01
One-meeting BSL taster
Open the Fingerspelling Player on a screen, let members fingerspell their name, then hand out a printed name strip and the alphabet chart to take home. Around 20 minutes, with only a few minutes of preparation.
For Scouts, Guides & youth groups
Free BSL resources for Scouts, Guides & youth groups
Drop-in BSL activities and printables for Scouts, Guides and other youth groups. Designed for short, focused sessions that leaders can run without prior BSL knowledge.
- Free to use with your group
- No sign-up or email required
- Easy to print from desktop, tablet or mobile
Meeting plan
Say It Without Speaking
A 45–60 minute introductory session on non-spoken communication, BSL fingerspelling and a few beginner British Sign Language signs. Four activities and four downloadable PowerPoint and PDF resources – no prior BSL knowledge needed. Adaptable for Cubs, Scouts, Brownies, Guides and similar sections.
Free tools for meetings & camps
Quick activities, printables and challenges for a single meeting
Fingerspelling Player
Members watch their own name fingerspelled in BSL – a simple, memorable first step.
Type any name or word and watch it fingerspelled in BSL, with adjustable speed, hand preference and skin tone.
OpenWord/Name Printer
Print each member’s name in BSL fingerspelling for a name-badge night or section noticeboard.
Generate a printable fingerspelling image of any name or word – handy for name labels, displays and take-home keepsakes.
OpenVocab Sheet Maker
Build a themed sheet around an evening’s topic (woodland animals, weather, family) and hand out as a takeaway.
Choose up to 12 signs from our library, pick a colour and download a printable A4 sheet.
OpenWord Search Maker
Generate a fingerspelling word search around your section’s programme theme in seconds.
Build a BSL fingerspelling word search around any theme or your own list of words.
OpenToday’s Signspell
A short BSL fingerspelling puzzle that works as a calm 5-minute activity for older sections.
A fresh BSL fingerspelling puzzle every day. Use the seven fingerspelling letters to find as many words as you can.
Open
Free BSL resources
Print the BSL fingerspelling alphabet chart to pin up in your meeting place or take to camp.
Every free BSL tool, game and printable in one place.
OpenHow to use them
Ways to use these in practice
02
Communicator badge work
Use the tools to support communication and BSL-themed badge work across youth groups. They fit well alongside the Scouts Communicator Activity Badge (Cubs, Scouts and similar sections) and Girlguiding’s “Sign it spell it” activity within the Communicate Stage 3 skills builder (Brownies, Guides) – the Fingerspelling Player and alphabet chart match the introducing-yourself and short-word recognition tasks particularly well. Badge requirements can change, so check the current official badge or skills-builder page before running the activity. Use content created by Deaf BSL tutors or Deaf-led organisations. For a live session, invite a Deaf BSL tutor or another suitably qualified BSL tutor, agree the activity in advance and offer appropriate payment.
03
Camp evening activity
Build a themed vocab sheet (woodland animals, weather, family) before camp and print enough for the group. Use it in a well-lit hut, marquee or sheltered activity space for a 15–20 minute activity. Fingerspelling needs clear lighting and visibility.
04
Inclusion week
Combine a printed BSL alphabet chart, a themed fingerspelling word search and a short discussion about Deaf culture as part of an inclusion-themed programme block.
Practical BSL games
Active, quiet and team-based activities for meeting nights and camps
Before you run theseLeaders should adapt movement-based games to their venue, group and usual risk assessment. Walking, wheeling and tabletop versions are equally valid – score them the same as running versions.
Adjust the difficultyPrint your fingerspelling letter cards with the written letter beneath the image for beginners, or with the image alone for a harder challenge. The same card sets work across most of the games below.
Fingerspelling Decoder Relay
PractisesRecognising fingerspelling letters and reading complete words
- Equipment
- One A–Z set of fingerspelling letter cards per team, plus duplicate copies of common letters. Use cards with the written letter beneath the image for beginners, or image-only cards with the answer on the back for a harder version. A written target word per team.
