Round container with domed lid containing multiple letters of the alphabet made of bone: each letter is 1 cm high.

This is a part of the Gilbert Collection of books, toys and games given to the Children's Literature Research Collection of the State Library in the 1960s. The Gilbert Family lived at Pewsey Vale from 1839 where they were pastoralists and vignerons. Many of the books and games were designed to instruct as well as to entertain and were sent out from England by the children's aunts, who were interested in the kindergarten system of learning through play.

Alphabet letters and blocks developed as a result of a movement to incorporate play as an essential part of learning. This was first suggested by the philosopher John Locke in 1693 when he proposed placing the letters on the sides of cubes of wood to encourage letter recognition as a precursor to learning to read. Nineteenth century educationalists such as Pestalozzi, Froebel and Montessori further developed the concept of learning through play. Alphabet blocks and letters have become a classic toy.

Alphabet noodles are a modern extension of the concept.