Makaton is central to our approach of making our environment accessible for every child, fostering inclusivity by breaking down communication barriers and empowering children to initiate and engage in conversations.

Makaton paves the way for improved social interactions for children with peers and adults alike.

On this page we share signs from the Core Vocabulary of Makaton to support children to express themselves and build their language skills.

Makaton Sign: Good morning

To sign 'good morning', use your dominant hand to make a 'thumbs up' sign, then use the fingertips of your dominant hand to tap the non-dominant side of your chest, followed by the dominant side. We use this to greet children into nursery in the mornings.

Makaton Sign: Mummy

For this sign, simply tap the three middle fingers of one hand on the palm of the other hand twice, for each syllable of the word.

Makaton Sign: Yes

For this sign, imagine you’re wearing a sock puppet on your hand that you’re making nod!

Makaton Sign: Eat

For this sign, press all the fingertips on your dominant hand together and tap the corner of your mouth twice. It’s important you don’t put your hand directly in front of your mouth, as this can obscure a child’s view of your lips when you’re speaking.

Makaton Sign: Milk

For this sign, use both your hands to mime milking a cow. We often find this is one of the first signs a baby picks up, because milk is a real motivator at their age!

Makaton Sign: Please

For this sign, start with a flat hand and your fingertips touching your chin and then lower your hand away from you as you say the word.

Makaton Sign: Home

For this sign, touch your finger tips together and form a roof shape with your arms, before moving them downwards diagonally. Children often repeat this movement in quick succession when they're excited to go home!

Makaton Sign: Bed

For this sign, simply press your palms together and bring them up to your cheek. Your eyes need to be open for this sign- if you close them, you’re doing the sign for ‘sleep’!

Makaton Sign: Sad

For this sign, trace a line down the middle of your face with your thumb, keeping your hand flat. Remember to use a sad facial expression to make the meaning clear.

Makaton Sign: Garden

For this sign, imagine your dominant hand and forearm are a tree swaying in the breeze, whilst your other arm forms the ground underneath. This is technically the sign for ‘tree’ but we use it as an easy-to-understand way of letting children know we’re going outside!

Makaton Sign: Finished

This is useful for signifying the end of an activity, a story or a meal. Bring both hands together in fists, and then sweep them out to the sides with flat palms.

Makaton Sign: Daddy

For this sign, simply tap your index and middle fingers of one hand on top of the same fingers of the other hand, once for each syllable of the word.

Makaton Sign: No

For this sign, raise your dominant hand with your palm facing outwards and swipe it sideways from your non-dominant side to your dominant side. Make sure your facial expression matches what you’re trying to communicate, too!

Makaton Sign: Drink

For this sign, use your dominant hand to mime bringing a cup to your lips but, as always, remember not to obscure your mouth when you’re talking.

Makaton Sign: (a drink of) Water

For this sign, make a ‘thumbs up’ sign and bring the top of your thumb to the middle of your bottom lip.

Makaton Sign: Help

For this sign, make a ‘thumbs up’ with your dominant hand and rest it on the upturned palm of your other hand, before moving them in an upwards motion. This can be used directionally too- sign towards your child if they need help, or towards yourself if you need them to help you.

Makaton Sign: Sit Down

For this sign, lay one flat hand on top of the other and move them both downwards as you speak. We use this a lot at mealtimes!

Makaton Sign: Happy

For this sign, cup both your hands (one palm-up and one palm-down) and sweep one over the other, once with each syllable of the word.

Makaton Sign: Nursery

For this sign, make a circular motion with a flat hand in front of your mouth and nose, palm facing you. This is helpful for signing to your child in the mornings to let them know you’re heading to nursery.

Makaton Sign: Play

For this sign, move both hands outwards and upwards in a spiral motion. This is helpful for letting children know when a mealtime has ended and it’s time to return to play.

Makaton Sign: More

Simply tap a flat palm on top of your fist and that's all there is to it. This is a very popular sign at nursery to request more of an activity, more of a song or, most importantly, more food!