children watch and imitate their peers, is scientifically proven to be highly effective. This transforms typical passive screen time into “smart screen time,” engaging children’s full attention and encouraging active participation.

For a parent whose toddler is captivated by vehicles but hesitant to make corresponding sounds, the “Things That Go” section in Speech Blubs is ideal. While the app encourages vocalizations like “vroom” for a car, you can use the ASL sign for “car” simultaneously. This multi-sensory reinforcement helps solidify the connection between the object, the sign, and the spoken word. The child learns not just to sign “car” but to connect it to the sound “car,” easing the transition from sign to speech and developing key foundational skills. We are committed to providing an immediate, effective, and joyful solution for the 1 in 4 children who need speech support, blending scientific principles with play into one-of-a-kind “smart screen time” experiences. Our app offers a powerful tool for family connection, enabling you to learn and grow together. Ready to get started? Create your account and begin your 7-day free trial today!

When to Consider Professional Help

While sign language is a fantastic tool for boosting communication and Speech Blubs offers incredible support for verbal development, it’s important to remember that they are powerful supplements, not replacements, for professional speech therapy if significant delays or concerns are present. We are dedicated to providing valuable resources for parents, and that includes helping you identify when further assessment might be beneficial.

If you have concerns about your child’s communication development, or if they seem to be consistently behind typical milestones for their age, a professional evaluation by a speech-language pathologist is recommended.

To help you gain clarity, we offer a quick, easy, and free tool: our 3-minute preliminary screener. This involves 9 simple questions designed to provide you with an immediate assessment and next-steps plan based on your child’s responses. It’s a great first step for parents who are uncertain or seeking validation and provides immediate value, potentially leading to a free 7-day trial of Speech Blubs if recommended.

Your Path to Confident Communication Starts Here

Empowering your child to communicate effectively is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. Whether through the expressive power of sign language or the engaging, interactive learning of Speech Blubs, you are laying a strong foundation for their confidence, reducing frustration, and creating countless joyful moments of connection.

At Speech Blubs, our mission, born from the personal experiences of our founders who grew up with speech problems, is to empower children to “speak their minds and hearts.” We provide an immediate, effective, and joyful solution for the many children who need speech support, blending scientific principles with play into one-of-a-kind “smart screen time” experiences. We are a screen-free alternative to passive viewing and a powerful tool for family connection, helping you and your child embark on a rewarding journey of communication together. We are incredibly proud of the positive impact we’ve had on families worldwide; you can see what other parents are saying about their child’s success with Speech Blubs.

Discover the Value of Speech Blubs

We believe in making high-quality speech and language support accessible to every family. To ensure you get the most out of our app, we offer flexible subscription plans:

• Monthly Plan: Priced at $14.99 per month.
• Yearly Plan: Our best value, at just $59.99 per year. This breaks down to an incredible $4.99 per month, allowing you to save 66% compared to the monthly option!

The Yearly plan isn’t just cheaper; it’s packed with exclusive, high-value features designed to supercharge your child’s development:

• A 7-day free trial: Experience the full power of Speech Blubs before committing.
• The extra Reading Blubs app: Double the fun and learning with our complementary reading app.
• Early access to new updates: Be among the first to explore new features and activities.
• 24-hour support response time: Get prompt assistance whenever you need it.

Please note that the Monthly plan does not include these valuable benefits. To unlock the full potential of Speech Blubs, including your 7-day free trial and all the exclusive features, we highly recommend choosing the Yearly plan.

Conclusion

Introducing sign language words for kids is a transformative step in nurturing early communication. It empowers children with a voice, reduces frustration, and lays a robust foundation for verbal speech, reading, and a deeper parent-child bond. Combined with the interactive and scientifically backed approach of Speech Blubs, you can create a truly holistic and joyful language-learning experience for your child.

Don’t let communication barriers hold your child back. Take the proactive step toward fostering confident expression and joyful connection.

Ready to embark on this incredible journey? Start your 7-day free trial today by downloading Speech Blubs. We encourage you to select the Yearly plan to unlock all the premium features, including the Reading Blubs app, and ensure you get the absolute best value for your child’s developmental journey.

• Download Speech Blubs on the App Store.
• Get Speech Blubs on the Google Play Store.
• Or, create your account and begin your 7-day free trial today on our website!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Is teaching sign language going to delay my child’s speech?

No, extensive research suggests the opposite is true. Teaching sign language to hearing children does not delay verbal speech; it can actually accelerate it. Signs provide a visual bridge for children to express themselves before they have the oral motor skills for speech, reducing frustration and creating a foundation for language understanding. Many children who learn signs transition smoothly to spoken words, often using both simultaneously for a period.

2. What is the best age to start teaching sign language words for kids?

You can start introducing signs as early as 4 to 6 months old. While a child may not start signing back until around 8-12 months, starting early allows them to absorb the language and associate signs with words and concepts. The earlier you begin, the sooner they will have a tool to communicate their needs and thoughts, often before they can speak clearly.

3. How quickly will my child learn sign language?

The learning timeline varies greatly from child to child. Some children might pick up a few signs within weeks, while others may take a few months to consistently use them. Consistency in signing yourself, using signs in context, and making it fun are key factors. Most children will start with a few basic, high-utility signs (like “more” or “milk”) and gradually expand their signing vocabulary.

4. How can Speech Blubs help beyond sign language?

Speech Blubs focuses on developing verbal communication skills through engaging, interactive activities using “video modeling” where children learn by imitating their peers. While sign language provides a visual communication bridge, Speech Blubs helps your child articulate sounds, expand vocabulary, improve pronunciation, and build confidence in speaking. It complements sign language by directly targeting the development of spoken language and fostering a love for communication, making it a “smart screen time” alternative to passive viewing.