Apparatus and method for teaching early learning skills

A learning tool includes a book binder and a plurality of removable pages. Each of the pages has a mounting surface and/or mounting locations for releasably attaching a plurality of symbol devices formed as letters, numbers and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to teaching aids and learning tools for children and, in particular, to a book and a tool for teaching early learning skills.

Young children are typically taught to read by associating the names of the letters of the alphabet with the shapes of the letters. Likewise, children may be shown words and taught to associate them with pictures of the objects that the words represent. Some educational toys teach the letters of the alphabet by encouraging the children to physically associate an object shaped like a given letter with a printed representation of the letter. For example, a book is provided having a plurality of pages each with a number of recesses shaped to receive the corresponding letter-shaped objects. The child is encouraged to memorize the shape of the letter and associate the letter-shaped object with the letter-shaped recess in the book.

While such devices are useful, they do present a number of limitations. For example, each recess in the book, while it is similar to the printed word, is not a printed representation. Naturally, the pages of the book themselves present the disadvantage of being relatively expensive to manufacture. In use, the letter-shaped objects are retained in the pages of the book by gravity or friction. When friction is used to retain the letters, the limited area of the letter-shaped object available to the child makes grasping difficult. Similarly, in the event that only gravity is used to retain the letters, movement of the book with the letters in it is likely to result in the letters sliding out of place or falling from the book.

As a solution to these inconveniences, it has been suggested that a separate device be used for storing the letters, which device may either be integral with or separate from the book. Likewise, books have been designed in which natural static electricity is used to adhere the objects to the page. However his method is suitable only for very thin flexible overlays. Such thin objects are difficult for children to grasp and function poorly as teaching devices because their shape is often not retained, due either to inherent flexibility or breakage and wear.

There is shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,390 an educational book-like toy that includes a plurality of pages wherein letters may be removably adhered over corresponding shapes on colored pages utilizing Velcro hook and loop fasteners.

However, it remains desirable to provide an improved apparatus or device to aid in teaching youngsters to recognize letters, numbers, shapes, colors, as well as learning to read, how to spell, how to perform basic arithmetic and the English language.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a learning tool apparatus in the form of a book binder and a plurality of pages. Each of the pages is operable to be removably attached inside the book binder and to another one of the pages on an attachment edge thereof. Each of the pages defines a mounting surface spaced apart from the attachment edge. A plurality of symbol devices is adapted to be affixed to the mounting surfaces on the pages and at least one of the pages has a predetermined mounting location for at least one of the symbol devices.

Thus, the apparatus for teaching early learning skills comprises: a book binder having a spine portion, a front cover connected to an edge of the spine portion by a first hinge and a back cover connected to another edge of the spine portion by a second hinge; a page binder area on an inner surface of the spine portion, the page binder area having first page fastening means; an identification area on an outer surface of the front cover, the identification area having first symbol device fastening means; a plurality of pages removably attached to the page binder area, each of the pages having second page fastening means cooperating with the first page fastening means for selective attachment to and removal from the page binder area, each of the pages including a mounting surface having second symbol device fastening means; and a plurality of symbol devices each having third symbol device fastening means for cooperating with a selected one of the first symbol device fastening means to removably attach the symbol devices to the identification area and the second symbol device fastening means to removably attach the symbol devices to the mounting surface of a selected one of the pages.

Because the pages are removably attached to the book binder and to the other pages, each of the pages may be advantageously ordered, configured, or arranged within the book binder as desired by the user of the learning tool. The symbol devices utilized in the learning tool can include, but are not limited to, uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, arithmetic symbols, punctuation marks, directional arrows, geometric shapes, common shapes showing different colors, and the like. The symbol devices may be advantageously moved and rearranged during use of the tool to enhance the learning process.

The learning tool apparatus in accordance with the present invention advantageously provides a means for teaching children to recognize letters, numbers, shapes, colors, as well as providing an tool for learning to read, how to spell, and how to perform basic arithmetic.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now toFIG. 1, a book binder used in a learning book and tool in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at10. The binder10includes a longitudinally extending spine portion12having a front cover14and a back cover16extending from opposite side edges thereof. The front cover14includes an inner surface18and an outer surface20. A generally horizontally extending identification area21is formed on or attached to the outer surface20and preferably includes a symbol device fastening means23in the form of a plurality of loops for personalization as explained below. Typically the loops cover the area21and only a few are shown for illustration purposes. The back cover16includes an inner surface22and an outer surface24. A hinge13, such as a living hinge or the like, connects the front cover14to the spine portion12permitting the front cover to move between an open position as shown and a closed position. A similar hinge15, such as a living hinge or the like, connects the back cover16to the spine portion12permitting the rear cover to move between an open position as shown and a closed position.

