Froebel Trust

The power of play A series of articles from leading practitioners around the world exploring ideas about children's play.

It's great to see open ended play being highlighted on such a widely read publication.

Learning and experimenting through play is at the heart of Froebelian practice. ✨

Visit our website for more information on the power of play ➡️http://bit.ly/4q141ob

#FroebelTrust #FroebelianPedagogy

This month, the @newyorker.com shared this fantastic front cover featuring free play! 🤩

“Play is the highest expression of human development in childhood for it alone is the free expression of what is in a child’s soul,” – Friedrich Froebel

Being & Belonging Conference Saturday 8 November 2025 "Gifts for our Future 14: Being and Belonging" Edinburgh Froebel Network & The Froebel Trust

Book for £45 today and receive lunch, refreshments and a certificate of attendance.

Book your tickets ➡️ bit.ly/46P2KZD

#EdinburghFroebelConference #BeingAndBelongConference #FroebelTrust #EdinburghFroebelNetwork #FroebelianPrinciples #SlowPedagogy

Speakers Donna Green and Shirley Couser will be hosting a workshop dedicated to slow pedagogy with examples of how taking time and considering pace and the rhythm of the day can offer something for everyone.

PLUS, additional workshop sessions available and keynote speeches to enjoy.

(2/3)

Want to learn more about slow pedagogy? Join the Edinburgh Froebel Network and Froebel Trust at the Gifts for Our Future 14: Being and Belonging conference.

📅 Saturday 8 November
📍 John McIntyre Centre, Edinburgh

(1/3)

Pamphlets and guides Play and creativity are integral to child development and learning. Our free to download pamphlet series and resources explore themes and activities closely associated with Froebelian practice today.

Featuring real-life examples and practical steps you can take to introduce block play into your early years setting. 🌿

Find out more ➡️ bit.ly/48JWKTp

#FroebelTrust #BlockPlay #FroebelianPrinciples #FroebelianApproach #EarlyYears #EarlyEducation

Thank you to everyone who attended our Annual Lecture this evening! If you’re feeling inspired by Jane Clarke’s speech and want to introduce block play and Froebelian principles into your setting, download our free pamphlet Froebel’s gifts and block play today!

Pamphlets and guides Play and creativity are integral to child development and learning. Our free to download pamphlet series and resources explore themes and activities closely associated with Froebelian practice today.

If you’d like to know more about introducing woodwork into your setting or developing your practice in this area, download our pamphlet, The wonder of woodwork by Pete Moorhouse, who chaired tonight’s webinar.

➡️ bit.ly/4pQqJzb

#Froebel #EarlyYears #WoodWork #FroebelianEducation #EarlyLearning

Our guest presenter tonight, Jane Clarke explained the role Caroline Pratt played in embedding this in the curriculum at City and Country School in New York and the influence this has had on early education globally.

It was fantastic to see the importance of teaching woodwork in schools throughout history highlighted in our autumn lecture this evening.

Tell us about your thoughts on the lecture in the comments section!
#Froebel #EarlyYears #BlockPlay #FroebelianEducation #EarlyLearning

Two boys engage in uninterrupted block play in 1951.

Check out this wonderful image from the City and Country School archive showing children engaging in uninterrupted play through the use of blocks from 1951. Next to it is a more contemporary image of a 4 year old at the woodwork bench.

"[City and Country School] archives remind us of the value of uninterrupted play” – Jane Clarke
The past and present has come into play as our Autumn Lecture guest speaker, Jane shares the continuing legacy of the City and Country School in New York and its founder, Caroline Pratt. 🌿

We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at our Annual Lecture tonight with guest speaker, Jane Clarke – a progressive educator with over 40 years’ experience of specialising in early childhood teaching. 🤩

Let us know what you’re most looking forward to ⬇️

#FroebelianPrinciples #FroebelianEducation

Froebel Trust Autumn Lecture 2025 This year's Froebel Trust lecture explores how we can nurture children’s creativity and autonomous learning with practice examples from New York. Join us at 7pm GMT +1 on Tuesday 7 October 2025.

