This course applies primarily to infants and toddlers.
Unlock the power of communication with baby sign language! This course explores the social-emotional, cognitive, and language benefits of introducing sign language to infants and toddlers. Gain insight into the history of baby signs, learn how to implement them in everyday routines, and explore their unique advantages for children with special needs and language challenges. Develop the skills to teach baby signs effectively, track language development, and create an environment that fosters successful communication. Whether you’re working in multi-lingual settings or supporting families in their children’s language development journey, this course will equip you with practical strategies for using baby signs to enhance early childhood development.
This course is also: offered in Spanish.
Choose a course format (online or coursebook) to get started:
Click play to learn some of the signs covered in this course:
Welcome Video
Watch the welcome video from the course:
Course formats
This course is offered in both our fully online format and our CourseBook format with online assessments. Click here to learn more about Care Courses’ training formats.
Acceptance information
Accepted in all states for continuing training requirements and for the CDA (click to view)
This course is accepted in:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington, DC
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Learning outcomes
After completing this course you will be able to:
- Explain the history and foundations of baby sign language
- List the benefits of baby sign language for children, including those with disabilities
- Describe how to teach and use baby signs with young children
- Identify signs appropriate to different developmental stages
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Explain the history and foundations of baby sign language.
-
List benefits for children, including those with disabilities.
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Describe how to teach and use baby signs with young children.
-
Identify signs appropriate to developmental stages.
Topics covered
- How baby sign language supports cognitive and social-emotional development
- How to introduce baby signs in daily routines, like playtime and mealtimes
- Age-specific milestones and suggested signs for infants and toddlers
- The teacher’s role in teaching and tracking baby sign language development
- Strategies for engaging families and supporting multilingual environments
- Tips for transitioning from signing to speech as language skills grow
- Key benefits of baby signs for children with special needs
- Ways to customize and adapt signs to fit individual needs
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How baby sign language supports cognitive and social-emotional development
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Introducing signs in daily routines (playtime, mealtime, etc.)
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Age-specific milestones and suggested signs
-
Teacher’s role: teaching and tracking sign development
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Family engagement and multilingual support strategies
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Transitioning from signs to speech
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Benefits for children with special needs
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Adapting signs to individual needs