“Yes” lets your toddler answer questions before they can talk. The fist nods like a tiny head, which makes it easy to remember — most toddlers use it between 12 and 18 months, often alongside a real head nod.
How to Sign “Yes” in ASL
Photos: Rodasmith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Make the handshape: Close your hand into a relaxed fist (an “S” hand).
- Hold it up: Raise the fist to about shoulder height, palm facing forward or to the side.
- Nod it: Bend the fist up and down at the wrist, two or three times, like a head nodding yes.
The fist is a little head and the wrist is its neck — tell toddlers that and they remember it instantly.
Step-by-Step Photos
Photos: Rodasmith via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
When to Use It With Your Child
- At yes/no questions: “Do you want a banana?” Sign “yes” yourself as you say it, modeling the answer.
- During games: Nod the fist with exaggerated delight when they pick correctly in a guessing game.
- At bedtime choices: “This book? Yes?” — toddlers learn fastest when the sign decides something real.
Tips for Success
- Pair the sign with an actual head nod at first; drop the head nod once the hand does the work.
- A whole-arm bounce counts as an early version — refine toward the wrist later.
- Teach “yes” and “no” in the same week so your toddler can answer any question either way.
Signs Related to “Yes”
“No” (first two fingers snapping closed against the thumb) is the natural partner sign. Together they turn every question into a conversation a pre-verbal toddler can join.
Yes/no signing pairs are commonly used by speech-language pathologists in early intervention precisely because they unlock answers months before spoken words arrive.