10 First Signs to Teach Your Baby (and How)

When I first decided to teach my daughter sign language, I made the classic mistake. I printed out a chart of 30 signs and taped it to the fridge. I was going to teach her all of them. Milk, water, dog, bird, banana, hat, shoes, rain.

By day three I couldn't remember half of them myself.

What actually worked was picking one sign and using it a dozen times a day until it stuck. Then adding a second. The signs I'm sharing here are the ones that worked for us, and they're the same ones that research and speech therapists consistently recommend as starters.

Why these 10 signs?

Not all signs are equal when you're starting out. The best first signs share three things: your baby encounters them every day, the hand movements are simple enough for small fingers, and they connect to something your baby already wants.

A sign for "helicopter" is cool. A sign for "milk" gets used eight times before lunch.

Milk

Open and close your fist, like you're squeezing something. That's it.

Use it every single time you offer milk, whether that's nursing, a bottle, or a sippy cup. Say "milk" out loud while you sign it. Before feeding, during feeding, when your baby is fussing and you suspect they're hungry.

This was my daughter's first sign. Her version looked like she was grabbing at the air, but she did it every time she wanted to nurse. I cried the first time it happened. Seven months old, and she was telling me what she needed.

More

Bring your fingertips together on both hands, then tap them together twice. Like you're gently pressing two invisible buttons against each other.

"More" is the Swiss Army knife of baby signs. More food, more swinging, more reading, more bubbles. Use it during meals first, because you'll have the most opportunities. When your baby finishes a bite and seems to want another, sign "more" and say "More crackers? You want more?"

This is the sign most babies learn fastest. It generalizes to everything.

All done

Hold both hands up, palms facing out, and twist them back and forth. Like you're showing someone your hands are empty.

Use it at the end of meals and the end of activities. "All done eating! All done." The consistency matters more than the context. Your baby will eventually use this to tell you they're finished, which is infinitely better than food-throwing as a communication method.

Eat

Bring your fingertips to your mouth, like you're putting food in. Tap a few times.

This is different from "milk" because it covers solid food. Before meals and snacks, sign "eat" while you say "Time to eat!" Babies sometimes confuse "eat" and "more" at first. That's fine. Context makes the meaning obvious, and they'll differentiate with practice.

Water

Make a "W" with three fingers and tap your chin. Or just tap your chin with your index finger. Babies simplify this one heavily, and any consistent chin-tap counts.

I started using this when my daughter was about nine months old. Within two weeks she was tapping her chin every time she saw her water cup. Being able to ask for water specifically, instead of just fussing, was a game changer at the park and in the car.

Help

Make a fist with one hand, place it on the open palm of the other hand, and lift both up. Like your open hand is giving your fist a boost.

Teach this one early. When your baby is struggling to reach something, struggling with a toy, getting frustrated, sign "help" and then help them. "You need help? I'll help you." This sign prevents so many meltdowns. Instead of screaming, your baby learns to ask. It feels like a superpower for both of you.

Mom and Dad

For "mom," open your hand and tap your thumb to your chin. For "dad," same motion but tap your forehead.

Use these when the other parent enters or leaves the room. "Dad's home!" with the sign. "Where's Mom?" with the sign. Babies usually learn the sign for their primary caregiver first, which makes sense. They're the one signing the most.

My daughter signed "dad" before she signed "mom," which my husband will never let me forget.

Dog (or Cat)

For "dog," pat your thigh like you're calling a dog. For "cat," pinch your thumb and index finger near your cheek and pull outward, like whiskers.

If you have a pet, this sign will get used constantly. Babies love naming animals. When the dog walks into the room, sign "dog." When you see a dog at the park, sign "dog." When you're reading a book with a dog in it, sign "dog."

Animal signs are motivating because babies are fascinated by animals. My daughter's "dog" sign was a full-palm thigh slap that scared our actual dog every time.

Sleep

Place your open hand in front of your face and draw it downward while closing your eyes. Your hand starts open at forehead level and ends as a loose fist near your chin.

This becomes part of the bedtime routine. "Time for sleep" with the sign. After a few weeks, you can ask "Are you sleepy?" and watch for the sign back. Some babies will sign "sleep" when they're tired before you've even noticed the cues. That kind of self-awareness is remarkable for a 10-month-old.

Book

Put your palms together, then open them like a book opening.

This was one of my favorite signs to teach because it let my daughter request stories. Instead of just bringing me a book, she would sign "book" from across the room. Storytime on demand. I never said no to that one.

How to practice without overwhelm

The biggest mistake I see parents make is treating this like a curriculum. It's not flashcards. It's conversation.

Start with one sign. Use it for a week or two during the natural moments when it applies. When your baby seems to recognize it, even if they're not signing back yet, add a second. Then a third.

Most families build to 5 to 10 active signs within two months. That's plenty. You're not trying to teach ASL fluency. You're giving your baby a handful of words for the things that matter most to them right now.

Narrate as you go. "You want MORE bananas? MORE?" The combination of the word, the sign, and the context is what makes it click. Goodwyn, Acredolo, and Brown's 2000 study found that this paired approach, speaking and signing together, led to larger vocabularies at both 24 and 36 months. You're not replacing speech. You're reinforcing it from two directions.

The signs will come. And when they do, you'll wonder how you ever communicated without them.

FirstEcho gives you video demos for every sign and a daily practice plan matched to your baby's age. Try it free.