Froebel's greatest contributions

Froebel's greatest contributions to educational thinking are to be found in the area of how children learn. Froebel puts before us the idea that a child's intellectual development begins on the day he is born. This, inevitably, makes the mother the child's first teacher, and Froebel makes us aware that 'mother-love' by itself will not be sufficient to do the job successfully.

As the child, at this state in his life, has only his own actions available by which to learn, Froebel argues that the child's actions are the seed kernel of his intelligence. This individual activity, although demonstrating what is within the child, his gifts and interests, needs encouragement from without and with the help of the adult, self-activity changes to play.

With increased intelligence the child needs to reflect on his experiences and therefore needs to represent his own thinking in terms of actions and language.'

A Child's Work - Freedom and Guidance in Froebel's Educational Theory and Practice. (P132)
Joachim Liebschner