Is Hannah stuffed or just taking a break before seconds? Is Jack psyched about bath time? Baby signing may give you the inside scoop on what your baby is trying to tell you. It’s a variation of American Sign Language (ASL), a non-verbal language that employs hand signs, body movements and facial expressions. ASL is used throughout English Canada, although it’s not a universal language; different countries and regions use different sign languages. As baby talk is to English, so baby signing is to ASL. “We don’t teach formal grammatical structure, but focus on key words,” says Stephanie Tubman, a signing instructor with My Smart Hands in Ottawa. Think: family, food, bedtime routine, bathing, toys, objects, emotions, animals, colours and actions.

why sign on?

Many practitioners believe baby signing increases vocabulary acquisition, motor skills and even IQ. In any case, contrary to some fears, introducing your child to ASL will not adversely affect speech development, says Tubman, who is also an English teacher with the Ottawa-Carleton school board. “We aren’t replacing speech while we sign. We’re still speaking and the child is still hearing spoken language — we’re adding signing to bridge the gap between when a child can sign and when they can articulate spoken language,” says the mom of three. Tubman, who has been signing with her one-year-old son for seven months, says she feels he’s actually more vocal in his babbling than his sisters were at the same age. (Tubman didn’t learn signing in time to practice it with them until they were toddlers.)

One of the benefits of signing is that it can minimize tantrums by improving your wee one’s ability to be understood. “I’ve been signing with my son since he was about five months old,” says Natasha Kong of Salt Spring Island, B.C., mom to 10-month-old Magnus. “He is quite a handful and for the first few months he did a lot of crying, fussing and wailing — he seemed to be struggling with communicating his needs,” says Kong, who is optimistic, although her son is still too young to sign back to her.

According to Tubman, babies will begin signing at around 10 months of age. “It’s important for parents not to become discouraged if their child isn’t signing back to them as soon as they begin signing with them,” she advises. “Rest assured, the child is watching, processing, internalizing and learning the whole time. And when they have the manual dexterity to produce their first sign, they will — and then it just takes off!”

how do we get started?

You can find baby signing websites online, or pick up a how-to book or DVD. But mommy-(or daddy)-and-me type classes boast extra perks. “In a class we provide a variety of strategies for incorporating signing into other literacy activities,” says Tubman. “The social aspect is also powerful — it’s great for parents to meet other parents who value signing and have children in the same age group.”

tool or second language?

Toronto mom Jennifer Potts’ daughter Bronwen, now 5, was introduced to ASL as an infant at daycare. Potts and her husband used books and websites to pick up the basics, and signed with Bronwen whenever they felt her inability to speak was frustrating her, specifically during meals and playtime.

Bronwen’s signing eventually tapered off as her verbal skills progressed, says Potts. However, Potts still sees the benefits. Signing “may have helped her emotionally, as she was able to communicate non-verbally from an early age,” she says.

Whether temporary or long-term, signing is worth a try. ASL is one of the most commonly used languages in North America, so chances are if your kid sticks with it, they’ll have plenty of opportunities to sign in years to come.

Yuki Hayashi is a freelance writer based in Hamilton, Ont. She occassionally resorts to communicating with her family in a non-verbal way.