Before Words: Baby Signing for Early Language Development

By Marina Rahamim, 30 April 2025

Peekaboo' - A simple game of Peekaboo (with an adult responding to the child's cues) is brilliant for building language, communication and of course trust. Click the link to watch TED Talk by 7 year old Molly Wright on 'How Every Child Can Thrive By 5'

We all know how important it is to talk to our children. But here’s the question many of us are quietly wondering: How do we actually do that… when they’re still so tiny? How do we begin communicating with babies before they even have words?

Even from just a few weeks old, babies are already watching us closely. One fascinating thing we know from child development research is that babies start to mirror our facial expressions and sounds incredibly early—smiles, frowns and little coos. This mirroring isn’t just adorable; it’s one of the earliest forms of communication. Through it, babies begin to understand emotions, rhythms of conversation, tone and how connection works long before they say a single word. This back and forth between mother and baby - what researchers call attunement - lays the foundation for connection. To really see the power of this, watch Dr. Edward Tonick's Still Face Experiment, which shows just how vital a parent's responiveness is to a baby's sense of safety and communication..

This month, I’m diving into a topic that gets me excited: early language development and how we can start nurturing it from day one.

When I first began working with children with special needs, I was completely blown away by how these incredible, resilient children were able to communicate—without saying a single word. They used Makaton. For those not familiar with Makaton it is a UK communication system used in special education. It combines speech with key signs and symbols (think Mr Tumble) and its main use is to support people with speech, language, or learning difficulties.

Later, I discovered I could use simple signs with babies - 'baby signing' - and it transformed the way I connected with my kids. While it shares similarites with systems like Makaton, baby signing is its own thing: a set of simple gestures often inspired by British Sign Language (BSL) (or American Sign Language (ASL) if in the US)— used alongside speech with hearing babies. Everyday signs like “milk,” “more,” or “sleep” help little ones express themselves before they can speak, reducing frustration and building connection..

I was so inspired that I did my own research and enrolled in Sing & Sign classes with my children from about 6 months old. I still remember the moment my eldest signed for “more” yoghurt at just 9 months old. It was a total lightbulb moment. Suddenly, our frustration levels dropped. My baby felt seen. And I felt empowered. We had found a way to connect beyond words—and I wanted to tell everyone about it (or bore them with it some might say! Ha!)

How to Get Started

Of course, like any parenting tool, baby signing requires time, patience and consistency. And let's be honest - if you're anything like me, those aren't always in abundant supply! But starting small makes it totally doable. Pick one sign that fits naturally into your daily routine - something like 'milk' or 'more' - and use it every time you say the word and do the action. Many nurseries already use signing with children so continuing to use the same signs at home can create a reassuring sense of consistency for your child - and helps them feel confident using those signs wherever they are.

The rule of thumb used by many parents and educators (which has emerged from early child developmental observations) is that once your child can clap their hands, they have the gross motor skills needed to begin signing too.

I recently got in touch with my baby signing guru (yes I have a signing guru!) Vesna Guzina, an experienced Sing and Sign teacher, to learn how parents can get started with baby signing. Her advice is to keep it simple and use one sign per sentence to avoid overwhelming and confusing. And the best way to use it? Through repetition and music. While you can make up your own songs if you're feeling creative, there are some brilliantly catchy songs already created by the Sing & Sign classes. Over time, your baby will begin to associate the sign with the word and the experience—and before you know it, they’ll start using it too!

Curious to give baby signing a go? Here are some baby signs in action...

'Milk'- Squeezing of the hand twice as if milking a cow

'Drink' -Hand to the mouth in a drink action

'More' - Flat hand tapped over other fist.

'Finished' - Fists together then open hand flat and wide.

Why It’s Especially Helpful For Bilingual Families (and Big Emotions)

If your child is growing up with more than one language, signs can be a huge help. They bridge the gap when words in one or both languages aren't quite there yet - especially in a nursery setting or with multiple caregivers.

And beyond language, signing can also help with emotional regulation. When children can communicate their needs more clearly, those needs are more likely to be met. This helps reduce frustration and anxiety - leading to calmer, more confident children (and fewer meltdowns for everyone).

Expert Q&A

To bring an expert voice into the conversation, I spoke with Marie-Carmen Fearon—a Speech and Language Therapist and mum, whose passion lies in helping families create meaningful, everyday moments of connection. Her approach is all about weaving language into real life in a way that feels joyful, simple, and magical.

Marie-Carmen, does baby signing help early language development?

Absolutely. Gestures and facial expressions are key in early communication—it’s where language begins.

Can you share one golden tip for supporting speech at home?

Read, read, read! And use expressive hand gestures as you do—it makes everything more engaging.

Any early signs that a child might need speech support?

Always check hearing if there’s a concern. But in general, all children benefit from signing and gestures—they help children interpret meaning before they can speak.

What’s your favourite activity to recommend for boosting language at home—and why do you love it?

Talk to your child without interruption. Involve them in everything—cooking, gardening, shopping, sorting laundry. One of my all-time favourites is creating a menu together. Then we go to the supermarket to buy the ingredients and cook the meal. There’s so much language to explore!

Talk about where the food comes from—show them on a globe. Weigh the ingredients—use mathematical words. Set the table. Clean up. These are all rich moments for conversation. Even a walk through a new park or forest becomes a chance to explore, describe, and connect—and then finish it all with a story. Simple, everyday moments are full of language if we take the time to see them.

Thank you so much for reading — and a big thank you to Vesna Guzina, Marie-Carmen Fearon and baby R for their brilliant contributions to this blog.

At the end of the day, it’s not about perfect speech or hitting early milestones.

It’s about being present and building connections in the everyday moments. By using tools like baby signing, we're helping children feel heard - and giving them a way to express themselves, even before they have the words. When children can communicate their needs, they are more likely to feel calm, secure and understood - and that makes a big difference.

I’d love to hear from you:

Has this blog sparked any new thoughts for you?

Do you already use baby signing or gestures at home?

And if you're interested in exploring baby signing further - Vesna is offering both in person classes and an online course - making it easier to learn at your own pace and fit it into everyday routines. For those families at the nursery or reading this blog, there is also a discount available. Get in touch for more info!

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Marina Rahamim is a qualified child therapist. Over her career, she has worked with children who have experienced different challenges from bullying and low self-esteem to divorce and domestic violence and abuse. Furthermore, she has supported a Local Authority Children’s Centre, leveraging her understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) developed through her NCFE Cache Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator). However it was Marina’s work at a leading charity, Norwood, that sparked her true passion for working with children and learning about child development, where she organised and ran activities for young people aged between 5 and 25 years old who had special educational needs over a 5 year period. Now a mother to 3 young children and a fellow parent at La Petite Nursery, Marina has used her extensive training and work in the field of childcare and psychology to follow her own passions and hobbies, including coming up with enjoyable strategies to help manage behaviour and being an enthusiastic baby signer. Marina graduated with a Master’s in Play Therapy from the University of Roehampton in 2017 (accredited under BAPT).

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