Children can begin to use gestures as early as 8 or 9 months of age, however, some gestures can take longer to develop and some gestures may differ across cultures.

Additionally, gestures can predict language outcomes. ‘Research with young children indicates that the development of gestures from 9 to 16 months predicts language ability 2 years later, which is significant because preschool language skills predict academic success.’

Here are some tips for getting your little one to use gestures:

• Pair gestures with a word by saying them at the same time. This makes it easier for your child to learn the meaning of the words and gestures. Remember motor imitation often comes before verbal imitation so they may attempt to imitate the gestures before they say the word!
• Give and show items to your child while interacting with them and model using various gestures. When your child uses a gesture, acknowledge it by copying it and saying the word that matches the gesture.
• Sing songs that use gestures and hand movements to make using gestures fun! Some of them include “Itsy Bitsy Spider’, ‘Open Shut Them’, etc.
• If your child is having a hard time with gestures, try adding a cause-and-effect element to it. For example, do the universal sign for truck holding before beeping the horn or demonstrate waving bye before closing a jack-in-the-box toy.

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