The “all done” sign in baby sign language is performed by starting with both hands raised, palms facing toward you, then turning both hands outward away from your body and twisting them back and forth a couple of times. This gesture, which is identical to the sign for “finished,” gives babies a way to communicate that they are done eating, playing, or engaging in any activity before they have the verbal skills to say so. Picture a seven-month-old at the dinner table who, instead of flinging peas across the kitchen, calmly twists their little hands to signal they have had enough.
That is the practical power of this single sign. This article covers everything parents need to know about teaching the “all done” sign effectively. You will learn when to introduce it, the step-by-step teaching method that works best, how to expand its use beyond mealtimes, and what to do when your baby does not seem to catch on right away. We will also address common concerns, including whether signing might delay speech development.
Table of Contents
- How Do You Perform the All Done Sign in Baby Sign Language?
- When Should You Start Teaching the All Done Sign?
- The Three-Step Method for Teaching All Done
- Making the All Done Sign Stick Through Repetition
- When All Done Means More Than Mealtime
- Common Challenges and What They Mean
- Does Signing Delay Speech Development?
- Building From All Done to a Broader Vocabulary
- Conclusion
How Do You Perform the All Done Sign in Baby Sign Language?
The “all done” sign requires both hands working together in a simple twisting motion. Begin by holding both hands up at about chest height with your palms facing your body. Then rotate both hands outward so your palms face away from you, and twist them back and forth two or three times. The movement resembles someone brushing something off their hands or showing that their hands are empty. One helpful comparison is to think of the motion you might naturally make when showing someone you have nothing left to give.
The sign visually communicates “there is nothing more here” or “this is finished.” For babies, the bilateral movement involving both hands is relatively easy to approximate, even if their version looks a bit clumsy at first. A baby might simply wave both hands rather than twist them precisely, and that is perfectly acceptable as a starting point. It is worth noting that “finished” and “all done” use the exact same sign in baby sign language. You do not need to teach two separate gestures. Whether you say “all done with dinner” or “finished playing,” the hand motion remains consistent, which reduces confusion for both you and your child.
When Should You Start Teaching the All Done Sign?
The recommended age to begin teaching signs like “all done” is between four and nine months old. At this stage, babies are developmentally ready to start recognizing patterns and associating gestures with meanings, even though they may not produce the signs themselves for several more weeks or months. Starting early builds a foundation of exposure that pays off when your baby’s motor skills catch up. Mealtimes offer the most natural context for introducing this sign because the concept of “being done” is immediately obvious.
Your baby experiences the end of a meal multiple times each day, creating numerous opportunities for consistent repetition. Once your child understands “all done” in the context of eating, you can expand to other situations: finishing a book, ending playtime, or when a song stops. However, if your baby is older than nine months and you are just starting with sign language, there is no need to worry. Babies and toddlers can learn signs at any age before they develop full verbal abilities. The four-to-nine-month window is simply when many families find it convenient to begin, not a strict cutoff.
The Three-Step Method for Teaching All Done
The most effective approach to teaching baby sign language follows a simple three-step process: model, pause, and respond. First, you model the sign by showing your baby the “all done” gesture while clearly saying the words “all done.” Use eye contact and articulate the words carefully so your baby can observe both the visual and auditory cues. Second, you pause. Give your baby five to ten seconds to process what they just saw and heard. This waiting period is crucial because babies need time to make connections, and parents often rush past this step.
Resist the urge to immediately repeat the sign or fill the silence with chatter. Let your child’s brain do its work. Third, you respond to any attempt your baby makes. If they wave their hands, wiggle their fingers, or make any gesture that suggests they are trying to communicate, acknowledge it enthusiastically. Early attempts will not look like perfect signs, and that is fine. The goal is to reinforce the communication effort, not to demand precision.
Making the All Done Sign Stick Through Repetition
Consistency is the single most important factor in teaching any baby sign. You need to use the “all done” sign every time an activity ends, not just occasionally when you remember. This means signing at the end of every meal, every diaper change, every story, and every play session. The repetition builds neural pathways that help your baby understand and eventually produce the sign. Pairing the verbal word with the sign is essential because it teaches your baby to learn from both words and actions simultaneously. Research shows that signing supports language development rather than delaying it, so you are not choosing between signing and speaking.