- Preparation
- Lay each team’s card set out at the far end of the room, fingerspelling side up. Decide whether your word list uses common letter duplicates or avoids repeats altogether.
- How to play
- Give each team a written word. One member at a time travels to the cards, finds the fingerspelling letter they think matches the first written letter, and returns with it. If using image-only cards, they check the answer on the back. With beginner cards, the written letter is already shown beneath the image. The next member fetches the next letter. Players may check only one card per visit. If it is wrong, they return it fingerspelling-side up and go back to their team. Once the team has the full word, they arrange the cards and one member fingerspells the complete word for another team to read.
Make it harderUse image-only letter cards. Show the target word once with the Fingerspelling Player, then hide it before the relay begins.
Inclusive versionPlayers walk, wheel, or nominate a card finder. The activity should not depend on running speed.
Download what you need for this gameDecode the Kit
PractisesDecoding complete fingerspelled words and matching them to objects
- Equipment
- Real camp items (torch, tent peg, rope, cup, boot, map, billy can). Word cards showing each item’s name entirely in BSL fingerspelling images, with no printed English beneath. A leader answer sheet.
- Preparation
- Lay the camp items out on a table or around the well-lit space. Shuffle the fingerspelled word cards and place them face-down. Run this in a hut, marquee or sheltered activity space – fingerspelling needs clear visibility.
- How to play
- Teams take a card, decode the fingerspelled word, find the matching item and bring both to the leader. Once the team has correctly decoded the word and found the item, the leader gives them their next card.
Make it harderShow the fingerspelled word for ten seconds then hide it, so teams have to remember it before they search. Or after collecting the object, one member fingerspells its name to another team.
Inclusive versionBring items to the team rather than the team to the items, or run as a tabletop version using item picture cards instead of physical kit.
Download what you need for this gameDecode the Trail
PractisesReading complete fingerspelled words
- Equipment
- Numbered station markers. At each station, a card showing a short word entirely in BSL fingerspelling images (e.g. TENT, GATE, TREE, HALL, ROPE, MAP). One leader answer sheet.
- Preparation
- Place a fingerspelled word card at each of the numbered stations around your venue. Give each team the same set of stations but a different starting point so groups don’t all converge.
- How to play
- Teams visit each numbered station in order from their starting point. At each station, they decode the fingerspelled word and record it on their answer sheet before moving to the next station. They finish when they have decoded every word.
Make it harderAdd a short instruction after each decoded word for teams to complete before moving on.
Inclusive versionRun as a tabletop version: numbered envelopes on tables instead of stations across a field.
Download what you need for this gameFingerspelling Bingo
PractisesReading fingerspelled words
- Equipment
- A bingo grid per player containing short written words or names. A leader call list at three difficulty levels (3-letter words, 4–5-letter words, names and camp vocabulary).
- Preparation
- Print enough bingo grids for each player, plus your leader call list.
- How to play
- Show each word using the Fingerspelling Player on a screen, or fingerspell it live if you are confident doing so – slowly and twice. Players cross off the word they think they saw. First full row wins; first full sheet wins extra points.
Make it harderMove up to names and longer programme vocabulary. Show each word only once.
Inclusive versionAllow players to ask for a repeat, and keep a paper copy of the alphabet chart on the table for anyone who needs a reference.
Download what you need for this gameDecode the Word
PractisesReading fingerspelled words – great as a recurring meeting opener
- Equipment
- Mini whiteboards and pens, paper, or a small bag of letter tiles per team.
- Preparation
- Pick three target words at the right level for the group.
- How to play
- Show the word using the Fingerspelling Player on a screen, or fingerspell it live if you are confident doing so – slowly and twice. Teams write the word on their mini whiteboard, or build it from letter tiles. Reveal answers together. Progress from three-letter words up to programme vocabulary over a term.
Make it harderShow each word only once. Move to four–five-letter words and names.
