This page contains links to about a hundred basic ASL signs that are frequently used between parents and their young children. Remember, there is much more to learning American Sign Language than just memorizing signs. ASL has its own grammar, culture, history, terminology and other important aspects. It takes time and effort to become a "skilled language user." But you have to start somewhere if you are going to get anywhere--so dive in and enjoy.

• Family - mom, dad, boy-girl, marriage, brother-sister, grandpa-grandma, aunt-uncle, baby, single, divorced-separate
• Places - home, work, school, store, church, come-go, car/drive, in-out, with,
• Time - day, night, week, month, year, will-(future), before-(in the past), today-(now), finish-("all done!")
• Temperature - hot, cold
• Food - pizza, milk, hamburger, hot dog, egg, apple, cheese, drink, spoon, fork, cup, cereal, water, candy, cookie, hungry
• Clothes - shirt, pants, socks, shoes, coat, underwear
• Health - wash, hurt, bathroom, brush teeth, sleep, nice/clean
• Feelings - happy, angry, sad, sorry, cry, like, good-bad, love
• Requests - please, excuse, thank you, help, who, what, when, where, why, how, stop
• Amounts - big, tall, full, more
• Colors - blue, green, yellow, red, brown, orange, gold & silver
• Money - dollars, cents, cost
• Animals - cat, dog, bird, horse, cow, sheep, pig, bug
  
  Also see: here, child, welcome, same

 

One hundred signs practice activity/test:  

 

[Or click here for a sample quiz assignment for which the answers have NOT been posted so you can use them for student testing.]

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Sample Practice Sentences:
Here are a few practice sentences you can sign using the "First 100 Sign Concepts"
Note: Don't sign the information in the [ ] brackets.

I LOVE MY FAMILY.
MY DAD LIKE[s] COLD PIZZA.
MY MOM LIKE[s] CHURCH.
[The] HE-(point off to your side) BOY LIKE[s] HOT-DOG[s].
[The] SHE-(point) GIRL WANT[s] [to] FOOD [eat].
[The] THOSE-2 BOY [and] GIRL FUTURE [will] MARRIAGE [get married].
MY BROTHER LIKE HOT WASH-(body) [bath].
MY SISTER LIKE[s] SCHOOL.
MY GRANDMA HAVE [ has a] GREEN COAT.
PAST [last] YEAR MY GRANDPA WORK [ed].
MY AUNT SLEEP HER UNDERWEAR.
MY UNCLE DIVORCE.
SHE HAPPY BABY!
SHE (the) GIRL (is) SINGLE
MY MOM-DAD (parents) (are) SEPARATE(d).
I FINISH(ed) MY HOME-WORK.
I DRIVE-to SCHOOL.
I GO (to the) STORE.
I PAST GO (went to) CHURCH WITH MY BOY-MARRIAGE (husband).
PAST (last) WEEK I SLEEP IN MY CAR.
PAST (last) NIGHT (it was) COLD OUT (outside).