What's the Point?

When you begin teaching your baby to read, don't underestimate the power of pointing.  You can point to the text in books as you read.  You can also point out words as your encounter them in your day.  

I have been pointing out words to my little one since the beginning of her life.  When I pour juice, we read the juice bottle.  When we wash our hands, we read the soap container.  When we brush our teeth, we read the toothpaste tube.

My daughter has learned to read granulated from the bag of sugar, luminous from the toothpaste, and Toyota from our van.

Today during our family devotional time I handed her my Bible and asked her to find the book of John while I quickly left the room.  This was just meant to be a distraction and nothing else.  I heard my husband praising her as she found the book on her own, pointed to the word John, and said, "John."

That is how pointing works.  No formal lessons.  Just interacting with words as we encounter them.  It requires no planning and the results are priceless. :)