Hand gestures - height

Additional Notes

The Human Measure (Palm Down) To show the height of a person (especially a child), the arm is held out with the palm facing the floor. The fingers are straight and touching, creating a flat, level surface. The movement is usually a gentle patting motion at the specific height.

Visual Note: The hand should look like it is resting on an invisible table or the top of the child’s head.

The Non-Human Measure (The Blade) To show the height of an animal (like a cow or dog) or an object (like a table or crop), the hand is rotated 90 degrees into a vertical “handshake” position. The thumb points up to the sky, and the pinky side of the hand faces the ground. This “blade” hand acts like a ruler cutting through the air.

Visual Note: The hand is stiff and vertical, like a karate chop.