Building Bridges with Makaton: Communication and Care at Nursery

At our nursery, we believe in fostering a positive, safe, and fun environment for all of our children. This week, we’re taking the time to remind ourselves of the nursery rules, helping the little ones understand how they contribute to making their surroundings safe, inclusive, and kind for everyone.

But it’s not just about the rules—we also continue to integrate Makaton signing alongside our verbal communication. Makaton is a unique language program that uses signs and symbols to help children (and adults!) communicate. We’ve found that signing has an incredibly positive effect on all the children, enhancing their understanding and encouraging clearer communication, no matter their individual language abilities.

The Positive Impact of Makaton

Using Makaton alongside speech not only supports the development of language skills but also fosters a sense of inclusion. Some children may be more visual learners, while others might take a little longer to grasp verbal communication. Makaton helps bridge this gap, ensuring that every child can express themselves, be understood, and participate fully in activities and conversations.

When children see their peers using signs, it encourages them to try it too! This inclusive approach benefits all children, building their confidence, strengthening their social interactions, and supporting their emotional development.

Signs of the Week

One exciting aspect of our Makaton journey is introducing the Signs of the Week. Every week, we focus on new signs that the children can use both in the nursery and at home. This week’s signs are simple but powerful, and the children have been doing an amazing job learning and using them! 💬🤲

We encourage parents to ask their little ones to show off their new Makaton signs. It’s a great way to reinforce their learning and get involved in this beautiful way of communication. You’ll be surprised at how quickly they pick it up and how proudly they’ll show you what they’ve learned!

Looking Forward

We are so proud of how well the children are embracing both our nursery rules and the Makaton signs. Together, we are creating an environment where everyone feels valued, heard, and supported.

Let’s keep celebrating their progress and keep building these important skills for life!