You are doing both together. Say “all done” clearly while making the sign, and your baby learns to associate the sound, the gesture, and the concept as a unified meaning. A specific example helps illustrate this: Imagine you finish reading a picture book together. You close the book, make eye contact with your baby, sign “all done,” and say the words with an exaggerated, happy expression. You do this every single time a book ends. After several weeks of this routine, your baby begins to associate the closed book with your gesture and words, and eventually produces their own version of the sign.
When All Done Means More Than Mealtime
While mealtimes provide the easiest teaching context, the “all done” sign has remarkable versatility. Babies can use it to indicate when they are finished playing with a particular toy, when they want music to stop, or when they are ready to leave a situation. The sign can also communicate that something is “gone” or “empty,” such as when a snack bowl is finished or when bubbles pop and disappear. This flexibility makes “all done” one of the best introductory signs for baby sign language. A sign like “milk” is useful but limited to one context.
In contrast, “all done” applies to dozens of daily situations, giving your baby a versatile communication tool. The more often a sign is relevant, the more opportunities for practice and reinforcement. One tradeoff to consider is that a highly versatile sign can sometimes be ambiguous. When your baby signs “all done,” you may need context clues to understand what exactly they are finished with. Are they done eating, done sitting in the high chair, or done with the meal altogether? Paying attention to what your baby is looking at or reaching toward usually clarifies their meaning.
Common Challenges and What They Mean
Some babies take longer than others to produce signs, and this delay does not necessarily indicate a problem. Motor skill development varies widely among infants, so a baby who understands the “all done” sign perfectly well may not have the coordination to perform it for weeks or even months after comprehension develops. If your baby seems to recognize the sign when you use it but does not produce it, keep modeling consistently. A related limitation is that fatigue and hunger affect performance. A tired or overly hungry baby is not in an optimal state for learning.
If you are trying to teach “all done” at the end of a meal when your baby is already frustrated and fussy, the lesson will not stick. Try to catch moments when your baby is alert, fed, and content for the best results. Be cautious about expecting too much precision too soon. A baby’s version of “all done” might look like random hand waving, both hands opening and closing, or even just one hand moving. Accept these approximations and respond as if they signed perfectly. Demanding accuracy from an infant is counterproductive and discourages further attempts.
Does Signing Delay Speech Development?
Parents sometimes worry that teaching baby sign language will reduce their child’s motivation to speak. Research does not support this concern. Studies consistently show that signing supports language development rather than delaying it. Babies who learn signs often develop larger vocabularies and show earlier verbal communication compared to non-signing peers.
The explanation is straightforward: signing does not replace speech, it accompanies it. Every time you sign “all done,” you also say “all done.” Your baby is exposed to spoken language constantly. The sign simply provides an additional communication channel during the months before verbal skills develop. Once babies can speak, they typically drop the signs naturally because talking is more efficient.
Building From All Done to a Broader Vocabulary
Once your baby masters “all done,” you have a foundation for teaching additional signs. The same three-step method works for other practical signs like “more,” “milk,” and “eat,” all of which are recommended for babies in the four-to-nine-month range. Introducing these signs at mealtimes alongside “all done” creates a small but powerful vocabulary for your child’s most pressing daily needs.
The progression typically looks like this: a baby first recognizes that your gestures have meaning, then begins to anticipate certain signs in context, and finally produces approximations of the signs themselves. Each new sign builds on the confidence and communication patterns established by previous ones. Many families find that after the first few signs click, subsequent signs come more quickly.
Conclusion
The “all done” sign stands out as one of the most valuable first signs to teach your baby because it is easy to perform, applicable in countless daily situations, and directly addresses a common source of frustration. Instead of crying, fussing, or throwing food, a baby who knows this sign can calmly communicate that they are finished. The twisting motion of both hands, palms rotating outward, becomes a bridge between your baby’s intentions and your understanding.
To get started, commit to using the sign consistently at every meal’s end, follow the model-pause-respond method, and accept your baby’s imperfect early attempts. Pair the sign with the spoken words, make it fun with facial expressions, and remain patient during the weeks it takes for recognition to develop into production. With time and repetition, you will experience one of parenting’s small victories: a baby who can tell you exactly what they need.