Get your FREE tickets today ➡️ bit.ly/4mtLSMM

#FrobelTrust #AnnualLecture #FroebelianLecture #FroebelianPedagogy #EarlyYearsEducation #BlockPlay

Jane will share a brief history of the school and, with examples from her own teaching, she will illustrate how Caroline's pedagogical beliefs continue to be central to the curriculum for young children.

Time is running out to get your tickets to the Froebel Trust annual lecture on block play! 💥

It will be presented by guest speaker Jane Clarke, former head of early years at the City and Country School in New York - the birthplace of Unit Blocks, invented by the school's founder, Caroline Pratt.

Our podcast If you've always wanted to know more about a Froebelian approach to early education - and how you might set out to develop practice in your school or setting - then the Froebel Trust podcast is for…

Listen to Episode 18 of the Froebel Trust podcast and download our latest pamphlet today.

🎙️🔗 bit.ly/3IfQ2Kh
📖 🔗http://bit.ly/4pGE2SM

#EarlyYears #FroebelTrust #FroebelianPedagogy #FroebelianPrinciples #FroebelianPodcast #FroebelTrustPamphlet

PLUS, in the podcast, we also hear from Froebel Trust Trustee, Fufy Demissie, senior lecturer in early years education at Sheffield Hallam University who shared her co-design approach to holistically supporting families in her nursery setting. ✨

Linked to our latest pamphlet, Connecting with parents, families and communities: a starting point, the podcast offers a deeper insight into building relationships using a Froebelian approach.

Froebel Trust Travelling Tutor, Rachna recently joined our podcast, alongside fellow tutor Holli Williams to explore the importance of connection. 🤝

“I just don’t think you can do your job as an educator if you don’t spend the time to get to know the children, because that’s where you’re teaching from,” - Rachna Joshi

Being & Belonging Conference Saturday 8 November 2025 "Gifts for our Future 14: Being and Belonging" Edinburgh Froebel Network & The Froebel Trust

Find out more on our website: bit.ly/46igpbv

#EdinburghFroebelConference #FrobelTrust #EdinburghFroebelNetwork #EarlyYears #EarlyYearsEducation #BeingAndBelongConference

Sharing stories from her life, research and the wider world, Rachna will explore the ripple effects of how individuals become who they are through relationships with others and the world around them.

Book today for £45, which includes your ticket, lunch, refreshments & certificate of attendance!

Join Rachna Joshi, Early Years Educator and Writer at the Gifts for Our Future 14: Being and Belonging this November!

📅 Saturday 8 November
🕘 9.30am - 4pm
📍 John McIntyre Centre

Rachna will talk about identity, relationships and the wider world through a Froebelian frame.

Download our pamphlet and listen to Episode 18 of the Froebel Trust podcast today.

🔗 Download Episode 18: froebel.org.uk/training-and...
🔗 Download free pamphlet: froebel.org.uk/training-and...

#FroebelTrust #TravellingTutor #EarlyYears #EarlyYearsEducation #Connection #FroebelianPrinciples

Following its release, the duo joined us on our podcast to dive deeper the topic and they explain how a Froebelian approach starts with relationships.

They were also joined by Froebel Trust Trustee, Fufy Demissie, who shared her co-design approach to supporting families. ✨

Froebel Trust Travelling Tutors, Holli and Rachna Joshi, teamed up to write our latest pamphlet, Connecting with parents, families and communities: a starting point, which explored the importance of authentic connections. 🫶

“You have to really know your families in order to be able to connect with them in any way whatsoever. It has to be real. It has to be meaningful,” – Holli Williams

Froebel Trust Conference 2023: Session 2 This year's conference explores how a Froebelian approach is crucial to improving babies' and young children's experiences in early education. Second session features presentations from Susana…

👀 Watch the seminar on our website. See the link below. ⬇️

www.froebel.org.uk/training/fil...

#FroebelTrust #FroebelianPrinciples #FroebelTrustConference #FroebelianStudy #Ofsted