Most babies are ready to begin learning sign language between 6 and 9 months of age, though you can start introducing signs even earlier. At around 6 months, infants develop the motor control and cognitive awareness necessary to start connecting gestures with meaning, even if they won’t sign back for several more weeks or months. For example, a baby who watches you sign “milk” before each feeding at 6 months old may begin attempting the sign herself somewhere between 8 and 12 months, depending on her individual development. Starting earlier than 6 months isn’t harmful””in fact, many parents begin signing from birth as a way to build the habit into daily routines.
However, don’t expect visible results during those early months. Babies under 6 months are absorbing language but lack the motor skills and memory consolidation to produce signs consistently. The key is understanding that there’s a difference between when you can start teaching and when your baby will start responding. This article covers the developmental signs that indicate your baby is ready to learn, how to recognize readiness cues, what to expect at different ages, and common mistakes parents make when timing their introduction to baby sign language. You’ll also find guidance on what to do if you’re starting later than the typical window.
Table of Contents
- What Is the Best Age to Start Baby Sign Language?
- Developmental Milestones That Signal Readiness for Baby Signing
- How Babies Learn Signs at Different Ages
- Practical Steps for Introducing Signs to Your Baby
- Why Some Babies Take Longer to Sign Back
- Starting Baby Sign Language After the Typical Window
- Continuing Sign Language as Speech Develops
- Conclusion
What Is the Best Age to Start Baby Sign Language?
The optimal window for introducing baby sign language falls between 6 and 9 months, when most infants have developed enough fine motor control to begin imitating hand movements. At this age, babies can sit up with support, focus on objects and faces for extended periods, and show clear interest in communication through babbling and gesturing. These milestones signal that the neural pathways for language acquisition are actively developing. Research from the University of California found that babies exposed to sign language in this window often produced their first signs between 8 and 10 months””several months before they would speak their first words.
Compare this to babies who started at 12 months, who typically signed back within 4 to 6 weeks because their motor and cognitive systems were more mature. Neither approach is superior; the earlier start simply means a longer runway before seeing results. One important caveat: the 6-to-9-month recommendation assumes typical development. Premature babies, for instance, may benefit from adjusting expectations based on their corrected age rather than their birth age. A baby born two months early might not show readiness signs until 8 to 11 months after birth, and that’s perfectly normal.
Developmental Milestones That Signal Readiness for Baby Signing
Beyond age, specific behaviors indicate your baby is cognitively prepared to learn signs. Watch for sustained eye contact lasting several seconds, the ability to track moving objects or hands, and intentional reaching for items. When your baby begins pointing at things””a milestone typically emerging around 9 months””she’s demonstrating an understanding that communication can direct others’ attention, which is foundational for signing. Imitation is another critical indicator.
If your baby copies facial expressions, claps when you clap, or waves bye-bye after seeing the gesture repeatedly, she’s demonstrating the mimicry skills essential for learning signs. Some babies show these behaviors as early as 5 months; others don’t consistently imitate until closer to 10 months. However, if your baby isn’t showing these readiness signs by 10 or 11 months, it doesn’t necessarily indicate a developmental concern. Some children are more interested in gross motor development””crawling, pulling up, cruising””and may temporarily deprioritize fine motor and communication skills. If you’re still not seeing imitation or pointing by 12 months, mention it to your pediatrician, but isolated delays in one area are common and usually resolve without intervention.
How Babies Learn Signs at Different Ages
A 6-month-old learning sign language is having a fundamentally different experience than a 12-month-old. Younger babies process signs as part of their general language immersion””they’re absorbing patterns without yet understanding that they can produce signs themselves. At this stage, repetition and consistency matter more than variety. Signing “milk” dozens of times over several weeks creates a mental association long before the baby can articulate the connection. By 9 to 10 months, most babies understand that their actions produce responses. A baby this age who sees you react excitedly when she accidentally makes a motion resembling a sign may try to repeat it.
This is when intentional communication begins to emerge. Many parents report that their baby’s first clear sign appeared suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, after weeks of no apparent progress. For toddlers starting sign language at 12 to 18 months, the learning curve looks different. These children often pick up signs faster because they already understand cause-and-effect and have more developed memories. A 15-month-old might learn five signs in a week, while a 7-month-old might take two months to produce a single sign. The tradeoff is that toddlers are also closer to verbal speech, so the window for signing as a bridge to spoken language is shorter.
