When Froebel wrote in 1826, there had been but little thought expended on the subject of play, and probably none on human instincts, which were supposed to be nonexistent.  The hope he expressed that some philosopher would take up these subjects has now been fulfilled, and we ought now to turn to what has been said on a subject all-important to those who desire to help in the education of young children.

CHAPTER III

LEARNING BORN OF PLAY

     Play, which is the business of their lives.

There may be nothing new under the sun, but it does seem to be a fair claim to make for Froebel that no one before or since his time has more fully realised the value to humanity of what in childhood goes by the name of play.  Froebel had distinct theories about play, and he put his theories into actual practice, not only when he founded the Kindergarten, but in his original school for older children at Keilhau.

Before going into its full meaning, it may be well first to meet the most common misconception about play.  It is not surprising that those who have given the subject no special consideration should regard play from the ordinary adult standpoint, and think of it as entirely opposed to work, as relaxation of effort.  But the play of a child covers so much that it is startling to find a real psychologist writing that “education through play” is “a pernicious proposition."[10] Statements of this kind spring from the mistaken idea, certainly not derived from observation, that play involves no effort, that it runs in the line of least resistance, and that education through play means therefore education without effort, without training in self-control, education without moral training.  The case for the Kindergarten is the opposite of this.  Education through play is advocated just because of the effort it calls forth, just because of the way in which the child, and later the boy or girl, throws his whole energy into it.  What Froebel admired, what he called “the most beautiful expression of childlife,” was “the child that plays thoroughly, with spontaneous determination, perseveringly, until physical fatigue forbids—­a child wholly absorbed in his play—­a child that has fallen asleep while so absorbed.”  That child, he said, would be “a thorough determined man, capable of self-sacrifice for the promotion of the welfare of himself and others.”  It is because “play is not trivial, but highly serious and of deep significance,” that he appeals to mothers to cultivate and foster it, and to fathers to protect and guard it.

[Footnote 10:  The Educative Process, p. 255 (Bagley).]

The Kindergarten position can be summed up in a sentence from Dr. Clouston’s Hygiene of Mind:  “Play is the real work of children.”  Froebel calls activity of sense and limb “the first germ,” and “play-building and modelling the tender blossoms of the constructive impulse”; and this, he says, is “the moment when man is to be prepared for future industry, diligence and productive activity.”  He points out, too, the importance of noticing the habits which come from spontaneous self-employment, which may be habits of indolent ease if the child is not allowed to be as active as his nature requires.