Inclusive versionReplay the word more slowly, pause between letters, or let a confident member repeat the complete word afterwards for any team that needs it.
Fingerspelling Corners
PractisesFast letter recognition
- Equipment
- Four large fingerspelling letter cards (one per corner – image-only for a harder challenge, or with the written letter beneath for beginners). A leader call list of single letters.
- Preparation
- Place the four cards in the corners of the room. Plan to swap them out every few rounds.
- How to play
- The leader shows or calls a written letter. Members move to the corner whose fingerspelling image matches. Reveal the answer together, then continue with the next round. Keep everyone involved rather than eliminating players. Change the four corner letters periodically.
Make it harderCall out or display a written letter. Members form the fingerspelling letter themselves before moving to the matching image-only corner.
Inclusive versionMembers point at the matching corner, hold up a number card, or move a counter on a printed table map. Run a seated version where corners are areas of a tablecloth.
Download what you need for this gameFingerspelling Snap & Pairs
PractisesMatching written letters to fingerspelling letters
- Equipment
- A matching card set containing each written letter once and its corresponding fingerspelling image once.
- Preparation
- For Pairs, lay all cards face-down in a grid. For Snap, shuffle and deal evenly between players.
- How to play
- Pairs: players take turns turning over two cards and keep the pair if the written letter matches its fingerspelling image. Most pairs wins. Snap: players take turns placing cards face-up into the centre. Call “Snap” when the top two cards form a matching pair: a written letter and its corresponding fingerspelling image.
Make it harderUse whole-word cards instead of letters (written word paired with the same word in fingerspelling images).
Inclusive versionPairs is the quieter, slower-paced option – better for younger groups, calm-downs and sensory-aware sessions.
Download what you need for this gameMost games use the BSL fingerspelling alphabet poster alongside simple letter or word cards. Everything is in the downloadable games pack at the top of this section.
By section
What works for each age group
Stick to a few visual, repeatable signs (hello, please, thank you, family signs, a couple of animals). Use the Family Signs and Greeting Signs posters together and reuse the same handful of signs across a few meetings so they actually stick.
Introduce the BSL fingerspelling alphabet visually using the printable chart. Members use the Fingerspelling Player to learn how to fingerspell their own first name. Build a vocab sheet around your current programme theme to take home. Focus on introducing themselves, exchanging names and recognising short fingerspelled words.
These activities work well alongside communication-themed badge activities. Practise introducing yourself, exchange names with a partner, and recognise short fingerspelled words from the alphabet poster. Today’s Signspell can be a short 5-minute opener at the start of a meeting.
Older members can practise introductions, exchange names, recognise longer fingerspelled words and learn a short BSL conversation using established signs – with fingerspelling used for names and unfamiliar words rather than for an entire conversation. The Vocab Sheet Maker and Fingerspelling Quiz both support this kind of practice. Where possible, invite a Deaf BSL tutor, Deaf-led organisation or qualified BSL tutor to contribute, with the activity and access agreed in advance and suitable payment offered for their time. If communication support is needed during the visit, arrange a registered BSL/English interpreter separately.
Activity ideas
Themed picks for badge work and meeting nights
BSL fingerspelling alphabetRight-handed & left-handed postersOpen Family signsMum, dad, brother, sister and moreOpen Greeting signsHello, goodbye, please, thank youOpen AnimalsGreat for camps and outdoor eveningsOpen WeatherSun, rain, snow, wind – pre-loadedOpen ColoursRed, blue, green, yellow – pre-loadedOpen
In the diary
Annual moments worth planning around
Deaf Awareness Week
Annual UK awareness weekA natural moment to weave a short BSL activity into your programme. Open with the alphabet chart, fingerspell members’ names and finish with a short word search to take home.
Sign Language Week
British Deaf AssociationMarks the UK Government’s recognition of BSL in March 2003 (now reinforced by the BSL Act 2022). A good week for a programme block on language, identity and accessibility.
