How does your baby communicate before they can talk?

A smile is one of the earliest and most recognisable social signals. Babies also turn away from things they do not want, move their arms in front of their bodies when they are uncomfortable and use movements, sounds and changes in behaviour to communicate their needs.

The challenge for parents is working out exactly what all those little signals mean. When you are responding to many different cues every day, it is not always easy to know what your baby needs. Signing can provide another way for you and your baby to understand one another.

Is your baby already using signs?

Your baby may be communicating with their hands much earlier than you realise.

Babies naturally develop gestures such as waving, pointing, clapping and lifting their arms when they want to be picked up. Observations in Baby Sensory® Hello Baby classes also show that babies use their hands from birth. Open, relaxed hands can indicate that a baby is ready to play, while hands closing into fists can indicate that they need a break from stimulation.

By noticing these signals and responding to them, parents can begin to develop a wonderful two way conversation with their baby, even before words arrive.

What are the benefits of signing with your baby?

Babies develop hand and eye coordination before they learn to talk. Signing makes use of these developing physical skills and gives babies another way to communicate.

Signing can support two way communication, eye contact, facial expressions, body movements, social skills and visual and muscular coordination. It can also help babies express basic needs and wants, reducing frustration when they know what they want but cannot yet say it.

Most importantly, signing creates opportunities for enjoyable interaction between you and your baby. Those shared moments can strengthen your bond and help create a calmer and more contented relationship.

Will every baby start signing at the same age?

Every baby is different, so there is no need to worry about when your baby produces their first recognisable sign.

Some babies may copy a sign only a few days after seeing it, while others may take weeks or months. Their progress will depend partly on their individual motor development and manual dexterity.

Signing should never become something your baby is expected to perform on demand. The aim is communication, connection and enjoyment rather than reaching a particular milestone by a particular age.

How does signing support your baby’s development?

Your baby’s brain is involved in processing language from birth, but hand and eye coordination develops before speech because the motor areas of the brain develop faster than the speech centres.

Using gestures and signs regularly reinforces neural pathways and gives your baby opportunities to connect movement, words and meaning.

Babies also learn through association. When a familiar word such as milk, sleep, eat or cuddle is regularly spoken alongside the same sign or action, your baby can begin to associate the spoken word with what they can see. Facial expressions and clear lip movements add even more information and can help support understanding.

How should you introduce signs to your baby?

Keep signing simple, clear and fun.

Choose a few useful signs and use them consistently during everyday routines. Signs should be clear and accompanied by eye contact, facial expressions and spoken words. Repetition is important because it gives your baby plenty of opportunities to see the connection between the sign and the word.

You could begin with familiar words such as milk, eat, bed, teddy, blanket, cuddle or nappy. Use one sign in a sentence, speak slowly and clearly and be generous with your facial expressions.

Most importantly, always follow your baby’s lead and keep the experience relaxed and enjoyable.

Should you still talk while you are signing?

Yes. Signing should be used alongside normal speech rather than replacing it.

Every sign should be accompanied by the spoken word. Talking clearly, using expressive facial movements and repeating words alongside signs helps your baby connect what they hear with what they see.

Familiar songs and rhymes can also provide lovely opportunities to practise signs together. If your baby attempts a sign, respond positively and enjoy the interaction rather than worrying about whether the movement is perfect.

Which simple signs can you try at home?

Everyday routines provide plenty of opportunities to introduce easy gestures.

For milk, open and close your hand. For cuddle or love, hug your arms with both hands. For drink, cup your hand and bring it towards your mouth. For hungry, rub your tummy with the palm of your hand. For cold, pretend to shiver. For book, hold your hands flat with your palms facing upwards. For bed, rest your head on both hands.

Choose signs that feel natural and are easy for both you and your baby to recognise.

Do you need to learn a formal sign language?

Not necessarily.

There are several established sign systems, including Makaton, American Sign Language and British Sign Language. However, for hearing babies with no identified risk of speech delay, parents do not need to learn a formal sign system simply to enjoy the benefits of signing together.

Many standard signs require more fine muscle coordination than a young baby has developed. Instead, parents can use simple gestures they already know or create signs that are easy to remember and physically manageable for their baby.

What matters most is that you use the signs consistently and that you and your baby are communicating and having fun together.

Can signing really make everyday life easier?

Signing can give parents another valuable way to understand what their baby is trying to communicate.

When babies have a way to express needs that they cannot yet put into words, it can reduce some of the frustration experienced by both baby and parent. For parents, recognising and responding to their baby’s communication can also build confidence and responsiveness.

Signing is ultimately about much more than teaching your baby a collection of gestures. It is about creating shared understanding, encouraging communication and enjoying those precious interactions together.

By watching, responding, talking and signing, you are building a foundation of trust and understanding with your baby long before their first words arrive.