The Web As A Teaching Resource For Moms And Dads

Because of all the school budget cuts, it’s become incumbent on parents to expose their children to the information they’re not getting in school. Luckily, the online world is filled with teaching tools — if you know how to search for them. And because children are so ahead of where we were at kids, going online to learn is totally natural for them. I watched my 4-year-old nephew navigate YouTube looking for NASA launch videos and footage of tornadoes, so it should be a snap for older children.

You can often find learning opportunities in unusual places, such as in the world of antique clip art. Digitized antique advertising, postcards, greeting cards, posters and other ephemera contain historical information that’s interesting and revealing. The following vintage images are great examples of online materials that can be used for teaching:

Colonel Stoopnagle’s Spoonerisms

Fairy tale spoonerisms originated in the early- to mid-Twentieth Century, brought forth by Reverend William Spooner and made famous by Frederick Chase Taylor, a radio comedian, performing under the name Colonel Lemuel Q. Stoopnagle. These unusual versions of traditional fables swap the first letter or phonetic sound of one word with the next word or a word that falls a few words away. Authentic examples from Spooner himself include “cattle ships and bruisers” for “battleships and cruisers” and “a blushing crow” for “a crushing blow”. Besides being entertaining, these timeless mash-ups also give kids the chance to play with words.

Vintage Postcards of Historical Figures

There was a remarkable selection of postcards printed that honored American presidents, statesmen and even heroines. In fact, these used to be all the rage. From free pictures of Abraham Lincoln to greeting cards with images of John Adams and Betsy Ross to make-believe American heroes like Uncle Sam, the online world is filled with these vintage pictorial references. Many tell stories along with the pictures, making them bite-sized history lessons.

Tall Sailing Ships Photos and Paintings

There’s plenty of interesting information to be found if children study historic tall ships. From barqs to Blackwall frigates to the elegant historic vessels that sail in the modern Tall Ships Race, stories abound of life at sea.

Victorian Fashion Illustrations

Studying fashion doesn’t have to be frivolous or just for children who want to become designers, if it reveals a piece of history. Studying Victorian fashions how different life was almost two centuries ago. With any luck, they’ll understand just how good they have it now!

You can also find plenty of current topics that make fine teaching materials. You just have to make sure the materials, or at least your presentation of them, is impartial. Children are like sponges, so giving them balanced information is important. That impartiality will make a difference in their world view later in life.