Friedrich Froebel
1782 – 1852 German educator, reformer
German educator who invented the kindergarten and made structured play the heart of early learning.
- Religion
- Protestant.
- Affiliations
- Founded the first kindergarten; created educational play materials.
Froebel worked with Pestalozzi before developing his own approach to early childhood, opening the first kindergarten in Bad Blankenburg in 1837. He designed a sequence of play materials, called gifts and occupations, to help young children learn through guided activity. The kindergarten movement spread across Europe and to America, carried in part by his students.
Connections
- influenced Elizabeth Peabody — Adopted and promoted Froebel's kindergarten in America.
- influenced Elizabeth Peabody — Peabody brought Froebel's kindergarten to the United States.
- influenced Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi — Froebel studied Pestalozzi's methods at Yverdon.
- student of Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi — Worked at Pestalozzi's institute at Yverdon.
- influenced Susan Blow — Built her public kindergarten on Froebel's system.
In the timeline
- 1837 Froebel opens the first kindergarten mentioned