23/09/2026
Today is International Day of Sign Languages, a day to celebrate sign languages and recognise the importance of communication, understanding and inclusion.
Did you know there are more than 300 sign languages used around the world? There is no single universal sign language, and sign languages are complete languages with their own linguistic structures. Here in the UK, British Sign Language (BSL) has its own grammar and structure.
To mark today, we’ve included a simple No-Words Communication Challenge to try with children.
Important: This activity does not teach sign language or BSL. The gestures children create during the game are not signs. Instead, the activity is designed to get children thinking about communication and what it feels like to try to make yourself understood without using spoken or written words.
Try it together:
Choose a simple message such as “I’m thirsty”, “Come and play”, “I’m happy” or “I need help”.
Without speaking or writing, try to communicate your message using facial expressions, gestures and body language. Let the other person guess, then swap roles.
Afterwards, ask:
• What helped you understand?
• Was anything difficult or confusing?
• How did it feel when someone understood you?
Then bring the conversation back to today: people communicate in many different ways, and sign languages such as BSL are real, complete languages, not simply gestures or mime.
The takeaway for children is simple: we may communicate differently, but everyone deserves the opportunity to express themselves, be understood, participate and feel included.
Happy International Day of Sign Languages.