Using Baby Sign Language in Early Intervention Sessions
For SLPs and early intervention professionals, helping families support early communication is at the heart of what we do. One powerful, accessible tool in our toolbox? Baby sign language.
While it’s not new, baby sign language continues to be a highly effective strategy for supporting preverbal and minimally verbal children, especially when used collaboratively by SLPs, caregivers, and educators in natural settings like home, daycare, or preschool.
👉 Want a ready-to-use free sample for families and educators? Grab my free printable here to support your sessions right away.
Why Use Baby Sign in Early Intervention?
Before diving into how to implement signs in your sessions, here’s a quick refresher on the why:
Supports Early Communication Before Words
Most toddlers start saying their first words between 12–18 months, but motor imitation skills often emerge much earlier. Signs give children a way to express wants, needs, and emotions before spoken language is fully developed.
Reduces Frustration
When children have a reliable way to communicate, they experience less frustration (and so do their caregivers). Signs can reduce tantrums and build positive parent-child interactions.
Boosts Receptive Language
Even if a child doesn’t begin using the signs expressively, repeated exposure supports receptive understanding and lays a strong foundation for spoken words.
Empowers Caregivers
Signs are easy to learn and use, which means parents and caregivers can feel successful and involved in their child’s language development right away.
Best Practice Tips for Using Baby Signs
👉To support this approach, the Baby Sign Language (ASL) for Daily Routines BUNDLE offers categorized signs that align with common daily activities, aiding in consistent and meaningful sign usage.
Start Small and Functional
Focus on a few highly motivating, functional signs that match the child’s daily routines. Avoid introducing too many signs at once.
Great starter signs include:
More - Requesting more of anything (food, play, music)
All done - Transitioning between tasks
Eat - Mealtime routines
Drink - Identifying thirst
Help - Asking for assistance
Open - Books, containers, doors
Stop - Movement or regulation cue
Mom/Dad - Naming key people
Pair Signs with Speech and Gestures
Always say the word as you sign it. This supports multimodal communication and connects the sign to the spoken word. Don’t drop spoken language just because you’re using signs.
Model Signs in Context (Not Flashcard Style)
Instead of drilling signs in isolation, use them naturally during play, transitions, snack time, and book reading.
Be Repetitive
Model the same sign many times across different settings and routines. Repetition builds recognition, but flexibility keeps things fun and functional.
Encourage Imitation, But Accept Approximations
Some kids will mimic a sign exactly. Others might modify it in their own way. Both are valid! Reinforce all attempts and celebrate every effort to communicate.
Modeling Signs During Routines
Early intervention home visits offer a golden opportunity to model signs right in the family’s natural environment. Here are some everyday routines that are perfect for embedding signs:
Mealtime
Sit with the family during snack or lunch and model:
Eat - While pointing to or picking up food
More - When the child looks at or reaches for more food
Drink - When offering a cup
All done - As the child finishes or turns away from food
Pro Tip: Encourage caregivers to (briefly) pause before giving more food to create a communication opportunity. DO NOT WITHOLD FOOD.
Diapering and Toileting
Use signs during diaper changes or toilet time:
All done - When finished
Help - If the child needs assistance
Wet/Dry - If appropriate for the child’s level
Pro Tip: Keep it playful! Use silly voices, or songs to hold attention.
Bath Time
Reinforce signs like:
Water
Wash
All done
More (water, toys, bubbles)
Model them as part of joint attention on the bath toys or while narrating actions.
Getting Dressed
As you or the caregiver helps the child get dressed:
Sign help when the child lifts arms or feet
Sign more or again during fun activities like peek-a-boo with clothes
Sign all done when finished
Pro Tip: Narrate the routine using sign and speech: “Shirt on…shirt (sign shirt)…now pants!”
Book Reading
Books are excellent for sign modeling! Choose interactive or repetitive books and pair key words with signs:
Open - Opening the book
More - Turning the page
Stop - When pausing or asking a question
Animal signs (dog, cat, bird, etc.) - Reinforce labels
Pro Tip: Pause on familiar pages and wait expectantly for the child to sign or vocalize.
Modeling Signs in Daycare or Preschool Settings
👉For visual aids corresponding to these routines, the Baby Sign Language (ASL) for Daily Routines BUNDLE includes handouts that can be shared with families to reinforce sign usage at home.
SLPs often collaborate with educators in early childhood settings. Here’s how you can support baby sign language in group routines:
Circle Time
Introduce 1-2 core signs to accompany songs, greetings, or transitions:
Hello, Bye-bye
Stop, Go
More, All done
Sit, Stand
Bonus: Use signs during favorite fingerplays like “Itsy Bitsy Spider” or “Wheels on the Bus.”
Transitions
Help teachers incorporate signs during daily routines:
Clean up - During toy pick-up
All done - When an activity ends
Wait - To support regulation
Help - When asking for assistance
Play Centers
During parallel or joint play, model signs that fit each center:
Play kitchen - Eat, drink, hot, more
Blocks - Help, stop, go, fall
Animals/farm - Dog, cat, cow, horse
Modeling during natural play makes the signs stick!
Coaching Parents and Teachers to Use Baby Sign Language
For signs to be meaningful, they need to be used outside of your sessions, too. Use your role as an EI coach or school-based SLP to:
Model First, Then Invite Participation
Show how to use a sign in a routine, then invite caregivers or teachers to try it out with your support.
Keep It Low Pressure
Remind families and staff: it's not about perfection. Even one or two consistent signs can make a big difference.
Reinforce Wins
Celebrate the small stuff! Whether it's a child signing more for the first time or a teacher remembering to model help at snack time, positive reinforcement builds buy-in.
Use Visual Supports
Leave behind simple sign charts or laminate a few visuals for the most used signs in that family/classroom. You can also:
Send video links or GIFs of signs
Take a short video of yourself modeling signs in their real environment
Use apps like ASL Dictionary to reinforce learning
Choosing Which Signs to Teach
Focus on:
Motivation-based signs (e.g., more, go, eat)
Transition-related signs (e.g., all done, stop, help)
People, pets, objects the child encounters daily
Emotion signs (happy, mad, tired) if relevant for regulation
Avoid overloading the caregiver or child with too many novelty or concept-based signs that aren’t part of their routine.
Common Questions About Baby Sign Language
❓ Will signing delay spoken language?
Nope! Research consistently shows that signing supports spoken language by increasing vocabulary, turn-taking, and engagement.
❓ How many signs should I introduce?
Start with 3-5 core signs based on the child’s needs and build from there as appropriate. Repetition matters more than quantity.
❓ What if the caregiver doesn’t want to sign?
That’s okay! Start by explaining the benefits, model during shared routines, and offer gentle encouragement. Sometimes seeing the child’s success with signs changes their mind later.
Keep It Simple, Consistent, and Fun
Baby sign language isn’t just a therapy “add-on”, rather it’s a bridge to connection, understanding, and communication. When modeled during real-life routines and reinforced by the people children trust most, signs become powerful tools for growth.
Whether you're coaching a new parent during their toddler’s snack time, collaborating with a preschool teacher during circle time, or modeling signs during messy play, remember:
Keep your signs functional and relevant.
Be consistent, not perfect.
Have fun with it!
👉Equip caregivers and educators with ready-to-use materials from the Baby Sign Language (ASL) for Daily Routines BUNDLE to facilitate consistent sign modeling across various settings.
