February 26, 2019
The name actually comes from the belief that children should be nurtured and cared for like plants in a garden.
German pedagogue Friedrich Fröbel (1782–1852) was the one who designed the first educational system for children under the age of 7, who at the time were considered too young to attend school. Fröbel believed that, if taught in creative ways, children could already absorb a variety of concepts from the time they were babies.
To this end, the German developed the Fröbelgaben, a pedagogical tool based on geometric shapes. Translated into English as gifts , into Spanish as regalos and into Portuguese as dons , these educational toys were based on the idea of being like gifts .
This had a double meaning: they could be gifts given to children and also instruments that allowed adults to perceive children's gifts. His philosophy was that children should be cultivated in the forms of life (nature), knowledge (science) and beauty (aesthetics). Each “gift” opened up possibilities for these three axes of exploration.
All activities were carried out as games. This radical pedagogy of the 1830s predicted that play could be a valuable tool in early childhood education and was based on the principle that learning should be based on interest and not obligation .
There were only two rules for interacting with the “gifts”: all pieces had to be incorporated and creations had to be made from transformations, not destruction and reconstruction.
Discover the 6 original “gifts” created by Fröbel:
1. Balls of yarn
Aimed at babies, they come in a set of six different colors: red, yellow, blue (primary colors), orange, green and purple (secondary colors). They are an easy size for children and their caregivers to handle, and are designed to encourage observation of color and movement.
2. Sphere, cylinder and cube
It is a wooden trio aimed at children aged 1 to 2. Its aim is to present the interconnection between different shapes.
3. The divided cube
Aimed at children aged 2 to 3, it is a set of 8 small wooden cubes. It is the first in a series of 4 sets of wooden blocks that become increasingly complex. The aim of the toy is to demonstrate the relationship of the parts to the whole. From there, children can be introduced to the mathematical concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
4. Rectangular prisms
Aimed at children aged 2 to 3, it is a set of 8 small wooden boards. Similar to the third gift, instead of square cubes, they are rectangular blocks. From these, children can create and build objects that they observe in their daily lives, such as little houses or tables.
5. Cubes and triangular prisms
Aimed at children aged 3 to 4, it is a set of wooden blocks that includes cubes, triangles and planks. Larger in overall size and complexity, it allows for more possibilities than previous sets.
6. Building blocks
Aimed at children aged 4 to 5, it is a set of wooden blocks that includes 18 boards, 6 columns and 12 flat squares, presenting a greater degree of complexity. With them, children can discover notions of proportion, symmetry and balance.
As you can imagine, Fröbel's legacy is incalculable. The principle behind the conception of kindergarten and the idea that young children are not only capable of learning, but that this learning should be cultivated from an early age in a playful way, is still relevant today.
All images taken from http://www.froebelgifts.com