Picture-book point-and-name for toddlers

01What you need

• Two or three sturdy board books with big, clear pictures (yours or the library's)Have
• A favorite stuffed animal to "read" to at the endHave

Where: Anywhere you can sit close with the book open between you: the couch, the floor, or a rug before nap time.

02Steps

1. Same time, their pick

   DadPick one time each day that already exists: after breakfast, before nap, or at bedtime. Put your phone in another room. Hold up two or three books and say, "Which one?" If they pick the same book as yesterday, read it again.

2. Point and name

   DadPoint to one thing at a time and name it in a word or two: "Dog. A big dog." Add a sound or an action: "Woof. The dog runs." Go slow. One page can take a whole minute.

3. Ask "Where's the...?"

   KidAsk, "Where's the dog?" and wait. Count to five in your head before you help. When they point, say it back: "Yes, there's the dog." If they point at something else, name what they found: "That's the cat. Here's the dog."

4. Flip it: "What's that?"

   KidOnce they point easily, you point and ask, "What's that?" Any sound counts. If they say "da" for dog, answer, "Yes, dog. A brown dog." Many toddlers start naming familiar pictures somewhere between 18 months and 2.

5. Leave a blank

   TogetherIn a book they know well, stop before the last word of a line and look at them. Let them fill it in. Older 2s and 3s also like turning the pages and holding the book themselves, so let them.

6. Stop while it's fun

   DadEnd before they're done, even mid-book. Say, "Book's all done. Want to read it to Bear?" Hand them the book and the stuffed animal and let them tell it their way.

03If it stalls

• If they only want to flip pages fast, let them. Point at one thing per page as it goes by and call that a win.
• If they walk away, keep reading out loud for a page or two. Many toddlers listen while they play, then wander back.
• If you're tired of the words in a book, skip them. Talk about the pictures instead: "Where's the moon? What's the bear doing?"
• If it's been a bad day, three pages counts. The routine matters more than the minutes.

04Variations

05Sources

• Pointing and naming milestones. At 12 to 18 months, toddlers often answer "Where is the...?" by pointing to pictures with one finger. At 18 to 24 months, asking "What's that?" usually gets them naming familiar pictures, and if you pause before the end of a sentence in a favorite book, they'll finish it. Toddlers also retell stories to dolls or stuffed animals. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) Checked Oct 15, 2026
• Read every day, let them choose, stop when they're done. Read to your child every day, even for a few minutes. Let your child choose the book, even if it's the same one over and over. You don't have to finish a story if your child loses interest. Stop and ask about the pictures or what they think will happen next. American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) Checked Oct 15, 2026
• When to tell the doctor. By 2, most toddlers point to some pictures in books and say about 50 to 100 words. Tell your child's doctor if your child stops talking or doing things they used to do, and ask about any development questions "the sooner the better." American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) Checked Oct 15, 2026
• Small parts and kids under 3. Under the Child Safety Protection Act, toys and games with small parts for kids 3 to under 6 must carry the warning "CHOKING HAZARD - Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs." U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Checked Oct 15, 2026