MATERIALS NEEDED:

* Card Stock or Inkjet Paper.
* Hot Glue and a Glue Stick (like Elmer's).
* 26 3/16" wooden dowel rods.
* Wooden Can - 7 1/4" tall with a 14 1/4" circumference (came with a lid, found mine at Hobby Lobby for $1.99).
* Laminator and laminating sheets.
* Optional: Curling ribbon, Paint or Sharpies.
* ABC Box, ABC Box click-n-fill, ABC Pointer and ABC Pointer click-n-fill templates.

Graphics are from various sets. You're welcome to ask if you want to know exactly which ones.

INSTRUCTIONS:

For the ABC Pointers:

Paint or stain the wooden dowel rods. I used colored sharpies to color some of the dowel rods.

Open a portrait sheet in your print program. Import the ABC pointer template. Add a letter and a corresponding graphic. Put a capital letter on one side with a lower case letter on the other. Print on highest setting. Repeat for all 26 letters of the alphabet.

Cut the letter pointers out.

Fold each where indicated and laminate.

I didn't use any glue on the edges of the letter pointers. I simply left a good edge of lamination around the letter pointer when I cut it out from the laminated sheet. Leaving an edge of lamination makes the pointers more durable. Cut the laminating plastic even with the middle portion of the bottom of the letter pointer. Slide a wooden dowel rod into the opening about half way into the letter pointer. Squirt hot glue onto each side of the stick and seal the edges closed.

Finish each stick with curling ribbon tied at the bottom of each letter pointer.

For the ABC Storage Can:

Open a landscape sheet in your print program. Import the ABC storage can template. Import your chosen graphics and background. Print 2 on your highest setting.

Before you laminate, put the 2 sheets back to back and laminate in one sheet. This way your graphics are laminated on the outside of the can but the back of the paper will be plain. This makes it easier to bend and glue to the wooden can. Cut out your 2 sheets. Rub glue to the back of the can wrap and adhere to the can.

Now they are ready for use! Children love to use these to hunt for the letters in print and items around your house. They enjoy "pointing" the letters found out to you when they find them! Ask your child to use the pointers to find corresponding letters in magazines, magnets on the fridge. ect.. For older readers, have them find pictures that have the same beginning or ending sound as the letter on the pointer.