A longitudinally extending page binder area26is formed on or attached to an inner surface28of the spine portion12. The binder area26can be a separate piece attached to the inner surface28of the spine portion12by an adhesive (not shown) or similar attachment means. The binder area26preferably covers a large percentage of the inner surface28and includes a page fastening means26apreferably formed as a plurality of loops for cooperating with corresponding hooks, discussed in more detail below. Typically the loops cover the area26and only a few are shown for illustration purposes. The spine portion12and the covers14and16of the binder10are preferably constructed of a relatively rigid plastic material or similar durable, non-toxic material that may preferably be cleaned easily and is suited for use in the learning tool of the present invention.

Referring now toFIGS. 2aand2b, a page for the learning tool in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at30. The page30includes a first or front side32and a second or rear side34and an attachment edge portion36. A hinge38, such as a living hinge or the like, connects the edge portion36with the remainder of the page30to permit the page to be “turned” with respect to the attachment edge36. A first longitudinally extending fastening element or strip40is disposed on the attachment edge36on the first side32of the page30. A second longitudinally extending fastening element or strip42is disposed on the attachment edge36on the second side34of the page30. Preferably, the fastening element40has a page fastening means41in the form of a plurality of hooks, and the fastening element42has a page fastening means43formed as a plurality of loops. Typically the hooks cover the area40and the loops cover the area42and only a few of each are shown for illustration purposes. Thus, the fastening element40has hooks operable to attach to the binder area26on the spine portion12of the binder10. The other fastening element42not attached to the binder area26is operable to attach to another fastening element on another similar page of the learning tool, as discussed in more detail below.

As shown inFIG. 1, the inner surface22of the back cover16can also include predetermined mounting locations for smaller book pages. For example, the inner surface22of the back cover16can have a plurality of horizontally extending, vertically spaced fastening elements or strips27thereon each having a page fastening means27ain the form of a plurality of hooks. A set of smaller pages, represented by a smaller page29, can be releasably mounted with one page per strip27. The smaller pages29have strips25on both sides each having a page fastening means25ain the form of a plurality of loops. Typically the hooks cover the strips27and the loops cover the strips25and only a few of each are shown for illustration purposes. Thus, the pages29can be removed from the back cover16and used by the child as guides in performing learning tasks involving the symbol devices and the larger pages which may be advantageously configured in the binder10to correspond to lessons in the book collection and further enhance the learning experience for the child.

As shown inFIG. 2a, the front side32of the page30can have a mounting surface33in a lower portion thereof. The surface33has a symbol device fastening means33ain the form of a plurality of loops. A plurality of mounting locations35,37and39are provided in an upper portion of the front side32, which locations merely are representative in terms of numbers, shapes and sizes. For example, the mounting location35is formed as a triangle that is representative of various geometric shapes to be learned. The mounting location37is formed as the lowercase letter “a” that is representative of letters of the alphabet to be learned. The mounting location39is formed as the number “1” that is representative of numbers and arithmetic operators to be learned. The mounting locations35,37and39have a symbol device fastening means35a,37aand39arespectively in the form of a plurality of loops. Typically the loops cover the mounting locations and only a few are shown for illustration purposes.

Referring now toFIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown a symbol device43formed, for example, as an uppercase or capital letter ‘B’ for use with the learning tool in accordance with the present invention. The symbol device43is preferably constructed of Velcro material or a similar material and includes a symbol device fastening means46, in the form of a plurality of hooks, disposed on a front or display surface44and a rear or mounting surface45thereof, best seen inFIG. 4. Referring now toFIGS. 5 and 6, an alternative embodiment of a symbol device47for the uppercase letter ‘H’ is shown. The symbol device47is preferably constructed of Velcro material or a similar material and includes a symbol device fastening means50, in the form of a plurality of loops, disposed on a front or display surface48and rear or mounting surface49thereof, best seen inFIG. 6. Clearly, the symbol devices43and47can have hooks on one side and loops on the other side.

Referring now toFIGS. 7aand7b, a page for the learning tool in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at51. The page51includes a first side52and a second side54and an attachment edge portion56. A hinge58, such as a living hinge or the like, connects the attachment edge56to the remainder of the page51. A first fastening element or strip60, similar to the fastening element40ofFIG. 2a, is disposed on the attachment edge56on the first side52of the page51. A second fastening element62, similar to the fastening element42ofFIG. 2b, is disposed on the attachment edge56on the second side54of the page51. Thus, the fastening element60is operable to attach to the binder area26on the spine portion12of the binding10. The other the fastening element62is operable to attach to another fastening element, such as the element42on the page30of the learning tool, discussed in more detail below.

