The Froebel-based approach to learning essentially advocates for the power of play. It is the brainchild of the German educationalist after whom the methodology is named, i.e. Freidrich Froebel. He was one of the pioneers of kindergarten education, and he noted that the best way for preschoolers to learn was through child-led activities. Moreover, he believed children should be left to create, discover and explore for themselves with adults only providing sensitive guidance. It throws structured teaching formulas out the window in favor of Froebel learning or observational development via play. That said, here are some of the top impacts of this approach to preschool education.

Fewer risks to detrimental technology exposure

Technology and screens are all around us today. While technology no doubt has its conveniences, toddlers can be exposed to its negative facets. In fact, estimates indicate that:

• Teens and kids spend on average 44.5 hours on digital screens weekly
• 23% of them have video game addictions
• 56% of children are estimated to be addicted to the internet

This increase in screen time can lead to a myriad of issues, from health problems to poor social skills and much more.

The Froebel approach advocates for real-world preschool learning at home, and gadget-free, play-based parent-child learning programs such as our very own Vaekke are the first step to combat technology problems in toddlers.

With such a learning methodology, children get to spend a lot more time outdoors, being physically active. This is good for burning calories to ensure better health and all-around wellbeing, both physical and mental as well.

Froebel-based learning cultivates communication skills

When children play with their peers and parents, family members, or guardians, they get to practice and finetune their communication and language abilities. Children best pick up skills through observational learning, which is at the heart of our many Froebel-based preschool activities at home.

Observational learning means that kids learn new skills by listening to us and watching what we do. Monkey see, monkey do. Older adults are the fountain of knowledge for preschoolers, and they are often the source of new vocabularies as well as behavior. To ensure that your child has a more positive observational learning experience, parents should do their best to:

• Positively reinforce positive behavior that you notice
• Get rid of negative influences in terms of vulgar TV shows and whatnot
• Surround your preschooler with more positivity in terms of activities, places, and people as well.

Active play speeds up motor skills development

An active preschool program at home brings important muscle groups into the fold, providing the physical engagement they need to develop gross motor skills through activities that encourage:

• Crawling
• Throwing
• Jumping
• Running
• Kneading
• Funneling

Light aerobic activities encouraged by the Froebel theory such as balloon walking, help toddlers to develop healthier hearts, while their core muscles, balance, and hand-eye coordination improve as they explore through energetic play.

There’s also much for kids to gain in terms of fine motor skills from this way of learning. In particular, crafting, drawing, and coloring can improve your child’s use of small muscle groups in the hands and wrists. These skills can come in handy for performing a variety of tasks at school, and even for getting through simple activities of daily living such as grooming.

The Froebel theory builds EQ and social skills

Preschoolers who often go to a purely academic preschool system don’t always have the best EQ skills. The increased focus on grades often comes at the expense of social and emotional intelligence, the lack of which can make children feel out of place in society.

Play-based learning programs are a great way to build EQ and teach children how to better understand, manage and use their emotions more positively. In a nutshell, kids tend to become smarter with their feelings. Froebel-based approaches achieve this by:

• Connecting children with their peers through play, which cultivates a sense of belonging from early on
• Fostering interactions that provide the base for children to learn how to build and develop relationships
• Allowing children to let off some steam. Children can feel stress just like we do but may not show it. Play-based learning provides an avenue for preschoolers to let go of any bottled-up negativities

With frequent interactions among children, parents, and friends, preschoolers also develop social skills that enable them to fit in wherever they go.

It fosters critical thinking and creativity

Kids aren’t inherently imaginative or creative as many people would have us believe. They are not just born problem solvers or with boundless imagination. Far from it, these are skills that they learn, and the best way to teach is through a Froebel or play-driven system.

Structured learning often breeds predictability, and this can stifle your little one’s ability to think out of the box as such a system typically tunes thinking toward a particular direction. That’s because they know what to expect, and there’s little motivation to think beyond conventions.

On the flip side, an observational, and unstructured play-based learning approach inspires your preschool to think on his feet, which is key to:

• Growing problem-solving skills that can improve many facets of daily living
• Enabling preschoolers to manage adversity better when things don’t go their way by building resilience
• Further reinforcing motor skills as well as decision-making abilities
• Toddlers experience more fun and freedom in learning, which always makes learning more effective

What’s more, as kids work through self-lead play activities for preschool learning at home such as playdough games, playing pretend, and much more, they learn to navigate both hypothetical and real-life scenarios. This bodes well for their creativity and imagination, setting them up to be curious adults who are self-driven.

Vaekke is proudly Froebel-based!

The verdict is clear: there’s no better way for toddlers to learn than through the observational play concepts that the Frobel theory advocates for. As India’s only pioneering, EQ-centric program, Vaekke offers loads of the best Froebel learning activities for preschoolers at home. We also fuse other proven methodologies involving Montessori and real-worlding learning approaches, which further enrich the preschool experience for children. Contact us today for preschool solutions that truly make a difference.