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How did Friedrich Froebel emphasize self-activity in childhood education?

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Fragment of a Roman fresco showing Socrates seated and draped in a white robe, with Greek text above, on a red background with visible cracks. — Philosophy of education Socrates, Roman fresco, 1st century bce; in the Ephesus Museum, Selçuk, Turkey.

Friedrich Froebel revolutionized early childhood education by centering his pedagogic system on the principle that children are inherently active and creative beings rather than passive recipients of information.1

He emphasized self-activity by shifting the teacher's role away from drilling or indoctrination toward the encouragement of natural self-expression. To facilitate this, Froebel integrated play as a fundamental educational tool, believing it allowed children to engage with the world through both individual and group activities.2

To stimulate this learning process, he developed specific learning apparatuses known as "gifts" and "occupations." These included objects such as colored balls, blocks, squares, and cubes, which were arranged in increasing order of complexity. By using these materials alongside songs and music, Froebel provided children with structured opportunities to explore geometric constructions, artistic expression, and numerical concepts through their own active participation. This approach established the foundation for modern kindergarten practices, which continue to value the child's active role in their own development.12