7 Best Asl Signing Games For Preschoolers That Grow With Your Child

You see the frustration building behind your toddler’s eyes, a whole world of thoughts and needs trapped behind a handful of words. It’s a universal challenge for parents, bridging that gap between what a child wants to say and what they can say. Introducing American Sign Language (ASL) isn’t about raising a bilingual baby, it’s about giving them a powerful tool for connection, reducing tantrums, and building a foundation for communication long before their verbal skills catch up.

Building Vocabulary with Early ASL Game Play

Ever feel like you’re playing a game of charades with your two-year-old, trying to guess if that grunt and point means "more juice" or "the dog stole my cracker"? That’s where ASL game play comes in. By turning the act of learning signs into a game, you remove the pressure of formal lessons and tap directly into how young children learn best: through play.

The goal at this stage isn’t perfect handshapes or grammatical accuracy. It’s about creating a fun, responsive loop. You sign "milk," they get milk, and a connection is made. These early games are less about drilling vocabulary and more about empowering your child with a way to be seen and understood, which is a massive confidence booster for a little person in a big world.

Sign & Seek using Carson Dellosa ASL Cards

Flashcards can feel a bit rigid, but when you reframe them as game pieces, they become an incredible tool. With a set of simple ASL vocabulary cards, you can play "Sign & Seek." Start by holding up the card for "ball," making the sign, and then helping your preschooler find a ball in the room. It’s a scavenger hunt that builds vocabulary.

This game beautifully scales with your child’s development.

• Ages 2-4: You lead the game. You show the card, you make the sign, and you celebrate together when they point to the object.
• Ages 5-7: The roles reverse. They can pick a card, attempt the sign, and you have to find the object. This moves them from receptive to expressive language. Later, they can use the printed word on the card to practice letter recognition and spelling.

A good set of durable, laminated cards is a low-cost, high-impact investment. They’re portable enough for a waiting room and versatile enough to be used for years, long after your child has mastered the first 50 signs.

Sing Alongs with the ‘Signing Time!’ Series

If you’ve ever found yourself humming a cartoon theme song, you know the power of music for memory. The ‘Signing Time!’ series leverages this by embedding ASL vocabulary into catchy, repetitive songs. For young children, this is a game-changer. It makes learning feel like pure entertainment.

At first, a toddler will just enjoy the music and visuals, maybe mimicking a sign for "more" or "eat" when it comes up in a favorite song. This passive exposure is incredibly valuable. As they grow into preschoolers and early elementary students, they’ll begin to sign along with whole phrases, understanding the context of the lyrics. The progression is natural, moving from single-word recognition to full-sentence communication, all driven by the fun of a sing-along. This is a great option for families who want a guided resource that feels more like a fun TV show than a lesson.

Story Time using ‘My First Signs’ Board Books

That quiet time before bed, with a book snuggled between you, is prime time for connection. Integrating ASL board books into this routine enriches the experience on multiple levels. These books typically feature a simple picture, the printed word, and a diagram of the corresponding sign.

This simple format grows effortlessly with your child. When they’re babies, you’ll do all the work, signing "dog" as they pat the picture of the puppy. As a toddler, they’ll start attempting the signs themselves, creating a new, interactive layer to the story. By the time they are learning to read, they will already have a multi-sensory connection to the words on the page—they’ve seen the picture, heard the word, and felt the sign. This is a powerful way to support early literacy, turning a simple story into a rich communication experience.

ASL I Spy with the ‘ASL Kids’ Mobile App

Let’s be realistic: screens are a part of modern childhood. The key is to make that screen time active and educational. An app like ‘ASL Kids’ can be a fantastic digital dictionary, but you can also use it as a tool for a real-world game of "I Spy."

Instead of saying the word, you sign it. "I spy with my little eye… something you sign like this," and then you show the sign for "chair." Your child then scans the room to find the object. For a preschooler, you’ll be the one looking up the signs on the app and leading the game. As they get older, they can take control, using the app to look up signs for objects they want you to find. It’s a fantastic way to build vocabulary in a playful, context-driven way, turning any environment into a learning opportunity.

Matching with The Freckled Frog ASL Puzzles

Puzzles are a preschool staple for a reason. They build fine motor skills, spatial reasoning, and problem-solving. An ASL alphabet puzzle adds another layer of learning, connecting the abstract shape of a letter with the concrete action of its fingerspelled sign.

This is a purchase that truly lasts.

• Ages 3-5: A young child will interact with it simply as a puzzle, matching shapes and learning the alphabet. They are absorbing the handshapes kinesthetically without any pressure to perform.
• Ages 5-7: As they enter school, the puzzle becomes a tool for spelling. They can take out the letters for their name or simple words like C-A-T, practicing both the written form and the signed form. The tactile nature of wooden puzzle pieces helps cement the connection between the letter and its sign.

This type of high-quality wooden toy is a smart investment. It’s built to withstand years of play, can easily be passed down to siblings, and serves multiple educational purposes at once.

ASL Simon Says using Sign It! Learning Cards

Need to get the wiggles out? "ASL Simon Says" is your answer. Using a set of cards focused on verbs and action words, you can put a new spin on this classic game. Instead of saying "Simon says touch your toes," you sign the command.

This game is brilliant for teaching verbs and building sentence comprehension. A three-year-old will delight in watching you sign JUMP and then jumping. A six-year-old can take on the role of "Simon," which requires them to not only remember the sign but also use it to direct others. You can increase the complexity from single signs (RUN) to short phrases (EAT APPLE), pushing them to grow their receptive and expressive skills while being physically active.

Role Play with Melissa & Doug’s Wooden Food

You don’t always need to buy ASL-specific materials to create a rich signing environment. Some of the best learning happens when you incorporate signs into the imaginative play your child is already doing. A set of wooden play food, for example, is the perfect stage for practicing food signs, manners, and conversational turn-taking.

When your preschooler is "cooking" in their play kitchen, you can sign "Are you hungry?" or "More please?" while playing along. This contextual learning is incredibly powerful because it attaches the sign directly to a need or desire. As they get older, the scenarios can become more complex. Playing "restaurant" can involve signing an entire order: "I want cheese, bread, and juice, please." This shows parents that supporting a new skill is often about leveraging the toys and routines they already have, not about buying a whole new curriculum.

Ultimately, the best tool is the one you’ll actually use, the one that brings a sense of joy and connection to your day. Whether it’s through a song, a book, or a simple game of catch, incorporating ASL is about opening another door to communication with your child. Start small, be consistent, and focus on the fun of it all.