How to Sign “Tired” in ASL: Baby Sign Language Guide

“Tired” helps you catch the meltdown before it starts. The hands literally slump on the chest, and toddlers who learn it can tell you they need a nap instead of showing you the hard way.

How to Sign “Tired” in ASL

ASL sign for tired, step 1: bent hands with fingertips on the upper chest
ASL sign for tired, step 2: hands sagged downward, shoulders dropped

Photos: Rodasmith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

  1. Make the handshape: Bend both hands so the fingertips point in toward your chest.
  2. Touch your chest: Rest the fingertips on either side of your upper chest.
  3. Sag: Keeping fingertips in place, let the hands and shoulders collapse downward, palms rolling up.

The whole body signs this one — droop your shoulders and let your face go heavy as the hands fall.

Step-by-Step Photos

ASL sign for tired, step 1: bent hands with fingertips on the upper chest
Step 1: Rest your bent fingertips on your upper chest.
ASL sign for tired, step 2: hands sagged downward, shoulders dropped
Step 2: Let the hands sag and rotate down, shoulders slumping.

Photos: Rodasmith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

When to Use It With Your Child

  • At wind-down time: Sign it through a big yawn before naps and bedtime.
  • When you spot the signs: Eye-rubbing and fussing — “You’re tired” with the sign, then start the nap routine.
  • About others: “Daddy is tired” after work — toddlers love reporting on the family.

Tips for Success

  • Sign it during the bedtime routine every night; routine slots are where signs stick fastest.
  • A toddler flopping hands on their chest counts — reward the attempt with the nap they asked for.
  • Pair it with “sleep” (flat hand closing down over the face) as the routine deepens.

Signs Related to “Tired”

“Sleep” (a hand drawing down over the face into a flat-O) is the natural next sign, and “all done” often appears at the same moments. Together they cover the whole wind-down conversation.

Sleep researchers note that toddlers signal fatigue 15–30 minutes before the meltdown window — a toddler who can sign “tired” turns that window into a warning.