The first side52of the page51defines a mounting surface, indicated generally at64. The mounting surface64includes a plurality of predetermined mounting locations66a,66b, and66ceach for attaching an associated symbol device, such as the symbol device43ofFIGS. 3 and 4or the symbol device47ofFIGS. 5 and 6thereto. The predetermined mounting locations66a,66b, and66care shaped to conform to the profile of the associated symbol device, such as the center mounting location66abeing in the shape of the capital letter “B” to correspond to the symbol device43. Adjacent each of the predetermined mounting locations66a,66b, and66cthere is provided at least one writing aid instruction line that is formed as an arrow to assist a child to learn to write upper case letters, such as the lines68a, lower case letters, such as the lines68b, and/or numbers, such as the lines68c. Other predetermined mounting locations can be included on the mounting surface64including, but not limited to, mounting locations for arithmetic symbols, punctuation marks, directional arrows, geometric shapes, common shapes showing different colors, and the like. These additional predetermined mounting locations may also include a writing aid instruction lines located adjacent thereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that greater or fewer predetermined mounting locations, such as the mounting locations68a,68b, and68c, may be included on the mounting surface64and the mounting locations may be sized to include, for example, an entire uppercase and/or lowercase alphabet, all numerals zero through nine, while remaining within the scope of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the symbol devices may all include hooks, such as the hooks46ofFIG. 4, may all include loops, such as the loops50ofFIG. 6, or any combination thereof and the mounting locations, such as the mounting locations68a,68b, and68c, will be configured with the symbol device fastening means described above in the form of hooks or loops as required to accept each of the symbol devices.

Referring now toFIGS. 8aand8b, a page for the learning tool in accordance with the present invention is indicated generally at70. The page70includes a first side72and a second side74and an attachment edge portion76. A hinge78, such as a living hinge or the like, connects the attachment edge portion76to the remainder of the page70. A first fastening element or strip80, similar to the fastening element40ofFIG. 2a, is disposed on the attachment edge76on the first side72of the page70. A second fastening element or strip82, similar to the fastening element42ofFIG. 2b, is disposed on the attachment edge76on the second side74of the page70. Preferably, the fastening element80includes a plurality of hooks, and the fastening element82includes a plurality of loops. The fastening element80is operable to attach to the binder area26on the spine portion12of the binding10. The element82is operable to attach to another fastening element on another page of the learning tool, as discussed in more detail below.

The first side72of the page70defines a mounting surface, indicated generally at84. The mounting surface84covers a large percentage of the first side72of the page70. Preferably, the mounting surface84is formed with a symbol device fastening means84aincluding a plurality of loops for cooperating with hooks, such as the hooks46of the symbol device43. Alternatively, the mounting surface84is formed with a plurality of hooks for cooperating with loops, such as the loops50of the symbol device47. The mounting surface84advantageously allows a plurality of symbol devices, such as the symbol device43and the symbol device47to be placed thereon with no particular ordering or locating requirement, allowing the child to form words, sentences, display shapes and arrows, and perform basic arithmetic, etc by moving the symbols from other pages to the mounting surface84.

The learning tool in accordance with the present invention can be assembled from the above-described components as follows. The page30can be selected to be a first page for the learning tool. The fastening element40(hooks) of the page30is removably attached to the binder area26(loops) of the book binder10allowing the page30to be turned at the hinge38. After the page30is attached to the book binder10, the page51is removably attached to the page30by attaching the fastening element60(hooks) to the fastening element42(loops) of the page30. When attached, the page51can be turned at the hinge58. After the page51is attached to the page30, the page70is removably attached to the page51by attaching the fastening element80(hooks) to the fastening element62(loops) of the page51. When attached, the page70can be turned at the hinge78. When attached and assembled as described above, the pages30,51, and70and the book binder10form a learning tool in accordance with the present invention and each of the pages30,51, and70are operable to turn at their respective hinges38,58, and78to allow for the user of the learning tool to easily turn the pages30,51, and70during use of the learning tool. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that any number of the pages30,51,70can be attached to the book binder10and any number of the symbol devices can be attached to the pages to form a single page or multiple page learning tool while remaining within the scope of the present invention. Moreover, because each of the pages30,51, and70are removably attached, the pages30,51, and70may be advantageously ordered, configured, or arranged within the book binder10as desired by the user of the learning tool.