ALPHABET POSTER
PICTURES and ART PRINTS

We used to sit for hours familiarizing our children with the ABC’s. Now an alphabet poster can help take some of the load off of busy parents. Many hours are spent drawing examples on lined tablets or on chalkboards while the restless pupils fidget and yawn. Those plain, line drawings of letters have bored kids for centuries and very little has changed in modern times except that the lettering has become much more colorful and therefore interesting.
We can give the credit for that to the creative artists have been busy inserting cute pictures in alphabet templates to make them more decorative. We have gotten wise to the fact that if the letters are more eye catching that kids tend to recognize them earlier in life and with much less effort on the part of mom and dad.
To make things pretty and pleasant to look at is not exactly a modern method of teaching. Long before there were large alphabet posters and pictures available to decorate the bedroom walls and school hallways, tutors required young ladies to stitch needlework samplers of the ABCs.

This style of homework assignment was not just given to perfect their sewing but to give them another opportunity to practice their handwriting skills. They must have realized that this was a great way to kill two birds with one stone, because as time passed we have seen ABC pictures and shapes spread from pictures of Campbell’s Alphabet soup to letters printed on baby fabrics. Plus those samplers from long ago have become valuable antiques.

Some early educators made the argument that what at the time was referred to as illuminated alphabet pictures only confused children that were in the early stages of learning. Their beliefs were that plain, black and white pencil drawings were the best teaching tools rather than the shapes in Campbell’s alphabet soup or alphabet posters and pics.

However, there was obviously another school of thought that believed alphabet posters were an extension of picture books. The evidence is that vintage alphabet posters have come to serve not only as wall art and decorations in the nursery schools and classrooms, but to give kids an excellent visual tool in the learning process.

No doubt it teaches discipline to learn a boring, but necessary lesson. But, what can it hurt to let babies enjoy decorative alphabet posters and pictures that are decorated with everything from vintage zoo animals to modern graffiti? Start them out young with a set of Cocalo ABC or alphabet soup baby crib bedding in the nursery and let the process begin while they are still in the crib. Save the stick drawings and disciplinary teachings for when they are older and have no choice but to learn to tell capitals or big letters from little letters.

Return to Unique Baby Nursery Gifts Designs, Bedding Themes and Decorating Ideas for more unique and creative ways to use alphabet posters, pictures and art prints to decorate your child's room.