Words & communication

Point, name and wait

Follow your child's attention through a short book instead of reading every word.

5 minutes

What you'll need

A sturdy picture book

Before you start

Can attend to a shared object briefly

Best fit: either · calm energy · low caregiver effort · low mess

How to play

  1. Let your child turn pages.
  2. Name what they point to.
  3. Add one small comment, then wait.
Make it easier

Use a book with one clear picture per page.

Standard

Follow your child's attention through a short book instead of reading every word.

Extend it

Invite a sound, action or short prediction from the picture.

What you might notice

Pictures that invite sounds, gestures or repeated looks.

Keep it safe

Stay within arm's reach and use an intact sturdy board book. Inspect the cover, pages and binding, stop for mouthing or any tear or peeling coating, and put the book away after reading.

Why it may be useful

This activity creates an easy moment for back-and-forth communication, shared attention and hearing useful words in context.

strong

Applies to caregiver-led language opportunities; it does not predict an individual child's language trajectory.

Jeong et al. (2021) — Parenting interventions to promote early child development in the first three years of life: A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Dowdall et al. (2025) — Home-based shared book reading and developmental outcomes in young children: a systematic review with meta-analyses

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