Slide 2

The child in community

“Froebel recognised the importance of key relationships in a child’s life from babyhood – mothers, and indeed all family members, were central in a child’s life.” Jane Dyke, in Songs, Rhymes and Finger Songs (download free).

Froebel, unlike many of his contemporaries, believed that family life was full of natural wonder and learning for the child. Families did not have to “work” at providing learning opportunities for their children, or gather them together by age. They just had to include their children in the natural rhythms of the day, giving them access to the same tools, songs, tasks, productive work and environments… and then crucially, allowing them the time, freedom and support to explore them – through play.

Slide 3

Everyday objects vs throwaway toys

He twists and turns, takes things up and puts them down… intensely active and continuously occupied – Froebel, in Lilley, 1967:77

Froebel believed that natural and everyday objects provided untold learning opportunities for babies and children – who would gradually put them to more and more productive and creative use. The key to a good play thing is that it should be open-ended. In contrast, “toys” which can only be or do one or two things can be expensive and provide less stimulation or relational value between the child and her wider community. Froebel encouraged parents to allow children as much freedom as possible to test out these materials – where possible, to their limits. In this way they discover all their properties and explore their own relationship to them (in “schemas”).

Slide 4

Following the child

“In the future, if you want a job, you must be as unlike a machine as possible: creative, critical and socially skilled. So why are children being taught to behave like machines? Children learn best when [opportunities] align with their natural exuberance, energy and curiosity.” George Monbiot, in The Guardian, 15 Feb 2017 (read full article)

If I had announced that I would educate [children] specifically to be servants, shoemakers or tailors… then I should certainly have won praise. But I wanted to educate them to be free, to think, to take action for themselves. ― Froebel, 1826 (in Lilley, 1967:41).

Slide 5

Schemas, symbols: the inner life of play

In all that they do, even in their play with stones and bits of wood, they are painting and drawing themselves. ― Froebel, 1826 (in Lilley, 1967:115).

Froebel strongly believed that babies and children are continually “making the inner outer, and the outer inner” in their play. In other words, they are carefully and continuously synthesising their own needs, expressions and ideas with the world at large, in order to develop their own power and wellbeing within it.

Parents can support this beautifully by being alongside their children, noticing and quietly extending the expressions and patterns (or schemas) “at play”. The goal is to build on what children are doing – rather than worrying about what they “can’t do”.

Slide 6

At this age play is never trivial; it is serious and deeply significant. It needs to be cherished and encouraged by parents… The forms of play at this age are the core of the whole future, since in them the whole person is developed and revealed in the most sensitive qualities of their mind. ― Froebel, 1830s (in Lilley, 1967:84).

Slide 7

"Bad behaviour, mess and mistakes"

The child who seems rude and self-willed is often involved in an intense struggle to realise the good by his own effort. ― Froebel (1967:51).

Children’s “harmful” choices are profound expressions of their inner life, not to be judged but witnessed, made safe and explored. Similarly “good choices” are only meaningful if chosen freely – not obliged or forced. The same goes for “mess” or “mistakes” in children’s daily lives. Froebelian Tina Bruce writes “Children learn best when they are given appropriate responsibility, allowed to experiment, make errors, decisions and choices, and are respected as autonomous learners.”

How can we build the space, time and temperaments into our family rhythms so children can have responsibility without blame?

Slide 8

The Froebel Trust pamphlets

Play and creativity are integral to child development and learning. The Froebel Trust’s free-to-download pamphlet series explores themes and activities closely associated with Froebelian practice today: from key principles, to cooking, finger songs, block play, clay, the outdoors and more.

View and download the series here.