Froebel's Gifts

"Froebel's Gifts" by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin and Nora Archibald Smith is an educational handbook written in the late 19th century. The text focuses on Friedrich Froebel's principles of early childhood education, specifically the concept of the kindergarten and the sequential gifts designed to aid in child development. This work aims to illuminate Froebel's theories and methods for teachers and parents, outlining the importance of practical engagement with children through various educational gifts. At the start of the book, the authors introduce the concept of "Froebel's Gifts," which are educational tools and materials to promote learning in children. They emphasize that these gifts are derived from years of experience and observation within kindergarten settings, aimed at developing a child's understanding of the world through hands-on activities. The authors discuss how the gifts represent fundamental concepts such as unity, activity, and color, providing a solid foundation for early education. Additionally, they advocate for a playful, engaging approach to teaching, encouraging educators to adapt their methods based on a child's instincts and natural curiosity. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Kate Douglas Wiggin was an American educator, author and composer. She wrote children's stories, most notably the classic children's novel Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, and composed collections of children's songs. She started the first free kindergarten in San Francisco in 1878. With her sister during the 1880s, she also established a training school for kindergarten teachers. Kate Wiggin devoted her adult life to the welfare of children in an era when children were commonly thought of as cheap labor.