Part 29 (1/2)

The Kindergarten Gifts

Friedrich Froebel, after observing and studying thoughtfully the play and playthings of little children, selected from among these, and arranged in logical order, a certain series which should help develop the little one in mind, body, and spirit through childlike play. This series of related playthings is known as the kindergarten ”gifts.”

All children of all races play ball, and the first kindergarten gift to be given, even to a very little child, consists of six soft worsted b.a.l.l.s in the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

The second gift is an oblong box containing a wooden ball or ”sphere,” a cube, and a cylinder, with several slender axles and beams to a.s.sist in the little plays.

The third gift is a box containing a two-inch cube divided horizontally and vertically into eight one-inch cubes.

The fourth gift is a similar cube divided horizontally into eight oblong blocks.

The fifth gift is evolved from the preceding ones and is a five-inch cube divided into inch cubes, half cubes, and quarter cubes.

The sixth gift is a cube of the same size divided so that it contains cubes, oblongs, and plinths.

The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth gifts are derived from the geometrical solids.

The seventh gift is derived from the geometrical surfaces, and consists of wooden tablets in shapes of circles, squares, triangles, etc.

The eighth gift represents the geometrical line and is made up of wooden sticks in lengths of one, two, three, four, five, and six inches. They may be had in two thicknesses and either colored or uncolored.

The ninth gift, derived from the edge of the circle, consists of metal rings, half rings, and quarter rings, in several sizes.

The tenth gift, derived from the geometric point, is the lentil.

Kindergartners differ as to the amount of emphasis to be placed upon the geometric side of the ”gifts,” and as to whether or not they should always be presented in a certain logical order. To appreciate their full value the mother must read her Froebel or take a kindergarten course. We give below some simple methods of using them, from which the child will derive both pleasure and benefit. What follows should be entirely clear, especially if the mother has the ”gifts” before her as she reads.

=First Gift b.a.l.l.s= (_Rubber ball 1-1/2 inches in diameter_, _wool in six primary colors_, _crochet-hook_)

These b.a.l.l.s can be made by taking a _rubber_ ball and crocheting around it a case of worsted; or a case can be crocheted and then stuffed with loose wool or cotton. In the latter case to insure a good shape it is well to crochet _over a ball_ till nearly finished; then take the rubber ball out and fill with the cotton or wool and then complete the ball.

Then crochet a string about eight inches long and attach to the ball, for suspending it. The ball can then be swung, raised, lowered, made to hop like a bird, swing like a pendulum, revolve rapidly like a wheel.

The child may play that it is a bucket being raised or lowered. See how steadily he can raise it.

The b.a.l.l.s lend themselves to many color games.

1. Place them in a row, let one child blind his eyes, another one removes one of the b.a.l.l.s and the first one, opening his eyes, tries to think which one is missing.

2. Let children observe the colors through a gla.s.s prism and try to arrange b.a.l.l.s in similar order. Ask child if he can tell which colors are uppermost in the rainbow, the cold or the warm ones.

3. If the mother is sewing on a colored dress, let the child try to pick out the ball resembling it in color.

4. Play hiding the ball, as in hide the thimble.

5. Play store, letting him tell you which ball will best represent a lemon, an orange, a red apple, etc.

=Second Gift Plays=