If you told me that my son would be cuddling with a plush letter pillow and not a teddy or his favorite lovey I wouldn’t have believed it, but here we are. He loves his Alphapals, which the brand calls “pillows,” but they’re really letter-shaped alternatives to stuffed animals. You can buy the letters as a set of 26 (regular or mini size) or individually. It’s kind of like the toddler version of scrabble in super-sized.
They’re meant for ages three and up and that’s certainly the age when a child will begin to appreciate them most, but you can actually expose your child to these at any age. Though it’s important to note, they are not safe for sleeping if your baby is under one. It’s never too early to expose children to letters and reading. Of course a six month old will have no concept of what he or she is playing with, but we see time and time again the impact of early exposure and I love making the connection between reading and these plush letters.
Interestingly, the brand was started as a result of the founder’s child experiencing early learning difficulties, especially when it came to understanding the alphabet and pairing words together. Through various therapeutic learning solutions she learned that focusing on letters is a key part to the solution – not just focusing on words. She came up with this fun, interactive solution.
It’s important to also note that to get the most out of Alphapals you should play with your child when you’re exposing him or her to the letters. This isn’t the best option for independent play. This is a tool to help your child learn and communicate and for that they need your help!
