"Why Using Makaton in the Early Years is so beneficial"

I've just arrived back from a wonderful morning delivering training at a Pre-school and thought it would be helpful for other Early Years practitioners to highlight the importance of embedding Makaton into your setting. I have spent over 25 years supporting children in many roles from Nursery Nurse, Speech and Language Assistant right through to SEND hub lead in a Mainstream Primary, here's what I've found...

🌱 Communication Development

• Supports speech: Signing alongside spoken words helps children understand and remember vocabulary.

• Bridges the gap: Children who are pre-verbal, have delayed speech, or are shy can still communicate their needs and ideas.

• Reduces frustration: Being able to sign basic wants (“drink,” “help,” “toilet”) prevents frustration and supports emotional regulation.

  
  

🧠 Learning & Understanding

• Visual reinforcement: Signs and symbols help children process and retain new words.

• Builds concepts: Makaton links spoken language with actions, aiding comprehension for children at all developmental stages.

• Supports bilingual learners: Children learning English as an additional language benefit from visual cues to understand meaning.

  
  

🤝 Social & Emotional Development

• Encourages inclusion: All children can join in songs, stories, and routines, regardless of speech ability.

• Boosts confidence: Children feel successful when they can communicate and be understood.

• Strengthens relationships: Promotes bonding between children, staff, and families through shared communication.

  
  

🎶 Play & Creativity

• Enhances storytelling and songs: Signs make nursery rhymes, circle time, and stories more engaging and memorable.

• Supports play: Children can use signs during role play, helping them join in with peers.

  
  

👩‍👩‍👧 Partnerships with Families

• Consistency at home and school: Parents can learn and use signs too, giving children continuity.

• Early intervention: Identifies and supports children with potential communication or developmental needs early on.

  
  

✅ In short: Using Makaton in Early Years settings promotes speech, language, and understanding for all children, while also reducing frustration, building confidence, and creating an inclusive learning environment.

Book an Early Years Makaton Training session today! Get in touch for a quote, online and in-person options available.

alimakatontutor@gmail.com or Tel: 07837 876254

Further Reading & Resources:

• The Makaton Charity – Using Makaton in Early Years Settings makaton.org

• Department for Education – Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework

• Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists – Supporting Communication in Early Years rcslt.org

• I CAN / Speech and Language UK – Speech and Language Development Resources speechandlanguage.org.uk

• The Communication Trust – Universally Speaking: Ages and Stages of Communication thecommunicationtrust.org.uk

Early Years Team at Sticky Fingers Preschool, Templecombe playing The Wheels on the bus dice game

**Disclaimer**

The information provided on this website is for general informational purposes only and thoughts and information expressed in these blogs are from my own personal thoughts and real life experiences, they do not contain advisory content. While always striving to provide accurate and up-to-date content, there are no guarantees about the completeness or reliability of any information. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. 

All information on the site is provided in good faith, however, no representation or warranty is made of any kind, expressed or implied, regarding the accuracy, adequacy, validity, reliability, availability, or completeness of any information on the site.

These blogs are created from my own personal experience and are for general information purposes and are not, in any way, advisory. Where needed I have included research and reference links and further reading articles.

At times I have used AI generated content to reword my own thoughts and may include AI research of  information relevant to the blog and to create images relevant to my blogs, however whenever possible I have used my own images with permission from those featured in the images. My blogs are open to fair use.

Any questions or queries please do get in touch - alimakatontutor@gmail.com