Signing toddlers produce a first recognizable sign at about 8.2 to 8.5 months, reach about 10 signs by about 13 months, and combine signs by about 16 months. Baby signing means using simple hand signs for needs and familiar things, such as milk, more, or dog, before clear speech develops.
These ages run earlier than the same counts in speech. In the home-visit research, speaking children said a first word at about 11.3 months and reached 10 words at about 15.1 months. Signs still follow the same path as other early communication, from gestures to understanding to larger vocabulary.
Table of Contents
- When does the first sign appear?
- How does signing vocabulary grow?
- What understanding grows alongside signs?
- Does signing make spoken words come faster?
When does the first sign appear?
Infants use gestures before clear words. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, babies imitate social games like peek-a-boo and blowing kisses, then point, wave, and show or give objects by about 10 months ASHA birth-to-1 checklist. These actions build joint attention. They give parents clear moments to pair a sign with meaning.
In signing homes, that pairing often becomes a first sign by 8 months. According to Parenting Science, reviewing the Bonvillian research, children in signing environments produced a first recognizable sign at about 8.2 to 8.5 months Parenting Science review of early signing research. Speaking peers in the comparison work said a first word at about 11.3 months. The gap reflects motor control, since hands can form simple signs before the mouth forms clear words.
How does signing vocabulary grow?
Growth is steady after the first sign. According to the American Psychological Association record for Folven and Bonvillian 1991, signing children reached about 10 recognizable signs by 13.1 to 13.5 months and combined signs by about 16.1 months APA record for Folven and Bonvillian 1991. Speaking peers reached 10 spoken words later, at about 15.1 months. A combination may look like more plus milk or dog plus go.
Common early meanings cover daily life. Food, toys, animals, and body parts are typical early words for toddlers from 19 to 24 months, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Speech may still sound unclear at that stage, such as "du" for shoe. For signing families, the same categories make useful first targets because they repeat every day.
What understanding grows alongside signs?
Signs do not grow alone. Comprehension grows fast from 13 to 18 months. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, toddlers look for named objects after "where" questions and follow directions such as "Give me the ball" or "Show me your nose." Parents can support this by signing one key word while saying the full short sentence.
The first three years carry rapid speech and language growth. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders provides a birth-to-5 checklist to help clinicians judge whether a child is on track or needs extra help. Families can use everyday routines to practice.
- Say and sign one word during meals, diaper changes, and play.
- Pause after the sign so the child can look, reach, imitate, or answer.
- Respond to pointing, showing, waving, and giving as real messages.
- Track "where" questions and simple directions, not only new signs.
Does signing make spoken words come faster?
Not by itself. According to the University of Hertfordshire, in a controlled study of 40 mother-baby pairs enrolled at 8 months and tracked for 12 months, babies learned gestures and used them before speech but did not learn the associated words faster or show enhanced language development University of Hertfordshire study summary. Gesturing mothers became more responsive to nonverbal cues.
That added responsiveness may matter more than the number of signs taught. Wide variation is normal, but missed milestones deserve prompt attention. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a child missing many milestones should see a certified audiologist or speech-language pathologist. Intervention is most powerful before age 3.