Makaton at Mealtimes: Making Everyday Moments More Meaningful

Mealtimes are about much more than eating. They’re an opportunity to connect, communicate, make choices and develop independence. For children and adults who use Makaton, incorporating signs into mealtimes can make everyday communication easier, more engaging and more meaningful.

Whether you’re completely new to Makaton or already use a few signs at home, mealtimes are a great place to practise.

Why use Makaton at mealtimes?

Mealtimes naturally involve lots of repetition. We often use the same words and phrases every day: eat, drink, more, finished, please, help, milk, and water.

This repetition gives people regular opportunities to hear and see the same signs in a meaningful context. Rather than learning signs in isolation, Makaton can become part of a familiar routine.

Using signs alongside speech can also give someone another way to express what they want, particularly when spoken communication is difficult.

Start with simple, useful signs

You don’t need to learn lots of signs at once. Start with a small number that are relevant to your mealtime routine.

For example, you could introduce signs for:

• Eat

• Drink

• More

• Finished

• Help

• Milk

• Water

• Favourite foods

Choose signs that are likely to be useful for the individual. If someone regularly asks for a particular food or drink, learning that sign could be a great starting point.

Give choices using Makaton

Mealtimes are a wonderful opportunity to encourage choice-making.

Instead of simply asking, “Do you want a banana?”, you could offer two options and support each one with speech and sign.

For example:

“Banana or apple?”

Show the two choices, say the words clearly and use the corresponding signs where appropriate. Give the person plenty of time to respond.

They might communicate their choice through a sign, spoken word, gesture, pointing, facial expression or another method of communication.

The important thing is that their communication is recognised and valued.

Use Makaton to encourage independence

Makaton can also support people to communicate when they need something during a meal.

Perhaps they need help opening a packet, want more food, need a drink, or have finished eating.

Rather than anticipating every need, give opportunities for the person to communicate for themselves.

For example, if they have finished their drink, you could pause and wait to see whether they indicate that they want more.

These small opportunities can help develop confidence and independence over time.

Keep it natural

Makaton doesn’t need to turn mealtimes into a formal lesson.

In fact, it’s often more effective when it becomes part of your normal routine.

You can sign while you talk:

“Would you like more?”

“Here’s your drink.”

“Do you need help?”

“Are you finished?”

Using signs alongside natural speech helps make communication part of everyday life rather than something that only happens during structured activities.

Remember: communication is more than food

Although food-related signs are an obvious place to start, mealtimes provide opportunities to communicate about much more.

You can talk and sign about:

• Hot and cold

• Big and small

• Like and don't like

• Good

• More

• Finished

• Clean and messy

You can also use mealtimes to encourage interaction, turn-taking and social communication.

Follow the person's lead

Most importantly, remember that Makaton should support communication rather than create pressure.

Pay attention to what the person is interested in and how they prefer to communicate. Celebrate all attempts to communicate, whether that is through signing, speech, pointing, gestures, facial expressions or other communication methods.

If they use a sign themselves, respond to it and model the word naturally.

The goal isn't perfect signing. The goal is meaningful communication.

Small changes can make a big difference

Adding a few Makaton signs to your mealtime routine can be a simple way to create more opportunities for communication throughout the day.

You don't need to know dozens of signs. Start with a handful of useful words, use them consistently and build from there.

Over time, those everyday moments around the table can become valuable opportunities to make choices, express needs, develop independence and, most importantly, feel understood.

Makaton at mealtimes isn't about making communication complicated — it's about making communication accessible, meaningful and part of everyday life.