WHY?
Children love anything novel and different. They can use these pointers to track from left to right, identify key details in a picture, point out letters or words in print, highlight capitalization and punctuation, touch shapes, identify parts of speech…I think you get the “point”!
WHAT?
Take a look at all these pointers I've collected. I bet you'll find at least one new idea that will capture your students' interest.
Magic wand – dip the end of a chopstick in glue and roll in glitter
Finger nail – glue a fake fingernail to a craft stick
I Spy – glue a googly eye to a craft stick
Jewel – glue a fake jewel to a craft stick
Witches’ finger – great fun
Magnifying glass - pipe cleaner formed in a circle
Swizzle stick – buy these at a dollar store or have a drink at a bar (Just kidding!)
Pretzel stick – point and then eat
Seasonal – glue small seasonal toys or stickers to craft sticks or purchase seasonal pencils
Bugles - point, read, and eat!!!
Alien - Glue pipe cleaner antennas to the eye pointer and use for pointing and spacing between words.
Giant Pointers
Glue a toy to the end of a cardboard pants hanger or decorate a butterfly net.
Smart Center
This was one of those simple, yet clever ideas that a teacher shared years ago. She said she had a center called the "smart center" with an old pair of glasses and a hand pointer. Children wore the glasses and walked around the room and pointed to words, shapes, colors, letters, etc. to show how "smart" they were. The only rule was you had to use a whisper voice. The teacher who shared this said the kids LOVED this center. She said nobody paid any attention to them, but they thought they were smart just the same!
