The skill to point is an important developmental milestone, which children typically develop between 12 – 18 months. Teaching this can be a fun experience for both you and your child. It is amazing what pointing with one little finger can achieve for you and your baby in regard to social – communication skills.
Start by showing your child how to point. Point to objects around your home and name them. You can also point out body parts. If your child begins to IMITATE YOU pointing, GREAT, you can start having them point to objects they want.
Practice pointing can be harder for other children, so you might need to use HAND-OVER-HAND (or full physical prompt). You get their little finger, help them point to what they want, and then give it to them.
You can set up CHOICES and help them point to what they want. These things need to be out of reach, for example, HIGHER OR FURTHER, so they can’t grab them.
Have fun and be patient as your child learns this new skill!
