The most obvious and immediate benefit of signing with your baby is improved communication. But a child who is taught American Sign Language signs (ASL) can retain this skill into childhood and beyond.

Of course, a baby or toddler will not become fluent in American Sign Language, just as she will not be fluent in spoken English until she is older. However, baby sign (just like baby talk) can be the foundation that your child builds upon. A child who has acquired the basics of sign language as a baby will be a step ahead of ASL beginners.

Keep in mind that sign language is not just for babies. If you have an older child in the house, he can benefit, too. You can start out by demonstrating to him the same signs that you use with your baby (though obviously an older child might not have much use for words such as “bottle” and “diaper”).

Unlike your baby, your older child will be able to learn the signs very quickly. In fact, don’t be surprised if your older child breezes through the signs in this book in just a matter of weeks.

If he seems to be hungry for more signing opportunities, you might want to enroll him in a sign language class. This will help him to learn the patterns, rhythms, and rules of American Sign Language.