Friedrich Wilhelm August Fröbel (1782 – 1852) was a German educationalist. In 1840 he created the word kindergarten for the Play and Activity Institute he had founded in 1837 at Bad Blankenburg for young children. One of his educational tools, (popularly known as Froebel Gifts or Fröbel Gaben) included geometric blocks that could be assembled in various combinations to form three dimensional compositions. Famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright has self admittedly been influenced a lot through playing with the Froebel blocks.
Froebel's great insight was to recognise the importance of the activity of the child in learning. Activities in the first kindergarten included singing, dancing, gardening and playing with the Froebel Gifts.
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