International Day of Sign Languages
United NationsA UN-recognised day celebrating sign languages worldwide. Pair our BSL tools with a short discussion of how sign languages differ between countries (BSL, American Sign Language, Irish Sign Language, Auslan and many more).
Why include BSL
Why include BSL in your programme
Fits values you already work to
Inclusion, communication and respect sit at the heart of both Scouting and Guiding. Introducing BSL is a concrete way to make those values visible at your meeting place.
A full language, not just gestures
BSL has its own grammar, vocabulary and history. It was formally recognised as a language in its own right by the UK Government in 2003, and the British Sign Language Act 2022 gave it legal recognition as a language of England, Wales and Scotland (the Act does not extend to Northern Ireland). Even an introductory taster helps members understand language and Deaf identity more clearly.
Useful for badge programmes
The Scouts Communicator Activity Badge and the Girlguiding Communicate skills builder both include sign language as a recognised method. These free tools give leaders a quick starting point for those tasks.
Works for one-off and ongoing
You don’t need to commit to weeks of programming. The tools work for a single 20-minute meeting block, a camp evening, an inclusion week, or as small recurring openers across a term.
Quick downloads
Posters and printables to download
Going further
A next step for leaders who want to go further
Our 10-section CPD-certified online BSL course suits leaders who want to take it further after these free resources. Pay What You Can from £5 per learner. Group enrolment is a single payment, and each learner gets their own certificate.
Beyond our site
Trusted UK organisations
Scouts UKThe Communicator Activity BadgeOfficial badge page for the Scouts Communicator Activity Badge – includes sign language tasks members can complete in BSL.Visit GirlguidingCommunicate skills builder – Stage 3Official Girlguiding page for the Communicate Stage 3 skills builder, including the BSL-based “Sign it spell it” activity.Visit BDABritish Deaf AssociationA Deaf-led UK charity campaigning for BSL rights, language recognition and Deaf community priorities.Visit NDCSNational Deaf Children’s SocietyResources for adults working with deaf children, including youth and activity leaders.Visit
Questions
The things people ask us most
Do I need any BSL knowledge to use these resources?
No. The tools are designed to be used without prior BSL knowledge. Your role is to set up the activity and learn alongside your group. They use the supplied materials for introductory activities and are not a substitute for teaching from an appropriately skilled and experienced BSL tutor.
Can these be used as part of the Communicator Activity Badge?
These tools can support preparation for the BSL-based tasks, but do not complete the current badge requirements on their own. The current sign-language option includes holding a conversation, describing an experience and helping facilitate a short conversation between a sign-language user and someone who does not sign. Always check the official Scouts page, as the badge is being refreshed.
Do they work for Brownies and Guides too?
Yes. The Girlguiding Communicate Stage 3 skills builder includes a BSL activity (“Sign it spell it”). The Fingerspelling Player, Word/Name Printer and alphabet chart work particularly well with the activity. Always check the official Girlguiding page for the current requirements.
Are they suitable for younger sections (Beavers, Squirrels, Rainbows)?
Yes, with the right pick. Stick to the visual printables (family signs, greeting signs) and use a few signs repeatedly over several meetings. Save the full fingerspelling alphabet for sections where members are confident with letters.
Can I print these for the whole group?
Yes. The free printables and tool outputs are free to use with your group. Please keep our brand mark visible, do not resell them, and do not upload them to other resource marketplaces as your own.
What if a member of our group is Deaf or hard of hearing?
Talk directly with the member in an age-appropriate way, involving their family or carers where appropriate. Ask what communication and access arrangements work for them rather than making assumptions. If inviting a Deaf contributor, agree the purpose and format in advance, offer appropriate payment, and do not expect one person to represent the whole Deaf community.
Can I link to this page from our group’s website or newsletter?
Yes, please do. The pages and tools are stable URLs we maintain. Deep links into specific printables or the Vocab Sheet Maker work the same way.