Children's activities sector is one of the fastest growing areas of franchising. MakaTots gives you the opportunity to be part of it and run your own successful business.
MakaTots gives children the chance to communicate before they speak — boosting confidence, reducing frustrations and strengthening bonds — all through fun, interactive baby and toddler classes rooted in the trusted Makaton method.
As a MakaTots franchisee, you receive a proven curriculum, full support, flexible scheduling, and a ready-made brand — making it an ideal business for anyone passionate about early childhood, education, communication, and making a real difference.
What MakaTots offers
MakaTots delivers signing classes for babies and toddlers with an adult, based on the internationally recognised Makaton communication programme.
Classes are age-appropriate, mixing singing, storytelling, games and interactive activities — making learning fun and accessible.
Classes are 45 minutes long, giving a manageable time commitment for parents and providing a structured, professional offering.
MakaTots aims to empower early communication: helping babies/toddlers to express needs, feelings, and thoughts even before they can speak fluently — reducing frustration, enhancing confidence, and supporting closer parent-child bonds.
Why We Stand Out
Trusted by experts — Loved by parents
The programme is built on 50 years of established Makaton - an evidence-based communication method, used widely across the UK, lending credibility and trust.
Make a real difference in early childhood development - MakaTots classes are not “one-size-fits-all”: there are tailored options for babies (pre-speech, early communication), both mobile and pre-crawling, and toddlers (blending signs and speech), giving flexibility depending on the child’s age and stage.
Fun, community-focused early years offering - The approach mixes education and fun through singing, stories, games, and interaction. Parents and children enjoy the experience, making it more than just a class.
Ready-to-go business package - Professionally developed curriculum, plus support — booking/payment infrastructure, marketing tools, templates, a profile on the MakaTots website, and access to a community.
Start a flexible, fulfilling business, on YOUR terms - Franchisees can build the business to suit their schedule — evenings, weekends, part-time or full-time — making it appealing to a wide range of backgrounds.
Our Values & Goals
MakaTots emphasises inclusion, confidence building, and early empowerment: the idea that from a very early age, children can learn to communicate needs, feelings and thoughts — bolstering development, self-expression and parent-child connection.
The brand leans on fun, warmth, and community — using songs, stories, games, and even Meg the bear, a “cuddly companion” in their classes, to engage children and create a joyful learning atmosphere.
We value support and empowerment: enabling caring individuals to start their own business while being supported centrally with tools, resources, and marketing to help them succeed.
Parents are always looking for social, community-based activities: classes provide a friendly environment, opportunities for interaction, and peer-group exposure to other families with similar-aged children.
Parents of babies and toddlers, especially those keen to support early speech and communication, will want to give their child a head start before fluent speech, finding value in inclusive communication tools to reduce frustration and improve understanding at early developmental stages.
The children’s activities sector is one of the fastest-growing areas of franchising in the UK, with more than 3.5 million children aged 0–4 and more funding available in nursery and activity development hours, further increasing demand for quality early years services.
The ideal franchisee
People interested in starting a flexible, child-focused business
People seeking a flexible side-income or career change. You can choose to run classes over evenings/weekends or during the day, depending on availability and ambition.
Creative and bubbly individuals who will find ways to keep a class of under-5s engaged.
Those who have worked with children before or have an established family.
Happy to work with the general public as well as establish businesses such as nurseries to drive marketing a broaden your offering.
You don’t need any previous experience! Our 5-day training at Fleet head office, plus setting up webinars, gives you everything you need to deliver MakaTots classes.
Once licensed, you get access to all the tools needed to run your own MakaTots business. You’d be part of a recognised, reputable brand — leveraging Makaton’s established credibility, which should help with marketing to parents who value early communication development and trusted methods.
Next Steps
Register your interest to receive our prospectus today.
Our fabulous Aberdeen MakaTots franchise had a cracking first month meeting 157 MakaTots attendees across classes, a launch party, and making new friends at local nurseries!
To celebrate the launch in the region, Sam organised a tea and cake session in Berryden with beautifully branded balloons for attendees to take away and plenty of songs and games to experience.
“Everyone enjoyed it, some parents were really keen and asking about the signs, really wanting to get them right. Others said they...