Practical Steps for Introducing Signs to Your Baby
Begin with three to five high-motivation signs tied to daily routines: “milk,” “more,” “eat,” “all done,” and “help” are popular choices because they connect to immediate needs and occur frequently throughout the day. Consistency matters more than quantity””using the same sign every time you offer milk, for instance, builds the repetition necessary for learning. Always pair the sign with the spoken word and, when possible, with the object or action itself. Signing “milk” while saying the word and holding the bottle creates a multisensory learning experience. Position yourself at your baby’s eye level when signing, and make sure your hands are visible.
Many parents inadvertently sign near their own faces while the baby is focused on a toy across the room. One common mistake is introducing too many signs at once. Parents excited about baby sign language sometimes try to teach 15 or 20 signs simultaneously, which can overwhelm both the baby and the parent. Starting with fewer signs means more repetitions of each, which accelerates learning. You can add new signs once your baby begins showing recognition of the initial set””watching your hands expectantly, for example, or getting excited when you make a familiar sign.
Why Some Babies Take Longer to Sign Back
Receptive language””what babies understand””always develops before expressive language””what they produce. Your baby may recognize a sign months before she attempts to make it herself. This gap frustrates many parents who wonder if the signing is “working.” A baby who stops fussing when you sign “milk” but never signs it back is demonstrating comprehension, which is the foundation for eventual production. Motor development also plays a role.
Signs requiring isolated finger movements, like the ASL sign for “milk” (a squeezing motion), are harder for young babies than signs using the whole hand, like “more” (fingertips tapping together). Some babies modify signs into easier versions, tapping their highchair tray instead of bringing both hands together for “more.” These approximations count as successful communication and should be encouraged. There’s also significant individual variation unrelated to any developmental concern. Some babies are natural communicators who sign early and often; others are observers who take in information quietly before suddenly demonstrating knowledge they’ve accumulated over months. If your baby is meeting other developmental milestones but not signing by 12 months despite consistent exposure, consider whether she might be expressing needs in other ways””pointing, leading you by hand, or using consistent sounds.
Starting Baby Sign Language After the Typical Window
Parents who begin signing at 14, 18, or even 24 months often worry they’ve missed an opportunity. While starting later means the bridge-to-speech benefit is shorter, older babies and toddlers can still gain significant advantages from sign language. A 16-month-old with a vocabulary of only a few spoken words might quickly learn a dozen signs, dramatically reducing frustration for both child and parents.
The approach shifts slightly with older starters. Toddlers have stronger opinions about what interests them, so following their curiosity””signing “dog” for a child obsessed with animals, or “ball” for one who loves playing outside””often works better than starting with the standard high-frequency words. A 20-month-old might have no interest in signing “milk” because she can already say a version of the word, but she might enthusiastically learn “bird” to communicate during walks.
Continuing Sign Language as Speech Develops
Many parents wonder whether to phase out signing once their toddler begins speaking. Research suggests that continuing to sign alongside speech doesn’t delay verbal development””in fact, children who sign often develop larger spoken vocabularies and more complex sentence structures. The visual reinforcement seems to strengthen language processing overall.
Most children naturally drop signs as their speech becomes clearer and more reliable, typically between 18 and 30 months. There’s no need to force the transition. Some families continue using signs indefinitely, particularly those with deaf or hard-of-hearing family members, or those who want their children to learn ASL as a second language. For others, signing naturally fades as the child’s spoken vocabulary expands to meet her communication needs.
Conclusion
Starting baby sign language between 6 and 9 months gives most families the best balance of readiness and runway””babies are developmentally prepared to begin absorbing signs, and there’s ample time before speech develops for signing to serve as a communication bridge. However, the “right” time to start is ultimately whenever you’re ready to commit to consistent, patient practice. Babies who start earlier simply need longer before they show results; babies who start later catch up quickly but have a shorter window before speech takes over.
Watch for your baby’s individual readiness cues””sustained eye contact, imitation, and intentional gesturing””rather than adhering rigidly to age guidelines. Start with a handful of high-motivation signs, pair them consistently with words and context, and resist the urge to measure progress in days or weeks. Most importantly, approach signing as an enjoyable part of your daily interaction rather than an achievement to be unlocked.