Part 30 (1/2)

When he begins to see differences, give him two forms only and let him arrange. Later give him others. Too many at first will be confusing.

Besides the stringing, these beads may be used in other ways. Make a fence by putting two cubes and a sphere, one on top of the other for a post, and then join these to similar posts by running toothpicks or burnt matches through the perforations.

Place cubes and cylinders, one on top of another, and use as tree box with tiny twig or elderberry branch for tree. If making a toy village of blocks or cardboard, these little beads will make good lampposts.

=The Pegboard=

The pegboard, an additional gift devised by Mrs. Alice H. Putnam, can also be had in two sizes, the large one to be preferred. The board is perforated with holes at regular intervals and is accompanied with colored pegs, which the child loves to insert in the openings.

He may arrange them in ranks for soldiers, according to color, two and two, or four and four, learning thus to count.

A flower-bed with red flowers in one corner and green bushes in another may be made.

He may play that the pegs are kindergarten children playing follow the leader, some with red dresses, some with blue waists, etc.

A birthday cake with candles may be represented, or a line of telegraph poles, if father has gone on a journey, and over the imaginary wires a message may be sent.

The pegboard is also loved by very young children.

=Plays with the Other Gifts=

The third gift cubes may be built by the little child into houses, furniture, wagons, etc. It is very simple, and yet when handling it the child learns something of form and number and gains skill with his tiny hands.

The fourth gift expresses ”proportion.” Each block is twice the length of those in the preceding gift and half as high. He can build with it objects impossible with the first divided cube. The two may often be used in conjunction.

The fifth gift requires a decided increase in the child's powers of coordination. He can make with it a very great variety of objects. Only a kindergartner can appreciate its many possibilities.

The sixth gift lends itself peculiarly to buildings of a certain type.

It expresses less strength and more grace than the preceding ones.

In playing with these ”gifts” under direction of a teacher, the child, if making the grocery store, proceeds to make the counter, the scales, the money desk, etc., in succession, and is not allowed to take the first structure apart in disorderly fas.h.i.+on and then make the next one, but is supposed to build the counter, or other article, by gradually transforming the thing already made, removing the blocks in ones, or twos, or threes in an orderly way. Each block is supposed to have some relation to the whole. For instance if a shoe store has been made and one unused block remains, it may represent the footstool used in such a store.

Froebel thought in this way through simple play to help the child little by little to feel the relatedness of all life.

=Seventh Gift Plays=

With the seventh gift tablets the child makes designs or ”beauty forms,”

becoming familiar with certain geometrical forms and exercising his powers of invention in pleasing design.

In using the tablets, which are in both light and dark stains, do not give too many at first. Give him for instance one circle, representing a picture of a ball, and let him lay a row of such for a frieze design for a gymnasium.

Give a circle and four squares, and let him place one above, one below, one to the right and one to the left, touching the circle. This will suggest a unit for a tile for a playroom fireplace.

Tell him to change the top square so that its angle touches the circle; then change the lower one in the same way; then the right, then the left. This transformation gives an entirely new design.